The Connected Career » job advice

Are You One of the 55% of Americans Who Hates Their Job?

melina — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:16:20 +0000

Imagine that. According to a report from The Conference Board, only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their jobs. That means more than 1/2 of the working population spends the majority of their day dissatisfied. (I won’t even get started on the word “satisfied”.)

That’s really, really sad.

If you hate your job, leave.

That doesn’t mean you should get up, walk into your boss’s office and quit (unless you have the financial resources to do so), but you definitely should be taking the steps that will get you out of there- NOW.

I saw now so vehemently, because your next job must be one you love. No more wasting hours, days, months, years of your life on something that doesn’t make you happy. And- figuring out what that next job should be and how to get it could take more than a couple weeks.

If you’re not sure what to do to start the process, check out Forget the Parachute, Let Me Fly the Plane. All the tools you need to start down the road to career success are in there, from figuring out what your next career should be all the way through how to get it.

The sooner you start, the sooner you’re free. And more than satisfied.

Any Job

melina — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:25:16 +0000

A few months ago I met someone who asked me about my career. I talked about the Connected Career and described our goal- to help people figure out their dream career and how to get it.

I had barely finished my sentence when he asked me to help him get a job.

Here is how the conversation unfolded:

_________

Stranger: So, can you help me get a job?

Me: I can help you figure out how to get the job you really want. What do you want to do?

Stranger: Anything

Me: I’m sorry, that’s too broad. What do you enjoy? What have you enjoyed in the past or even something you’ve always wanted to try?

Stranger: Too many questions, I just want a job.

Me: How about you at least tell me your skillsets.

Stranger: I don’t know. Nothing comes to mind.

Me: If you don’t know what you want to do, what interests you or what your skillsets are, how do you plan on finding a job?

Stranger: Isn’t that what you do?

_____

While this conversation was an extreme version of what we often hear, it is relatively common to hear of people wanting a change, wanting something different, but not knowing what that something looks like. And for that reason, we wrote “Forget the Parachute, Let Me Fly The Plane”.

Figuring out what you really, really, really want to do, are meant to do, doesn’t always come easy. Having a guide to help you through the process can take you out of what you know and push you. A little bit or a lot.

Reaching Out

melina — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:18:37 +0000

I recently had someone contact me about how to get into a company I used to work with. They tracked me down online and sent a very professional email explaining how they found me, why they wanted to work at the company and very politely solicited my advice.

I replied the same day with advice and an offer to review their resume, even though I was swamped with work.

Why?

Because this person obviously put the time and effort into trying to figure out who to go to for advice for what they considered their dream job. In addition, they put the same time and effort into crafting an email that was professional, respectful and attention grabbing. For all that effort, I felt they deserved my time.

Sometimes you never know who can help you until you reach out. And when you reach out, make sure that the effort you are putting into the communication is equivalent to what it is you are asking for in return.