Ten signs that you dont like your job

Jan. 10, 2005
The new year is a great time to analyze your job satisfaction

The new year is a great time to analyze your job satisfaction. As you make your new year’s resolutions, include career fulfillment as a top priority.

There are ten sure signs that you are experiencing job dissatisfaction according to Deborah Walker, a career coach and president of Alpha Advantage Inc.:

* You dread Mondays or coming to work.

* You can’t wait for Friday.

* You are often bored at work.

* You feel tired or chronically fatigued.

* You avoid your boss and dread meetings.

* You have no enthusiasm or sense of self-worth.

* You feel like you are getting nowhere in your job.

* You take work stress home.

* You question your choice of industry or occupation.

* You can’t think of a way out.

Any of the above signs indicate a need for change. The biggest career mistake is to ignore those indicators. A head-in-the-sand mentality can lead to a downward career spiral that ends with disappointment and “what if” regrets.

Here are three ways to facilitate positive change:

* Analyze your career choice.

Is the problem your boss or employer -- or is it that you have chosen the wrong occupation? Before you take any action, make sure you know what needs to change.

Don’t make the mistake of throwing away a good career when the problem is really the person you work for. On the flip side, if you’re not cut out for logistics, then changing employers isn’t going to help the problem.

A career coach can guide you to determine which of these problems is causing your unhappiness and give you ideas for your next career move.

* Update your resume.

Updating your resume can give you a great confidence boost. You’ll feel better immediately if you know you are ready whenever opportunity knocks.

Be careful, however, that your resume doesn’t resemble a house with too many additions, each resembling a different style. If you have simply added to the same old resume job after job, it’s time to “tear down that old shack” and rebuild your resume from the ground up.

If your old resume format doesn’t live up to your professional image, you may want to consult a resume writer. You’d never wrap a ruby ring in old newspaper, and you should never present your career with anything less than professional polish.

Brush up your interview skills.

If you have been on the job for a couple of years, your interview skills are probably rusty. Don’t make the mistake of blowing off the first few interviews as practice. They might be the perfect jobs for you.

You’ll feel much more confident and comfortable if your interview skills are honed before you step into the first interview. To determine your current level of interview expertise, answer the following questions:

Do you know the toughest interview questions—and how to answer them?

Can you answer the salary question without compromising the level of starting salary at offer time?

Can you recognize the most common interview styles—and respond without showing stress?

Job dissatisfaction is an indication of needed change. Take the steps of change by investing in the appropriate job search skills and tools.

www.alphaadvantage.com