Ahhh…you welcomed a New Year… but that’s all that’s new in your life.
You’re stuck in the “hate my job but can’t afford to leave it” rut.
The joy of the New Year lasted as long as it took the ball to drop in Times Square – and now life is back to the same-old routine.
Perhaps Drew Carey jokingly summed it up for a growing population of unhappy workers: “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.”
Sound familiar?
We laugh at Carey’s comments, but your small inner voice is speaking to you, telling you there is better…you can do better…and most importantly, you want to do better!
Why We Stay in Unrewarding Situations
There are a variety of reasons why women and men alike stay in jobs they hate. Perhaps the most common reason is what the media outlets continually tell us: people are living paycheck to paycheck, simply paying bills. Even some people who have “good” jobs think they cannot afford to quit their corporate job because they have bills to pay!
Business Insider says the 3 top reasons people are dissatisfied with their jobs are:
- Low pay
- Lack of opportunity
- No chance for career advancement
Digging Deeper…
It can be easy to blame the “I hate my job epidemic!” that has swept over society on the three reasons above.
Yet there are more deep-seated issues as to why people feel so seemingly unable to leave a dead-end job in favor of a career of their choosing. And these deep issues may also explain why we feel stuck in other areas of our life – stale relationships, negative situations, and other less-than-ideal circumstances.
In considering the deeper reasons for the high prevalence of people who hate what they do for a living, Kathy Caprino summed it up for her Forbes article: “These reasons touch on underlying emotional, spiritual and behavioral conditions, and reveal a deep disconnection to what it means to live joyfully, authentically, and meaningfully.”
Caprino, who covers careers, leadership and women in business, lists 8 reasons people continue to stay in jobs they hate. Among them:
- Do you put financial rewards over your own happiness?
- Does the thought of actually making that change overwhelm you?
- Have your beliefs been sabotaging you? Do you believe work is actually supposed to be a drag?
- Has the concept of happiness been eluding you? Is it hard to even remember the last day you actually felt fulfilled in your work?
- Are you feeling fearful that others might see you as weak, vulnerable, or flawed?
We can probably identify with each reason on the list, and this is where it becomes important to develop self-awareness. Discovering who you are – becoming authentic – requires a strong commitment to getting to know yourself.
The payoff can be monumental – greater efficiency and effectiveness, enhanced motivation, more balance in life, a feeling of empowerment, and other superior results over a sustained period of time.
Yes, fear can paralyze you – but you can overcome it and move forward. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
Simple Tips to Find a New Job
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Start by pursuing a number of different methods. Online job offers state they can connect your resume with a host of potential employers – but oftentimes companies prescreen, using software that searches for keywords relating to experience, training or education. According to Debra Feldman, an executive job search consultant at JobWhiz, your resume may never even reach someone who could determine your potential value.
- Put your energy into networking and spend less time submitting resumes online. In US News and Money, an even bigger issue is brought to light: The vast majority of jobs are never advertised.
- Keep in contact with business contacts who can let you know of an opportunity before it goes public. And if you’re set on working for a particular company, make contact with someone there who you can trust to let you know of a potential opportunity.
- Do your homework. Read blogs by professionals in your field and glean from their expertise. Think about continuing your education in some way – this can be anything from a brief seminar to a new degree.
- Promote yourself. Whether that’s becoming active in your community, volunteering, or creating your own website and letting the professional world know of your experience and capabilities.
Better yet, “Almost everyone can be a published author,” Feldman says. And by doing so you’re making potential employers aware of your skill set – and that can be even more powerful that the standard resume.
Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.
-Napoleon Hill
Do you want to develop the self-confidence you need to break out of the “I hate my job” rut? Be sure to sign up for my FREE e-series! Or, contact me via email or by visiting my website, BolderMoves.com, anytime!
Images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
Colleen Slaughter, Proud Executive Coach to the UN World Food Program, the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
As an Executive Coach for Women in Leadership and Transformational Facilitator, my intention is to help leaders in positions of high influence to understand their worth at a profound level.
Supporting women leaders to truly thrive and step into their greatness, while succeeding in male-dominated industries and spaces is my native genius.
My technique and approach show you how to achieve incredible career success without compromising any part of who you are and what makes you magnificent.