According to the latest social surveys, more than 60% of American people are not happy with their jobs. They have a lack of motivation and engagement, which makes their everyday activities complicated and frustrating. At the same time, most of them do their best to meet the requirements of their employers and work really hard to move further on their career ladder. Others just cannot stand coming to work every morning and have no idea what to do.
The main reasons for people to get stuck in the workplaces they don’t really like are obvious. Responsibilities, fear of changing something radically, financial inconvenience and laziness make them stay. If you believe that your situation is similar, then we have some advice for you.
Crucial questions you should think about
What exactly makes you frustrated: your work as a whole or your current position?
It is important to determine whether you find your profession rewarding. If you do, then you might be frustrated by a particular office you visit every day. From this point, your further steps will be easier to determine. For instance, let’s say, you are a copywriter and you really are passionate about composing texts. You work at a writing company with strict rules, your salary is lower than you want it to be, and some of your colleagues make you crazy. Of course, you just need to find another place, where you can do the same thing and enjoy a better environment.
However, if you are dissatisfied with your profession, think about the long-term advancement you can receive. Maybe, today you are a young professional and it is natural if you don’t feel excited by your position. If you see that the prospects are attractive, you need to find a place to bear your first years easily. At the same time, if your perspectives don’t make you any happier, then you should think about a career change.
What do you think about the future of your current company?
It is not very inspiring to know that your company won’t be successful in the long run. How can you strive to become a stronger expert if your company doesn’t (or cannot) become better? At this point, you should think if your lack of motivation is connected with the overall image of the company. Maybe, you have to find a more successful organization.
Do your co-workers share their knowledge with you?
Some teams are in the habit of sharing their professional experience. This way, they help each other grow, notice their mistakes, and get additional feedback. This is a perfect way to be aware of your performance. Staying inspired and engaged is easier when you have inspired people around you. Do you feel that your team consists of amazing and talented pros? Do you want them to share their experience? And most important, do they want to share it with you? If you are not sure that this is the case, maybe the reason of your frustration is a lack of professional advice and communication.
Are your senior colleagues and managers skilled and motivated enough to help you become better?
Growing and improving your skills can be complicated when you don’t have anyone attentive and smart to help you. Questions and difficulties are unavoidable, therefore, young professionals need someone to guide them. If your manager doesn’t give you enough feedback and advice, then they might be not very helpful. Sometimes, a lack of professional mentoring is a reason for employees to feel unhappy, because they understand that they are losing opportunities to grow.
If you are unlucky to have a manager like that, you should start with a fair conversation. If this doesn’t work, try moving to another team or company.
Do you need an advanced degree to improve your professional knowledge?
Getting a degree might be a serious step for your career advancement. Indeed, some high-rated companies do pay attention to diplomas, because they want to make sure that they hire top experts. Chances are that a company of your dream is looking for people with specific education. Research and review some profiles of super-stars of your industry on LinkedIn. Do they have higher education in this particular sphere?
In some cases, education can be a serious factor that increases your salary. Look through the requirements of top-companies related to your sphere of interest.
Success: what does this word mean to you?
The last question is the most complicated one. If you have a clear picture of what success means to you, you will plan your further steps easier. Think about your understanding of success. How does it correlate with your current work, industry, and organization?
This is a broad question. You need to consider your core values in life to answer it. For example, if your main value is family and you are passionate about becoming a good wife and mother, then your job preferences might be focused on such things as flexibility and stability. If your main value is professional growth, then think about educational opportunities and companies that will boost your knowledge. You need to understand what goals you have in general and make sure that your career choice meets them.
Conclusion
Your frustration is a sign that something needs to be changed. In some cases, you need to make a serious switch and look for an opportunity to enter a new sphere. In other cases, small adjustments are enough. All in all, perceive your unhappiness as an opportunity to find a better way. Think about those factors that keep you away from being satisfied with your career, analyze them, and keep moving.
Be honest to yourself since this is the only way you can find the answers to the questions that bother you. And the most important – don’t be afraid of changes and difficulties. You can overcome them and become stronger, while missed opportunities can only make things more complicated.
Meet the Author:
Jennifer Pauli
Jennifer Pauli graduated from Corvinus School of Management and finished the faculty of Journalism at Corvinus University of Budapest. Currently, He is an editor, business writer, and copywriter, working with well-known companies, blogs, and personalities. Follow her on Twitter, G+ and read the personal blog
