(You are marching into big bosses office, jumping up on the desk, laughing like the Mad Hatter, and relieving yourself in the midst of a big sissy fit!! Oh the glorious drama. HA! HA! HA! … BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!)
- “I hate to wake up in the morning knowing I have to go to work.”
- “I no longer feel challenged at my job.”
- “I don’t even like this line of work.”
- “I need more money.”
- “My colleagues are getting on my nerves.”
Any of that sound familiar? Maybe it is time to think of a career change. More than likely it is a combination of factors causing your discomfort. It is important to maturely assess the situation, plan and then act. Barbara Woodward, a monster.com career guru, advises, “Career movements are challenging and require a certain amount of logistical preparation. Carefully consider the move you are about to make. Ensure that any move is part of how you have defined what it is you want to achieve.”
Assess
Often we are unsatisfied with our jobs because we are no longer feeling challenged, both professionally and personally. A situation that started out exciting has begun to pale with the routine, hidden requirements and hoop leaping. Sometimes we enter jobs for the financial freedom they promise rather than the creative opportunities. Maybe we feel we are no longer financially compensated enough for the quality and quantity of work we are being asked to produce, especially when we look around and see others being treated better or reaping more rewards. Would more money make you happier? Many people work five hell-days to play the two they have off.
Maybe you are in a position to renegotiate the terms of your job to make it more fulfilling or less stressful: a transfer from one department to another, or a little more cash, or benefits. Sometimes a leave of absence or vacation is all that is necessary to recharge the batteries.
Are there personality conflicts that you feel you cannot overcome? Our colleagues greatly influence our happiness. Are there processes within the management structure to aid conflict resolution between staff? Have you tried to resolve these conflicts to no avail?


