Find a Better Job. Michael Dolan
financially?
•How is my company doing in comparison to the competition?
•Have I received any oral or written warnings on the job?
Sizing Up Your Job
If you are uncomfortable or dissatisfied with your job, what’s the reason? You’ll want to answer that question before starting a search for new employment. Otherwise, you could end up in a situation with similar problems but without the familiarity of a long-standing position. To help clarify your satisfaction with your professional situation, ask yourself these questions:
oAm I happy with my work?
oAm I challenged by my work?
oIs there opportunity for me to advance?
oAm I satisfied with my benefits?
oHow do I feel about my office location, hours of work and co-workers?
oAm I paid fairly?
oIs my job too stressful?
Once you’ve answered these questions honestly and thoroughly, ask yourself whether you’re willing to try to make the current situation work. What can you do to contribute to the solution? If you’re unhappy or unchallenged, could you work with your supervisor to re-align some of your duties? Could a seminar or class at a community college give you new ways to think about the job?
If you’re concerned about advancement, are there classes you could take within your company on management training or job diversification? Could you volunteer for extra projects to show you can handle the responsibility?
If pay, benefits, or both are an issue, perhaps a frank but polite talk with your supervisor is in order.
If stress is affecting your life both on and off the job, perhaps a stress-reduction class at your local hospital or a few private sessions with a qualified counselor could help you put the situation in perspective.
If, after some soul-searching, you decide you need to make a break from your current situation, proceed with caution. In most cases, you’re better off quietly beginning the job search while still enjoying the pay and benefits of your existing job. The fact that you’ve decided to move on-and that you’re looking at your current situation as temporary-might make the workplace more bearable until you’re ready to leave.
What Now?
If you’ve decided that a job change is ahead, look at it as an opportunity. Here’s your chance to advance professionally and move closer to your career objective or to redirect your skills and experience. Ask yourself where you want to be in your profession in one year, five years and 10 years. Then, to make sure you’re on track, take a moment to write down your strong points as well as your employment preferences.
•What are my strengths?
•What do I enjoy doing?
•How do I want to spend my day-in an office, on the road, outdoors?
•What type of hours do I like to keep?
•What type of work can I get the most satisfaction from while still earning sufficient income?
•Am I willing to commute?
•Do I like to work with people, computers, books, animals, plants?
•Do I mind (or would I miss) business travel?
•Is my resume up-to-date?
If you’re not sure where your abilities and your interests lie, many books are available at your local library or bookstore on vocational testing. Check the library for a copy of the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Or, you may want to meet with a career counselor. Look in the yellow pages or ask your college alumni office or local community college for a recommendation.
New Department? New Company?
If you’re satisfied with your employer but not with your present job, are other opportunities within the company available to you? To find out, check with your human resources department where, in most large companies, job openings will be posted. Companies usually will hire and promote from within before advertising a position to the public. If you’d like to make an internal move, make sure you know your company’s policy for job changes. For example, find out the amount of time you may be required to work in one area before you can switch to another, ask about any educational or training prerequisites for advancing and determine if you must get approval from your manager.
If staying in the same company isn’t an option, will you look for a position in the same field or a different one? Will you handle your job search on your own or seek professional assistance?
Perhaps you want to start your own business. If you have the experience, the determination and the money to start and run your own business, find and consult qualified professionals-real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, public relations experts and consultants-to help you make the best decisions. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Administration (SBA) for assistance.
Help Is Available
To help increase your job opportunities, you can enlist the services of one or more professional organizations. If you do seek professional assistance, schedule free sessions with reputable agencies that specialize in your field. Find out their job placement procedure and who pays their fees-you or the employer. Some options:
•State employment agencies
•Private employment agencies
•Executive recruiters
•Temporary help organizations
•Career counselors
The National Board for Certified Counselors will provide a listing of certified career counselors in your area. You can contact the board at 3D Terrace Way, Greensboro, NC 27403, (910) 547-0607.
America’s Job Bank, operated by the U.S. Department of Labor, lists three quarters of a million job openings throughout the country, and can be accessed on the Internet at www.ajb.dni.us. You also can post your resume on America’s Talent Bank, a new on-line service of the Labor Department that employers can tap into, on the Internet at www.atb.org. In addition, assistance is available at the growing nationwide network of One-Stop Career Centers, funded by the Labor Department, which provide help with finding jobs and training, career counseling, and other employment services.
See “ORGANIZATIONS” in the reference section at the end of this brochure. Regardless of the number of agencies and organizations you’re working with, don’t sit back and wait for the phone to ring. It’s your responsibility to take control of, and manage, your own job search. You owe it to yourself to explore every possibility and to create your own opportunities.
Persistence Pays
It’s often said that timing is everything, and while you can’t control timing, you can identify a place where you would like to work, then be persistent in your attempts to make yourself known there. When a position opens up, the company may call-or it may even create a job for you. To identify prospective employers, you’ll want to be creative in your search. Following are some hints to get you started:
Check newspapers, business periodicals, industry publications and employment reference guides at your local library.
If you want to pursue opportunities in another city or state, check out the America’s Job Bank listings on the Internet, at a One-Stop Center or one of the Employment Services Offices throughout the country.
Talk to people working in the field that interests you. Or, talk to people at the company where you’d like to work. Don’t