My last post referenced evaluating several things, but with few guidelines on just how to proceed. The focus of the last post was to provide incentive for hope and regaining control of your job-life when it may seem out of control. Now, this week let’s look at the how, part of the process.
While there are businesses, that provide career counseling, and evaluation services for a fee, you can help yourself by answering some of the following questions, and then evaluating your responses. You may find that using a career counseling service would be beneficial, especially if you begin to discover skills and abilities that are under utilized.
Basically, my recommendation is to interview yourself. Focus on the who, what, when, where and how of your SKA’s (Skills, Knowledge and Abilities), as well as your likes and dislikes. Define who you are, relative to your career aspirations. Define and evaluate your career aspirations, if you are unsure about them.
If you are currently employed, what is it that makes you say, “yes, what a day!” when you leave for the day with a great feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. If you are unemployed, think back to a day like I just described.
Now consider the deeper reason for your feeling of accomplishment. For example, let’s say that you are supervisor of a team that just exceeded your goals not only for the day, but also for a week. Obviously, you have pride and a sense of accomplishment in exceeding your goals. But, now dig deeper. Is it the praise and admiration of your superiors and peers that prompts this feeling? Or is it a more personal sense of contributing through your leadership. What skills and abilities did you use to drive this accomplishment? Would these same skills and abilities work equally well somewhere else? Is there a way to better utilize these skills and abilities in your current job?
Follow the same process for days when you left work drained and beat but with no sense of accomplishment. What about the days, when you just were there but things seemed to happen whether or not you were involved? How do you feel about each of these situations? If the instances in this last paragraph outnumber the instances in the previous paragraph, can you really be happy in your job? If instances of job satisfaction are few compared to the time of discontent and lack of satisfaction, considering other alternatives might be in order.
While discontent, in many cases can be a good thing, especially when it drives change and improvement; it is not good if you have little or no control over changes. If this is your situation, then consider whether discontent is due to no opportunity or your failure to exploit opportunity. For instance, if your boss basically wants a “yes” person, and you are allowed few opportunities for growth and more responsibility and authority, it is time to update your résumé and seriously consider other options. However, given the current employment climate, a job currently held is worth more than many potential prospects.
One of the options to consider is talking with your boss about changing his/her utilization of your abilities. Obviously, only do this after you have defined and evaluated your skills and accomplishments. But, be honest and understand the mistakes you made and how they may have influenced your current situation. If you feel that your situation is not due to major mistakes, then proceed to discuss your future with your boss.
Remember, any discussion should be objective, and geared towards highlighting the benefits to your boss, for giving you more responsibility. While you may have strong feelings about your lack of opportunity, and value you provide, keep emotions out of the meeting. Present the case for why you should be given this opportunity, by showing your boss how this will benefit her/him. If for instance, you can take some of the drudgework from your boss, and allow him/her to prepare to move up, this can open a door for you to follow in your boss’s footsteps. Under no circumstances issue what could be considered an ultimatum, unless you are prepared to lose your current position immediately.
Listen to what your boss tells you, as you progress through the meeting. Make notes of suggestions for improvement, and any timetable for making changes. If you feel your boss has assessed your contribution inaccurately, express your dissent but do so diplomatically and in a professional manner. Do not get into an argument over the subject. Regardless of the outcome of the meeting, thank your boss for taking the time to discuss your goals and objectives. Assure him/her that you will follow up on suggestions and will be ready to meet in a specified amount of time to review progress toward your mutual goals. Do this even if you are dissatisfied with the results of the meeting and plan on looking for another job.
If you have decided to look for another job, continually strive to exceed your boss’s expectations, while you are at your current job. Give your full attention to performing your job to the best of your ability. When it comes time for references, this can be very helpful. Personally, it will also give you pride in rising above any pettiness, on your boss’s part that may have influenced your decision to leave. And by choosing, to conduct yourself in this manner, you have made a choice that places you in control.
© Copyright 2005 by David Posival
No part of this document is to be construed as personalized advice, but is intended and presented as general education and incentive to self-evaluation, thought, and motivation. Reproductions of this document must include this notice and the following link: http://www.postoakenterprises.com.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Monday, October 10, 2005
Regaining Control
It has been a very long time since my last post. I have to apologize, for the break, but also let you know that being unemployed, means changing priorities on short notice. Hopefully, by taking care of some business over the last few weeks I will be able to return to doing the things that I like and have the greatest potential for success.
Today, I want to briefly address dealing with the stress of being unemployed. If you have a job, that you absolutely hate, you still do not have the stress level you will face, if you lose your job. While in some instances, leaving a terribly stressful job, seems to improve your outlook on life; it will be short-lived, if you do not soon get another job. That is why it is important to make good use of this time.
First, during the time when your outlook has improved, seriously evaluate your options and career choices. What factors in your past jobs were rewarding and uplifting? What factors were stressful, and detracted from your feelings of achievement and pride in your work? Evaluate your skills developed through work or school. Include an evaluation of your abilities and personality as they relate to your career choices.
Once you have completed this self-evaluation, it is time to seriously and objectively look at your options. If your last job was the only kind of work you were qualified for, you have some serious soul searching ahead of you. If you feel that the stress and disagreeable circumstances of your last job were unique to that particular employer, then you may want to pursue the same job somewhere else.
If however, you find that the stress and dissatisfaction of the last job is common in all similar employers, you have only two choices. Either try to find an organization that is better than your last employer, at reducing stressful and demeaning situations, or just take a similar job, with the determination to gain skills, knowledge and abilities that will allow you to soon make a career change. Take it from me; life is way to short to waste it dealing with a job that is anything but fulfilling.
If you find that you have skills, knowledge and abilities not used by your job, it is well worth investigating other career opportunities. There is a publication, you can probably find in your public library, titled "Occupational Outlook Handbook," published by the U.S. Department of Labor. This book lists thousands of jobs and their associated skill requirements. You should also research the “Guide for Occupational Exploration,” which I believe is also published by the Department of Labor.
Take some time and match your skills, knowledge and abilities to jobs you find there. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that you are qualified for many other very rewarding jobs. At the very least, you may find that you only need a little additional education or specialized training to significantly improve your employment opportunities. You can find much of this same information on the Internet at the U.S. Department of Labor website at this link.
During this time, consider seriously furthering your education, if you do not have a degree. Depending on your financial circumstances you may qualify for assistance through various government agencies. Visit with the counseling staff at a local college, to learn more about the financial resources available, for your area. You may be pleasantly surprised, by what you learn. Remember, even an Associate degree will improve your job prospects in many cases.
Lastly, try to develop some interests or hobbies, which will provide stress relief. For instance, when I was going through a particularly stressful time in my career, I found the challenge of water painting, to be so absorbing that I forgot about work and its problems. While you may not have an inclination for watercolors, you may be able to develop some interests like photography, outdoor activities, or even learning new cooking skills. Find something that helps you appreciate life and those around you.
Remember your response to the circumstances in your life, will determine how happy or unhappy, you will be. You will feel like a victim, if you do not take responsibility for what happens in your life. When you make the decisions as to how you will feel in any given situation, you are in charge. It may only be in a minor way, but from the acorn grew the mighty oak.
© Copyright 2005 by David Posival
Today, I want to briefly address dealing with the stress of being unemployed. If you have a job, that you absolutely hate, you still do not have the stress level you will face, if you lose your job. While in some instances, leaving a terribly stressful job, seems to improve your outlook on life; it will be short-lived, if you do not soon get another job. That is why it is important to make good use of this time.
First, during the time when your outlook has improved, seriously evaluate your options and career choices. What factors in your past jobs were rewarding and uplifting? What factors were stressful, and detracted from your feelings of achievement and pride in your work? Evaluate your skills developed through work or school. Include an evaluation of your abilities and personality as they relate to your career choices.
Once you have completed this self-evaluation, it is time to seriously and objectively look at your options. If your last job was the only kind of work you were qualified for, you have some serious soul searching ahead of you. If you feel that the stress and disagreeable circumstances of your last job were unique to that particular employer, then you may want to pursue the same job somewhere else.
If however, you find that the stress and dissatisfaction of the last job is common in all similar employers, you have only two choices. Either try to find an organization that is better than your last employer, at reducing stressful and demeaning situations, or just take a similar job, with the determination to gain skills, knowledge and abilities that will allow you to soon make a career change. Take it from me; life is way to short to waste it dealing with a job that is anything but fulfilling.
If you find that you have skills, knowledge and abilities not used by your job, it is well worth investigating other career opportunities. There is a publication, you can probably find in your public library, titled "Occupational Outlook Handbook," published by the U.S. Department of Labor. This book lists thousands of jobs and their associated skill requirements. You should also research the “Guide for Occupational Exploration,” which I believe is also published by the Department of Labor.
Take some time and match your skills, knowledge and abilities to jobs you find there. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that you are qualified for many other very rewarding jobs. At the very least, you may find that you only need a little additional education or specialized training to significantly improve your employment opportunities. You can find much of this same information on the Internet at the U.S. Department of Labor website at this link.
During this time, consider seriously furthering your education, if you do not have a degree. Depending on your financial circumstances you may qualify for assistance through various government agencies. Visit with the counseling staff at a local college, to learn more about the financial resources available, for your area. You may be pleasantly surprised, by what you learn. Remember, even an Associate degree will improve your job prospects in many cases.
Lastly, try to develop some interests or hobbies, which will provide stress relief. For instance, when I was going through a particularly stressful time in my career, I found the challenge of water painting, to be so absorbing that I forgot about work and its problems. While you may not have an inclination for watercolors, you may be able to develop some interests like photography, outdoor activities, or even learning new cooking skills. Find something that helps you appreciate life and those around you.
Remember your response to the circumstances in your life, will determine how happy or unhappy, you will be. You will feel like a victim, if you do not take responsibility for what happens in your life. When you make the decisions as to how you will feel in any given situation, you are in charge. It may only be in a minor way, but from the acorn grew the mighty oak.
© Copyright 2005 by David Posival
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)