Changing Jobs

People change jobs for many reasons - money, boredom, unhappiness, lack of advancement, lack of appreciation, personal conflicts with a supervisor or co-worker, unfair treatment, and many other reasons. But how wise is it to change jobs? For what reasons? When should you change jobs? How?

Job-Hopping

As you probably know, job-hopping, changing jobs frequently, is risky. Most successful careers are a result of working for one company for many years and building upon experience and seniority. It's usually easier to move up the salary and promotional ladder at one company than to move and start at the bottom of the ladder at a new place of employment. And employers are less apt to hire someone who moves frequently from company to company, so it can become increasingly difficult to find a job. And when you move to a new company, you lose seniority.

In most cases, you'll be better off staying at the company. Your salary or hourly wage will increase faster, you'll build a record of steady employment, and you'll have a better chance of advancing up the ladder. It's often best to stay where you are, especially if you're performing well in your present job, you are moving up the pay scale, and you enjoy your work.

Reasons to Change

When might a change be good? A job change might be beneficial if you're unhappy, bored, and unchallenged, and no improvement seems in sight. It might be good if your performance is poor and improvement seems unlikely. It might be good if there's no prospect for advancement at the particular company where you work. It might be good if you want to completely break out of your current career.

But no matter what the reason is for changing jobs, the decision should be a rational one - not an emotional one. And money alone, unless it's a great deal of money, shouldn't be the sole factor for leaving a job.

If you decide to make a change, you might first want to look at job opportunities within your current company. Sometimes it's easier to make a lateral move inside the company than to leave the company altogether. Some companies actually prefer hiring workers they know from within rather than gamble on outside applicants they don't know.

Job Change vs. Career Change

If you like what you do but don't like where you work, you're probably considering a job change. If you don't like what you do, you're probably looking at a career change.

Career changes, unless you're very young, are usually the hardest to make. Often career changes require new training or education, and a willingness to return to an entry-level position when you're hired by a company in the new career field. If you're young, it's usually much easier to do.

But the older you are, the harder it is to accomplish, and the more you have to sacrifice, especially financially. You'll have less time to move up the career and company ladder, and you'll likely experience a significant drop in pay by having to start over at entry-level, unless the new entry-level position pay is equal to or better than your current wage.

Perhaps you find you like your current field, but you don't like your particular job. If that's the case, you might consider exploring another career position in that same field. For example, perhaps you no longer enjoy being a fast-order cook, but you like the food hospitality field. What about catering? Becoming a baker? Specializing in cake decorating? Working at a large hotel or convention center that caters special events? Operating an espresso business? Lateral career moves usually take less training and time, and you can capitalize on and transfer the many skills you already have under your belt.

On the other hand, perhaps you no longer enjoy your career field, and you don't feel you really belong there. In that case, a career change might be best for you. Analyze your feelings. Trust your instincts. If what you're doing doesn't feel right, make a change. It's much easier to succeed and move ahead in a field where you feel you really belong. And in a field you really enjoy.

When to Resign From a Job

If you rely on a paycheck to pay basic living expenses, including rent, food, utilities, clothing and transportation, you're strongly advised not to quit a current job until you have secured a job at another company.

Some people make the mistake of quitting their job first, then looking for another job. They assume they'll find another job quickly , but sometimes they don't. It's a huge risk. If you need a paycheck to survive, never resign until you have another job lined up at another company.

How to Resign From a Job

To resign from a job, you need to submit a letter of resignation well in advance. Providing the employer with advanced notice is very important to allow the employer ample time to find a replacement.

Most company employee handbooks provide information about the company's resignation requirements and procedures, as well as guidelines on the amount of advance notice the company needs. You can also get information from the Human Resources Office at your company, or from your supervisor.

Generally, all companies require advance notice, but the amount of time required may vary from position to position, and company to company. Be sure to check with your company.

Letter of Resignation

Most companies require resignations be submitted in writing. You'll need to write a brief letter of resignation and submit the letter to your supervisor and/or the company's Personnel Office. Be sure to submit the letter by the advance notice deadline.

Your letter should include the following basic information:

• Your name
• Your intent (plan) to resign
• Your job title
• The date you intend to leave the company (resignation date)

Taken from Spot.pcc.edu

Improve Your Memory

Are you often unable to remember an important fact or figure? Do you forget people's names at the worst moments? Are you ever asked a question, and you should know the answer, but you struggle to form an intelligent reply?

These are common instances where a good memory is important.

Memory is more than recalling information for exams or trivia games. It's an important work skill that you can develop and improve. Whether it's remembering key statistics during a negotiation, or quoting a precendent-setting action when making a decision, or impressing clients with your knowledge of their product lines - your ability to remember is a major advantage.

People with good memories are often seen as knowledgeable, smart, competent, and dependable. And there are many techniques you can use to develop your own ability to remember information - and then recall it when and where you need it.

Take Care of Your Health

The basis for a good memory is a healthy mind and body. You can't expect your brain to function at its best if you don't take care of the body that feeds it. Here are some key issues that you need to address:

• Eat well. Make sure key vitamins are in your diet, including folic acid, vitamin B12, and antioxidants. These improve the sharpness of the mind. If necessary, take vitamin supplements.
• Drink plenty of water. Most of us are dehydrated and don't even know it. When you don't drink enough water, your body and mind become weak and tired. Water makes red blood cells more active and gives you more energy.
• Get enough sleep. During sleep, your brain recharges itself. Sutides have shown that your brain needs sleep to change new memories into long-term memories.
• Manage stress effectively. Ongoing stress has many harmful health effects. Learn to limit and control the stress in your life. Use physical relaxation techniques, thought awareness and rational positive thinking, and imagery to reduce your levels of stress.
• Don't smoke. Limit caffeine and alcohol use (excessive alcohol can seriously affect your short-term memory). Get enough exercise.

These basic health tips allow you to maximize your brain's abilities.

Use Mnemonics

Mnemonics are simple memory-improving tools that help you connect everyday, easy-to-remember items and ideas to information you want to remember. Later, by recalling these everyday items, you can also recall what you wanted to remember.

There are many mnemonic techniques:

• The number/rhyme technique. This allows you to remember ordered lists. Start with a standard word that rhymes with the number (we recommend 1-bun, 2-shoe, 3-tree, 4-door, 5-hive, 6-bricks, 7-heaven, 8-gate, 9-line, 10-hen). Then create an image that associates each with the thing you're trying to remember. To remember a list of South American countries using number/rhyme, you might start with:
• One-bun/Columbia: A bun with the column of a Greek temple coming out of it.
• Two-shoe/Venezuela: Venus de Milo coming out of the sea on a shoe.
• Three-tree/Guyana: Friends call Guy and Anna sitting in a tree.
• Four-door/Ecuador: A door in the shape of a circle/globe with a golden equator running around it.
• The number/shape system. Here, create images that relate to the shape of each number, and connect those images to the items in your list. Let's use the same example:
• One-spear/Columbia: The shaft of the spear is a thin marble column.
• Two-swan/Venezuela: This time, Venus is standing on the back of a swan.
• Three-Bifocal glasses/Guyana: Guy has just trodden on Anna's bifocals. 
• Four-Sailboat/Equador: The boat is sailing across the golden line of the equator in a globe.
• The alphabet technique. This works well for lists of more than 9 or 10 items. With this system, instead of finding a word that rhymes with the number, you associate the things you want to remember with a particular letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. This is an efficient way to remember an ordered list of up to 26 items.
• The journey system. In your mind, think about a familiar journey or trip: For example, you might go from your office to your home. Associate the things that you want to remember with each landmark on your journey. With a long enough, well enough known journey, you can remember a lot of things.
• The Roman room system. This technique uses location to stimulate your memory. Connect your list with items you see in a familiar room or location. You might find associations with things in your kitchen, in your office, or at a familiar grocery store.

Mind Mapping

Mind maps are an effective way to link ideas and concepts in your brain, and then "see" the connections first hand. Mind mapping is a note-taking technique that records information in a way that shows you how various pieces of information fit together. There's a lot of truth in the saying "A picture speaks a thousand words", and mind maps create an easily-remembered "picture" of the information you're trying to remember.

This technique is very useful to summarize and combine information from a variety of sources. It also allows you to think about complex problems in an organized manner, and then present your findings in a way that shows the details as well as the big picture.

Challenge Your Brain

As with other parts of your body, your mind needs exercise. You can exercise your brain by using it in different ways, on a regular basis. Try the following:

• Learn a new skill or start a hobby
• Use visualization on a regular basis
• Keep active socially
• Focus on the important things

Taken from MindTools.com

Learning Styles: Understanding Your Learning Preference

Have you ever tried to learn something fairly simple, yet failed to grasp the key ideas? Or tried to teach people and found that some were overwhelmed or confused by something quite basic?

If so, you may have experienced a clash of learning styles. Your learning preferences and those of your instructor or audience may not have been aligned. When this occurs, not only is it frustrating for everyone, the communication process breaks down and learning fails.

Once you know your own natural learning preference, you can work on expanding the way you learn, so that you can learn in other ways, not just your preferred style.

And, by understanding learning styles, you can learn to create an environment in which everyone can learn from you, not just those who use your preferred style.

Felder and Silverman's Index of Learning Styles

One of the most widely used models of learning styles is the Index of Learning Styles developed by Richard Felder and Linda Silverman in the late 1980s. According to this model, there are four dimensions of learning styles. Think of these dimensions as a continuum with one learning preference on the far left and the other on the far right.

Learning Styles Index

Sensory (far left): Sensory learners prefer concrete, practical, and procedural information. They look for the facts.

Intuitive (far right): Intuitive learners prefer conceptual, innovative, and theoretical information. They look for the meaning.

Visual (far left): Visual learners prefer graphs, pictures, and diagrams. They look for visual representations of information.

Verbal (far right): Verbal learners prefer to hear or read information. They look for explanations with words.

Active (far left): Active learners prefer to manipulate objects, do physical experiments, and learn by trying. They enjoy working in groups to figure out problems.

Reflective (far right): Reflective learners prefer to think things through, to evaluate options, and learn by analysis. They enjoy figuring out a problem on their own.

Sequential (far left): Sequential learners prefer to have information presented linearly and in an orderly manner. They put together the details in order to understand as the big picture emerges.

Global (far right): Global learners prefer a holistic and systematic approach. They see the big picture first and then fill in the details.

Once you know where your preferences lie on each of these dimensions, you can begin to stretch beyond those preferences and develop a more balanced approach to learning. Not only will you improve your learning effectiveness, you will open yourself up to many different ways of perceiving the world.

Balance is the key. You don't want to get too far on any one side of the learning dimensions. When you do that you limit your ability to take in new information and make sense of it quickly, accurately and effectively.

Using the Learning Style Index

You can use the learning style index to develop your own learning skills and also to help you create a rounded learning experience for other people.

1. Identify your learning preferences for each learning dimension. Read through the explanations of each learning preference and shoose the one that best reflects your style.
2. Analyze your results and identify those dimensions where you are "out of balance," meaning you have a very strong preference for one style and dislike the other.
3. For each out of balance area, use the following information to improve your skills in areas where you need development.

Bringing Your Learning Styles into Balance

Sensory learners: If you rely too much on sensing, you can tend to prefer what is familiar, and concentrate on facts you know instead of being innovative and adapting to new situations. Seek out opportunities to learn theoretical information and then bring in facts to support or negate these theories.

Intuitive learners: If you rely too much on intuition you risk missing important details, which can lead to poor decision-making and problem-solving. Force yourself to learn facts or memorize data that will help you defend or criticize a theory or procedure you are working with. You may need to slow down and look at details you would otherwise typically skim.

Visual learners: If you concentrate more on pictorial or graphical information than on words, you put yourself at a distinct disadvantage because verbal and written information is still the main preferred choice for delivery of information. Practice your note taking and seek out opportunities to explain information to others using words.

Verbal learners: When information is presented in diagrams, sketches, flow charts, and so on, it is designed to be understood quickly. If you can develop your skills in this area you can significantly reduce time spent learning and absorbing information. Look for opportunities to learn through audio-visual presentations. When taking notes, group information according to concepts and then create visual links with arrows going to and from them. Take every opportunity you can to create charts and tables and diagrams.

Active learners: If you act before you think you are apt to make hasty and potentially ill-informed judgments. You need to concentrate on summarizing situations, and taking time to sit be yourself to digest information you have been given before jumping in and discussing it with others.

Reflective learners: If you think too much you risk doing nothing ever. There comes a time when a decision has to be made or an action taken. Involve yourself in group decision-making whenever possible and try to apply the information you have is as practical a manner as possible.

Sequential learners: When you break things down into small components you are often able to dive right into problem solving. This seems to be advantageous but can often be unproductive. Force yourself to slow down and understand why you are doing something and how it is connected to the overall purpose or objective. Ask yourself how your actions are going to help you in the long run. If you can't think of a practical application for what you are doing then stop and do some more "big picture" thinking.

Global learners: If grasping the big picture is easy for you, then you can be at risk of wanting to run before you can walk. You see what is needed but may not take the time to learn how best to accomplish it. Take the time to ask for explanations, and force yourself to complete all problem-solving steps before coming to a conclusion or making a decision. If you can't explain what you have done and why, then you may have missed critical details.

Creating a Rounded Learning Experience for Others

Whenever you are training or communicating with others, you have information and ideas that you want them to understand and learn effectively and efficiently. Your audience is likely to demonstrate a wide range of learning preferences, and your challenge is to provide variety that helps them learn quickly and well.

Your preferred teaching and communication methods may in fact be influences by your own learning preferences. For example, if you prefer visual rather than verbal learning, you may in turn tend to provide a visual learning experience for your audience.

Be aware of your preferences and the range of preference of your audiences. Provide a balanced learning experience by

• Sensory - Intuitive: Provide both hard facts and general concepts
• Visual - Verbal: Incorporate both visual and verbal cues
• Active - Reflective: Allow both experiential learning and time for evaluation and analysis
• Sequential - Global: Provide detail in a structure way, as well as the big picture

Taken from MindTools.com

Centering: Gaining Control Before a Performance

It's the worst nightmare for many people. You're about to give a speech before hundreds of people, and the speech could impact your career for years to come.

Performance experts and life coaches have told you, time and time again, that you should walk onstage excited and confident about this opportunity. But inside, you're a mess. You're shaking, sweating, and afraid you won't remember what you're supposed to talk about. As you walk onstage, your inner voice tells you that you're not ready, and you never will be.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Have you been so stressed and nervous that you don't want to go through with the speech, the interview, or presentation? Have you ever wished you could find a way of managing  and overcoming this 'performance stress'?

Well, there is an effective process that can help: It's called centering, and anyone can learn it. The technique basically helps you change stress into concentration, and it can take as long as you want it to - from 10 seconds to 10 minutes or more. In this article, we'll explain what it is, and how to do it.

What is Centering?

Centering is a technique that originated, and is still used, in Aikido - one of the Japanese martial arts. Aikido is nonviolent, and is perhaps the most cerebral of all the self-defense arts. It literally means 'the way of unifying life energy.'

You may wonder how this is connected with stress. At its most basic level, stress is energy. And centering is a process that helps to manage energy.

One of the most fundamental principles of Aikido is learning to relax the mind during the stress caused while in a fight. In Aikido, when fighters approach attacks with confidence and directness, instead of fear, they start down the path of mastering themselves. They accomplish this by learning how to center.

If you stop and think for a moment about how stress affects you, you'll notice that you usually have a strong physical reaction when you're stressed. You may lift your shoulders, take short breaths, your heart rate increases, and you may feel as if you are 'floating.'

Centering, on the other hand, is designed to bring you back down to earth. It helps you focus on the here and now, and doesn't allow outside concerns to intrude on your inner strength and calm. Centering helps you remain stable and grounded - something you would no doubt appreciate when you're about to go onstage to present.

How to Center Yourself

To help you center, you first have to learn how to focus on your breathing. Deep, abdominal breathing is best for relaxing you. If you're not familiar with deep breathing, try this: Sit down, take a deep breath in, and focus on letting the air fill up your stomach (or diaphragm). Don't move your chest - just breathe in, and let the air go down deeply into the center of your body. Exhale slowly and deliberately through your mouth.

Be clear about what you want to achieve, and focus on thinking positively about your outcome. For examples, the affirmations you have in your head could be "The job is mine," or "I give great presentations." It could even be one word, such as "success" or "confidence."

There are three basic steps to centering.

1. Be aware of your breathing. Spend a few seconds completely focusing on your breathing. Use the technique described above: Breathe deeply into your abdomen, and exhale slowly. Do this until your entire focus is on your breathing - and nothing else.
2. Find your center. Locate your physical center of gravity. This is usually a little below your waist. Become familiar with where your center is, and remember what it feels like. This part of your body grounds and stabilizes you. When you begin to feel stressed - like you're going to 'float away' - the feeling of your center will remind you that you have balance and control. Once you've found your center, breathe in and out deeply at least five times. Focus on your center. Feel the sensation of being stabilized and on the ground.
3. Release your negative energy. Imagine all the negative energy in your body is collecting in one place. Find imagery that works for you. This could be a ball of energy that you're going to throw away. Or the negativity could be held in a balloon that's going to carry your negativity far away. Visualize this energy starting from your center, and moving up toward your eyes. As you inhale, say "Let." As you exhale, say "Go." If your energy is a ball, identify a spot across the room, and imagine yourself throwing the ball to hit that spot. If your energy is a balloon, imagine it floating away above your head. Let go of everything that is stressing you. Imagine your center filled with calm.

Using the centering method confidently takes some practice. It's a good idea to start learning how to use it long before you actually have to do something stressful, like giving a speech, or interviewing for a job. Try the technique during situations that are stressful on a smaller scale - perhaps something you experience at work each day. 

Once you've mastered to method, you can use it any time you feel stressed and out of control. It will also help you trust your ability to let your instincts take over in whatever you're about to do.

Other Variations on Centering

You can add your own variations to the centering technique. For instance, let's say you have to make a major decision this afternoon. You're stressed about it, and you know that once you sit down with your team to make the decision, your stress level is going to increase dramatically.

You can begin centering early in the day. Do the technique every time you start to feel yourself getting tense. For more on this, read our article in relaxation response.

To lengthen the process, try this:

1. Close the door to your office, or sit in a place where it's quiet, and you won't be disturbed.
2. Choose a word or phrase - such as 'peace' or 'ocean' - that relaxes you, and helps you visualize something that's calming.
3. Sit in a chair, close your eyes, and begin relaxing your muscles.
4. Focus on your deep, abdominal breathing. As you breathe, say or think about your word or phrase.
5. Continue this for 10 minutes or more.

There are several different ways to center, so find the process that works best for you.

Taken from MindTools.com

Mind Maps: A Powerful Approach to Note-Taking

Mind mapping is an important technique that improves the way you record information, and supports and enhances your creative problem solving. By using mind maps, you can quickly identify and understand the structure of a subject. You can see the way the pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts contained in normal notes. More than this, mind maps encourage creative problem solving, as they hold information in a format that your mind finds easy to remember and quick to review.

Popularized by Tony Buzan, mind maps abandon the list format of conventional note-taking. They do this in favor of a two-dimensional structure. A good mind map shows the 'shape' of the subject, the relative importance of individual points, and the way in which facts relate to one another.

Mind maps are more compact than conventional notes, often taking up one side of the paper. This helps you to make associations easily. If you find out more information after you have drawn the main mind map, then you can easily integrate it with little disruption.

Mind maps are also useful for

• Summarizing information.
• Consolidating information from different research sources.
• Thinking through complex problems.
• Presenting information in a format that show the overall structure of your subject as a type of affinity diagram.

They are very quick to review as you can often refresh information in your mind just by glancing at one. And in the same way, they can be effective mnemonics. Remembering the shape and structure of a mind map can give you the cues you need to remember the information within it. As such, they engage much more of your brain in the process of assimilating and connecting facts, compared with conventional notes.

Drawing Basic Mind Maps

The Mind Tools site was originally planned and researched using mind maps. They are too large to publish here, however part of one is shown below. This shows research into time management skills.

To make notes on a subject using a mind map, draw it in the following way:

1. Write the title of the subject you're exploring in the center of the page, and draw a circle around it. This is shown by the circle marked 1 in the example above.
2. As you come across major subdivisions or subheadings of the topic (or important facts that relate to the subject) draw lines out from this circle. Label these lines with these subdivisions or subheadings. These are shown by the lines marked 2 in the example above.
3. As you "burrow" into the subject and uncover another level of information (further subheadings, or individuals facts) belonging to the subheadings above, draw these as lines linked to the subheading lines. These are shown by the lines marked 3 in the example above.
4. Finally, for individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from the appropriate heading line and label them. These are shown by the lines marked 4 in the example above.

As you come across new information, link it in to the mind map appropriately.

A complete mind map may have main topic lines radiating in all directions from the center. Sub-topics and facts will branch off these, like branches and twigs from the trunk of a tree. You do not need to worry about the structure produced, as this will evolve of its own accord.

Note that the idea of numbered 'levels' in the example is used to help show how the mind map was created. All we are showing is that major headings radiate from the center, with lower level headings and facts branching from the higher level headings.

While drawing ind maps by hand is appropriate in many cases, software tools like MindGenius improve the process by helping you to produce high quality concept maps, which can easily be edited and redrafted.

Improving Your Mind Maps

Your mind maps are your own property: once you understand how to make notes in the mind map format, you can develop your own conventions to take them further. The following suggestions may help to increase their effectiveness:

• Use single words or simple phrases for information. Most words in normal writing are padding, as they ensure that facts are conveyed in the correct context, and in a format that is pleasant to read. If your own mind maps, single strong words and meaningful phrases can convey the same meaning more potently. Excess words just clutter the mind map.
• Print words. Joined up or indistinct writing can be more difficult to read.
• Use color to separate different ideas. This will help you to separate ideas where necessary. It also helps you to visualize the mind map for recall. Color also helps to show the organization of the subject.
• Use symbols and images. Where a symbol or picture means something to you, use it. Pictures can help you to remember information more effectively than words.
• Using cross-linkages. Information in one part of the mind map may relate to another part. Here you can draw in lines to show the cross-linkages. This helps you to see how one part of the subject affects another.

Key Points

Mind mapping is an extremely effective method of taking notes. Mind maps show not only facts, but also the overall structure of a subject and the relative importance of individuals parts of it. They help you to associate ideas and make connections that you might not otherwise make. If you do any form of research or note-taking, try experimenting with mind maps. You will find them surprisingly effective.

Taken from Mindtools.com

Do You Like Your Job?

What began as a cemetery attendant position - an admittedly offbeat choice for a job while in college - has flourished into what Fournier considers her calling. Even when it became clear that her interest in the mortuary business was more than a passing phase, her friends never took her seriously. "Now some 19 years later, they ask me to bury their family members," she says.

"I am honored to assist people during what can be the worst time of their lives. For me, helping families is a role consistent with the work of midwives and nurses," says Fournier, the sole proprietor of Cornerstone Funeral Services and Cremation in northern Oregon. Fournier's contributions to her community are extremely meaningful. "That connection is what I love most about my work."

What drives job satisfaction?

Many of the reasons Fournier loves her unconventional work are actually conventional, at least according to career satisfaction studies that draw a correlation between job fulfillment and personal contributions. Tom W. Smith, head of the polling center at the University of Chicago, has learned that the happiest workers are in caregiver roles as diverse as firefighters, teachers, clergy and physical therapists. "Job satisfaction is the result of a sense of autonomy, purpose and the desire to do things because they're fun and interesting," claims author Daniel Pink in his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. "Money can actually cause someone to work less effectively." For Gregory Smith, owner of the consultancy Chart Your Course International, it's no surprise remunerations doesn't necessarily correlate with job satisfaction. "Money may attract people to the front door, but something else keeps them from going out the back."

The job satisfaction barometer

Yet for all the people who love their careers, there's a surprisingly high number of people who don't. The January 2010 results of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center found that in 5000 US households, only 45% of workers were satisfied with their jobs. And according to a Human Capital Institute workforce survey, 58% of employees are just happy to have a job in this economy - but they don't necessarily love what they do. In fact, 65% of respondents to a recent poll do not love what they do. For those who admit dissatisfaction, the reasons to a recent poll do not love what they do. For those who admit dissatisfaction, the reasons are universal regardless of profession: feeling anonymous and unrecognized, feeling work is irrelevant and meaningless, experiencing disharmony with coworkers and, in particular, hating their boss.

Reignite your romance with work - or consider courting another

If feelings about your career tend more toward disenchantment, the good news is that there are several steps you can take to change that, from improving your current situation to exploring other career options.

• Consider the 80/20 ratio. Curt Rosengren, career columnist for US News & World Report, says, "If you love what you're doing 80% of the time, you're doing pretty well. The energy you get from the work you do probably far outweighs the drain of the things you don't like." Stay focused on the pleasure you derive 80% of the time.
• Conduct a research project. What about your current situation doesn't work for you? What does? How can you respond differently? If you feel unappreciated or ignored, find appropriate ways to become more visible. Make sure your opinion is known by seeking opportunities to speak up. Or if you're stuck on autopilot. request more responsibility to further develop your skills. Exploration can energize your routine and help adjust your attitude.
• Complete a self-assessment to discover your passion. Heather Hollick, founder of coaching firm Rizers in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, encourages people to find "their sweet spot" - the intersection of what you enjoy doing, what you're good at and what brings value in the market place. Identifying this overlap is crucial to loving your career.
• Is your boss the problem? Lastly, if you don't get along with your boss or coworkers, limit interactions with them as much as possible. Focus on your performance and results.

If these strategies still leave you restless, it may be time to begin looking for a new job. Remember, "it's your career - you own it and live with it, so make sure you love it," says Hollick.

Taken from Feedburner.com.

5 Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer

Employer caution has extended the hiring process by weeks, even months. You may interview for a position several times, in person and by phone. No matter how long the process is and how well you've gotten to know your potential colleagues, it's still perfectly acceptable to turn down a job offer. In fact, there may be many valid reasons you should politely decline an opportunity, assuming, of course, that you're not in dire financial straits.

1. The word on the street. Is the company's stock price tanking? Or is there talk of a merger? Both of these things could indicate layoffs loom large, and the position you accept today may not exist in a few months. To calculate your risks, speak with industry experts, do your due diligence, and consult with family and trusted friends. If you still want to accept the position, try to obtain an iron-clad employment contract.

2. A revolving door. A certain percentage of employee turnover is normal. However, high employee turnover should raise a red flag for any potential worker. Research a company thoroughly before accepting an offer. Also, be sure to listen carefully during the hiring process. Do interviewers keep referring to folks who have left the company or mentioning a total lack of redundancy? These could be signs people are leaving faster than replacements can be recruited.

3. Money isn't everything - It's the only thing. If money is a major factor in your decision to accept a new job, think twice before you do. In fact, think three times. Even four. Depending on your personal financial situation and how much more you' be earning in a new job, money may not buy you on-the-job happiness or professional fulfillment. It may not even guarantee career advancement. Assess your finances. Revisit your career goals. Look at the situation with a big-picture view of your future. Making a move for a modest increase may not be worth it if there's more long-term potential with your current employer. Also, be sure to calculate your entire compensation package to make sure that you're not forfeiting a valuable retirement or insurance plan for a bigger paycheck.

4. All work, no life. There's a time in almost everyone's career when they have to put their nose to the grindstone and work almost to the point of burnout. If you're just beginning your career or starting a second one, this may be what lies ahead for the next few years. However, if you're a mid-careerist with a family and personal obligations, it may not be wise to accept an 80-hour-a-week job. Consider the impact your new schedule will have on you and your family. Will generous vacation make up for the longer hours? Is there flextime available so you can still attend family functions? Can you work from home? Forfeiting invaluable work-life balance benefits without assessing the consequences can have a devastating impact on your personal life.

5. A bad reputation. Going to work for a company with a reputation that's been sullied by a corporate scandal or that isn't well-respected can, in turn, sully your resume. Investigate any potential employer's standing within their industry. Solicit opinions from within your network as well as that of an executive recruiter. You may learn that it's better to be a top salesperson at an admired organization rather than a VP of sales at a suspect one.

Taken from Feedburner.com.