This is one of the harder questions of working life, and the honest answer sits between two extremes. Expecting your job to fulfil your every need is a recipe for disappointment. Expecting nothing from it is a waste of a huge part of your life. A reasonable middle is both possible and worth aiming for.
Why expecting total fulfilment is a trap
No job delivers constant meaning, joy and satisfaction. Every role has dull stretches, frustrations and parts you simply tolerate. Expecting work to be endlessly fulfilling leaves you perpetually let down when reality falls short, as it always will. Fulfilment is not the same as enjoying every moment.
Why expecting nothing is also wrong
At the other extreme, treating work as purely a paycheck to be endured wastes an enormous share of your waking life. Given how many hours work takes, resigning yourself to it being empty has a real cost to your overall wellbeing. Aiming for nothing tends to deliver exactly that.
A reasonable bar
It is reasonable to expect a job that is meaningful enough, that uses your abilities, offers some growth, and does not consistently drain you. That is different from demanding perfection. A job that is fulfilling on balance, with good parts that outweigh the routine, is an achievable and worthwhile standard.
Fulfilment is partly built, not just found
Some fulfilment comes from the job, and some you create through how you approach it: pursuing mastery, connecting with the impact, building relationships, and taking on meaningful challenges. Waiting passively for a job to fulfil you is less effective than actively building fulfilment into the work you have.
Life beyond work matters too
It also helps to remember that work is one source of fulfilment, not the only one. Relationships, health and interests carry part of the load. A job does not have to be your entire sense of purpose, which takes some of the pressure off the expectation.
If the gap is too wide
If your job falls well short of a reasonable bar, and building fulfilment into it does not close the gap, that is a signal worth acting on. Moving toward more fulfilling work often means developing new skills or qualifications to reach roles that suit you better.
Expect your job to be fulfilling enough, not perfect. That is a fair standard, partly found and partly built, and worth pursuing rather than abandoning.
Related LSBUK resources
For building a better fit between work, skills and fulfilment, read: