Image by Anna Marie Škardová from Pixabay
From managers to clerks, job dissatisfaction seems to be globally rampant.
If you hate your job but can’t quit because you need the money, you’re not powerless. There are ways to enjoy your work and improve your situation.
You must understand the real reasons for your displeasure.
Usually, there are two reasons:
— You’ve got a bad manager
— You’re unhappy because you’re in the wrong job and have burnout
If you have a bad manager, you probably don’t feel valued or you don’t trust your boss.
If you’re unhappy because you’re in the wrong job, you might have poor self-awareness and might not be good at finding or landing the best job for you.
Whatever the reason for your dissatisfaction, it’s important remove the stress factors and enhance your motivation.
If you don’t, you’ll continue to be miserable. Worse, it’s possible your situation will deteriorate until you find yourself standing in line at the unemployment office.
Believe me, it’s a waste of time to network for a great job at the unemployment office.
If you do remove the stress factors, you’ll enjoy your work until you can improve your situation.
Here are seven proven tips:
1. Call out the cavalry
You don’t have to be alone in making career decisions. No matter what you do for a living, including if you have a nightmare for a boss, there’s one investment on which you can count to improve your career.
That’s a mentor. Plus, it won’t cost you any money. So get a mentor.
“Kid, every experience is a learning experience.”
– Del Sharbutt (my beloved mentor when I was a young broadcast journalist)
2. Embark on a quest for professional improvement
Many employers won’t finance education or training for you, especially if unrelated to your current responsibilities.
So take charge of your own career development. It’s your responsibility, not anyone else’s.
Identify your strengths, weaknesses and interests. Strategize about a long-term goal. Then, identify and use the right tactics to help you reach your objective.
3. Expand your internal networking
Instead of being stuck in a quagmire of unhappiness, be assertive and reach out. Make more friends in your organization.
You’ll find it easier to get a new job in your company or develop references for a job elsewhere.
If you identify an job within your organization, convince your boss to give you a different job.
However, if you have a bad relationship with your boss, note this bottom-line:
In difficult relationships, both people contribute to the problem. You might be only 2 percent of the problem, but it’s up to you to clean your side of the street.
4. Enhance your internal profile
Identify problems to solve, solve them and tell your boss afterward. Volunteer for extra work or for duties outside your realm of responsibilities.
Become known as a problem-solver and the go-to person in your department. Get more active in the community or join your local Rotary Club.
You’ll gain immediate personal satisfaction, your motivation will improve and likely open new opportunities.
You’ll probably feel more valued by your boss. Even if you don’t, you’ll feel better and your job self-confidence will improve immeasurably.
5. Capitalize on any of your company’s wellness programs
Deal with your stress by improving your mental and physical health. Get fit physically and mentally.
Go for walks, get a physical and start working out at the gym or start jogging. Consider yoga or meditation routine.
It almost goes without saying that too much caffeine, sugar and fast food are hindrances physically and mentally. Start a healthier diet.
Use your mind to its full capacity. Read, study and write more.
6. Learn to toot your own horn diplomatically
It’s an inside job. Once you’re confident about your achievements, speak with conviction.
If you feel good about your work and don’t suffer from too much immodesty, your peers and bosses will notice and feel your conviction, too.
When you successfully complete a project, solicit a compliment from your boss, such as “Do you like how the work turned out?”
There are at least eight great ways to boost your career with shameless self-promotion.
7. Make certain you’re paid equitably
Long-term employees, especially, often find they’re paid less than new hires. Do your homework. Research salaries and benefits.
Lay the groundwork for a talk with your boss to discuss money and ask for a raise. If you’re a productive employee, an honest boss will do something about it.
From the Coach’s Corner, related career advice:
Is Your Career Stalled? Turbo Charge Your Personal Brand — Perhaps you’re struggling in a job search. You’re ambitious but underemployed, or worse – unemployed. You’re not alone. Millions of professionals are trying to solve similar puzzles. The good news is that you can rebrand yourself for a rewarding career.
11 Tips for a Better Relationship with Your Boss — Whether you want a happier work environment or lay the groundwork for a raise, promotion or transfer, you must create opportunities for success. That includes, of course, being on good terms with your boss and often your boss’s boss.
Discouraged in Job Hunting? Powerful Tips for the Best Job — Whether unemployed or under-employed, a person needs two things: A sense of hope and the right tools to negotiate a job. Here are both.
Career Advice — An Alternative to Applying for Jobs Online — As a job-hunter you know that a significant number of companies, nonprofits and public-sector agencies use an online tracking system to accept applications and screen out applicants. It cuts down on their paper work and saves them time.
To Enhance Your Career, How to Quit Your Job Professionally — OK, so you’re fortunate to have worked several years for the same employer. Perhaps your working conditions have worsened or you’re ready for a vertical move, and you’ve been offered a better job. Congratulations. Before you resign, however, take precautions to make sure your resignation enhances your career, not hurts it.
“Kid, every experience is a learning experience.”
– Del Sharbutt (my beloved mentor when I was a young broadcast journalist)
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