Most working people experience the odd bout of ‘Monday Morning Blues’ on days when nothing seems to go right and the question ‘Am I in the right Job?’ raises itself. Perseverance or tenacity or both help most of us to hang in there until the cloud passes and we find renewed interest and meaning in what we do. For some people however, the cloud lingers and work becomes a daily chore, a frustrating grind, something to survive or worst of all a boring meaningless routine.
When this type of syndrome sets in, it is time to take stock of the situation and the way you feel about yourself, your job and the direction in which you are heading. Failure to do this may lead to a sense of personal failure or inadequacy, poor on the job performance and can ultimately defeat the chance of achieving satisfaction, stimulation and success in your working life.
Questions to address honestly:
In order to make sure that you are not just passing through a down phase or some personal problem which has nothing to do with your work, there are some questions which need to be addressed and answered honestly.
Among some of the most important questions are:
1. Do you enjoy the type or work you do?
2. Are you enthusiastic on the job?
3. Do you look forward to going to work each day?
4. Do you have a good work relationship?
5. Are you proud of the company or organization you work for?
6. Are you making progress in your career?
7. Have you received a promotion or raise of salary lately?
8. Have you received any in service or on the job training?
9. Are you well qualified in your field?
10. Do you get along well with your co-workers? Boss? Subordinates?
11. Do you get recognition and praise for good work or projects?
12. Are you optimistic about the future with your present company?
13. Do you know what developments are taking place in your field?
14. Do you feel you are well compensated?
15. Do you know what salary you could command on the job market?
16. Do you feel you are doing as well as your peers?
17. Are you confident of your ability on the job?
18. Do you think you could handle more responsibility or a promotion?
19. Do you feel that your personal and professional lives are well balanced?
20. Have your most recent job performance evaluations been good?
Analyze the Facts:
If your answers to most of the questions are affirmative, then you are most likely in a good job or career, with promising prospects for personal development and growth, but may still need to investigate opportunities for promotion or further training in order to continue on a positive path of development. If despite feeling good about your job or career however you still have a cloud hanging over you, you may need to address personal or family issues or the state of your health, with particular regard to stress factors.
If only half your answers are affirmative, this indicates that you are not completely satisfied with your job or career and may need to improve your job related skills and performance. Career counselling or a professional development programme may help you to sort out the negatives and focus you in the right direction.
If most of the answers are negative, then you are heading for failure or are on the wrong track.
You may be thinking about changing your job or career or have drifted into a career field that is not providing you with sufficient satisfaction. You should consider career counselling which can provide you with advice on other career options or programmes for re-training and/or professional development. You might also consider career and vocational testing to help you identify occupations best suited to your personality and aptitude.
If you are totally bored with your work and are not happy in your present job, get help as quickly as possible. Your options include finding new employment by investigating all sources available to you, networking through friends, job advertisements, employers, recruitment services etc. or seeking career counselling and assessment to help you identify job opportunities which match your skills or training.
Which ever of these conditions apply to you, the important thing is to act on the evidence you find in order to put yourself on the right track and gain the satisfaction and enthusiasm you need to get ahead.
