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You’ve spent an enjoyable weekend with family or friends. Now it’s early Sunday evening, and that familiar feeling is starting, just like it does every week at this time. It’s the gloom that comes over you because you’re reminded that Monday morning is up next, and you will be returning to your job for another five days of unhappiness.

You’ve been told for years that happiness is a choice, so you’re left to wonder why you can’t be happy at work. After all, this career is what you have worked toward since high school, and now you’ve achieved success and seem to have everything you’ve ever wanted. You reason there must be something wrong with you, but you may be overly self-critical.

A Gallup survey from 2014 reveals that fewer than one in three workers feel engaged at their job. And if the problem of job discontent is so widespread, you probably should ask yourself what you can do to change the situation. How do you join the lucky one-third who expresses satisfaction with their work?

Consider these steps:

Begin with some soul-searching

Ask yourself what’s keeping you in your current rut. Maybe it’s not your career but your boss or the organization that’s the source of your misery. In that case, a change of venue within the same career might be in order.

 If it turns out you no longer want to do that type of work, you must identify a role that would be a better fit.

 Answer a few key questions

  • What am I passionate about?
  • What makes me curious?
  • What would I be doing if money wasn’t a consideration?
  • What kind of work would I be excited to tell my family and friends about?

What you’ll be trying to do is make an educated guess about what kind of work you might enjoy. Once you do that, look for activities or people who can tell you more about these jobs.

Build a network

You might not be aware of the power of a network, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports more than 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking. Recruiters and hiring managers typically consult their networks before they ever post a job opening, so it stands to reason that building a reliable network is one of the keys to finding career opportunities.

Help others help you

Be ready to talk to others about yourself by developing a short pitch about your passions and strengths. Tell them what kind of role you’re seeking. That way, when something relevant comes up, they’ll have you in mind.

And you don’t have to stick with one narrative. Watch the reactions you get, and if your pitch doesn’t seem to be resonating, redo it.


Need help finding another job?

We can help. Staffing companies have the networks to help you find the right job for you. Stride Staffing’s goal is to build stronger connections between employers and individuals by doing staffing differently. Really. For more information on working with us contact us today  or search for a job.


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