Category: Job Satisfaction - BOLD CAREER COACHING

9 Career Sites to Explore in the New Year

12/28/2017

December is not traditionally considered a month for serious job searching. It is a time to relax, enjoy the holidays, vacation and be with family. Still, if you are seeking new opportunities, you’ll probably be keeping your ear close to the ground, ready to strike when the time is right.

Perhaps you are continuing to make connections at holiday parties, or browsing the listings on the web in your spare time. More than likely, though, you are waiting patiently for the new year to roll around before re-starting your search in earnest.

Today, more than ever, there is so much useful career advice available on the web. Still, you may find yourself getting tired of the tried-and-true sites, like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed.

For those of you looking for some new perspective, I’ve put together a list of my favorite career websites and blogs that regularly feature helpful job search tips and strategies. Check them out and start your year off fresh.

1. www.careersherpa.net

2. www.theundercoverrecruiter.com

3. www.careersdonewrite.com

4. www.9livesforwomen.com

5. www.themuse.com

6. www.dailyworth.com

7. www.idealistcareers.org

8. www.chameleonresumes.com

9. www.mscareergirl.com

Happy New Year and best wishes for a successful job search!

What If...Waiting Wasn't an Option?

10/25/2017

The fall has finally arrived, and with it, the need to re-organize my closet. Every year at this time I carve out some time to put away the shorts, tank tops and dresses, and pull out the cozy sweaters, leggings and jeans. The crisp air outside motivates me not to delay.

Yet, I can’t say that I particularly enjoy this process. Yes, this is a great opportunity to re-evaluate my wardrobe and to get rid of things I no longer like. I know the 80/20 rule – that most of us wear just 20 percent of our wardrobe 80 percent of the time. In my case, it’s more like 10 percent of the wardrobe 99 percent of the time. But still, for one reason or another, I hesitate to minimize.

It’s tedious. It’s time consuming. And most of all, there is that perennial question that hangs over my carefully curated closet…what if?

What if I change my mind? What if I come to regret it? What if I grow to like this piece again? What if? What if? What if?

It strikes me that in some ways this process of decision-making is similar to the way that many career changers approach their transition.

You know that the career you’ve chosen to pursue is no longer working. Deep down you know it’s time to make a change. Yet this realization remains just an inkling while you rationalize to yourself why you shouldn’t.

Last week, I attended a panel on career transitions, where a room full of want-to-be career changers listened to sage advice and insight of those who already found their career holy grail.

The number one take-away?

Don’t wait.

Waiting, and then finally taking the plunge towards a new career, months, or sometimes years later, seemed to have been the common thread in all the stories shared that evening.

Someone waited because they felt they invested too much time and money into their education. Someone waited because they wanted to finish the degree they already knew was not the right fit -- but they had only one year to go in school. Someone waited because they didn’t want to move – moving ended up leading them to a network of new connections and ultimately, discovering how to blend their interests into a profitable business. Finally, someone waited because they didn’t know what else to do. They had been following the safe path of getting a good degree, finding a good job, and making good money.

All the panelists ultimately woke up and realized they’ve been waiting long enough. The time had come to make a change.

In hindsight, they all were acutely aware of the passage of time – the time they spent waiting vs. the time they spent actively in transition – one period marked by uncertainly, hesitation, depression, and rationalization; the other period marked by empowering decisions that brought them closer to their dreams.

The take-away was not to wait. Even if the only thing you knew with certainty was that you didn’t like what you currently did.

At the end of the event, the moderator turned to the audience. Any last questions?

There was one.

What signs do I look for as I try to identify what I should do next?

Look for things that bring you joy was the response of one of the panelists. What are the things you gravitate to over and over again?

What are the favorites in your closet? Everything else can go or take its honorary place in the back.

Can You Name Your Top Values? This Exercise May Help.

9/27/2017

When was the last time you gave thought to what you value most?

Our values lie at the core of who we are – they define what we deem important in life and in work -- but they are very infrequently verbally expressed. Instead many of us choose to communicate what we value through our behavior and actions.

We are content and at peace when our values and our actions align. On the contrary, when we experience tension, anxiety and unrest, it is a sign that our beliefs and our actions are out of balance.

WHEN WE HONOR OUR VALUES, WE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON CLEARLY DEFINED PRIORITIES. WE ARE PURPOSEFUL WITH OUR CHOICES AND WE FEEL A SENSE OF WHOLENESS AND FULFILLMENT. WHEN WE ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH OUR VALUES, WE HAVE NO INTERNAL COMPASS TO HELP US MAKE DECISIONS. WE TEND TO PRIORITIZE THE WRONG THINGS WHICH CAN LEAD TO UNHAPPINESS AND DISSATISFACTION.

Often, we’ll have a vague recognition that something is wrong, but won’t take steps to delve deeper until a change in circumstance, such as starting a family, or a more negative event like a job loss or a family illness jolts us to action. Those events can serve as important wake-up calls, but should they be the only time we open ourselves to taking stock of what’s truly important?

Today is as good as any other day.

DEFINING OUR VALUES CAN HELP US MAKE IMPORTANT LIFE DECISIONS AND ANSWER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

- What type of job will I find fulfilling?

- How can I prioritize my personal and professional goals?

- Where should I live?

- What kind of role model do I want to be to my kids?

UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU VALUE MOST IS THE FIRST STEP IN CREATING A ROAD MAP TO LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE. ALTHOUGH OUR CORE VALUES ARE GENERALLY STABLE, SOMETIMES AS WE GROW OR OUR SITUATIONS CHANGE, WHAT WE ONCE DEEMED IMPORTANT SHIFTS. OFTEN, WE WITNESS THOSE SHIFTS IN THINKING AFTER BIG LIFE EVENTS.

Keeping a check on our values is therefore a lifelong exercise. Taking some time to revisit what you value can help you stay on the right course, clarify your priorities and re-balance your life.

EXERCISE.

STEP 1.

Think about the times in your life (starting childhood through present) where you’ve felt happiest and most fulfilled. What were you doing (personally, professionally)? Who were you with? What goals were you accomplishing?

Write down any common themes. For example, you notice that you feel happiest and most fulfilled when you are entertaining others, spreading joy and laughter, putting on formal or informal performances, and being the life of the party. Or, you may be most fulfilled when you are helping others in need and providing a service that helps other people improve their circumstances. You like to provide help in times of crisis.

STEP 2.

Read through the list of values below. Go through the list once and cross out any values that clearly don’t match with what you deem important. For example, if you enjoy solitude, reading and quiet walks by yourself or a close friend, then socializing is probably not your most important value. Cross it off the list. Do this until you’ve narrowed down to 30-40 values.

Next, look through the remaining values and group together any values that overlap. For example, Honesty, Integrity, and Lack of Pretense would go together.

Accountability
Accuracy
Achievement
Adventure
Aesthetics
Affection
Altruism
Ambition
Assertiveness
Authenticity
Autonomy
Avoidance
Balance
Beauty
Belonging
Boldness
Calmness
Carefulness
Challenge
Cheerfulness
Clear-mindedness
Commitment
Community
Compassion
Competitiveness
Connection
Consistency
Contentment
Continuous Improvement
Contribution
Control
Cooperation
Correctness
Courtesy
Creativity
Culture
Curiosity
Decisiveness
Dependability
Determination
Devoutness
Dignity
Diligence
Discipline
Discretion
Diversity
Dynamism
Economy

Effectiveness
Efficiency
Elegance
Empathy
Empowerment
Enjoyment
Enlightenment
Enthusiasm
Entrepreneurship
Equality
Excellence
Exercise
Excitement
Expertise
Exploration
Expressiveness
Fairness
Faith
Fame
Family
Fidelity
Financial Security
Fitness
Fluency
Focus
Freedom
Friendship
Fun
Fulfillment
Generosity
Goodness
Grace
Growth
Happiness
Hard Work
Harmony
Health
Helping Society
Holiness
Honesty
Honor
Humility
Humor
Inclusivity
Independence
Ingenuity
Innovation
Inquisitiveness
Insightfulness

Integrity
Intelligence
Intellectual Status
Intimacy
Intuition
Joy
Justice
Lack of pretense
Leadership
Learning
Legacy
Leisure time
Love
Loyalty
Making a difference
Making money
Marriage
Mastery
Merit
Obedience
Openness
Opportunity
Order
Organization
Originality
Patriotism
Peace
Perfection
Performance
Perseverance
Personal Development
Piety
Playfulness
Positivity
Practicality
Preparedness
Professionalism
Prudence
Quality
Recognition
Reliability
Resourcefulness
Restraint
Respect
Results-oriented
Rigor
Risk-taking
Safety

Saving
Security
Self-actualization
Self-esteem
Self-control
Self-expression
Selflessness
Self-reliance
Self-respect
Sensitivity
Serenity
Service
Setting example
Shrewdness
Simplicity
Socializing
Social advancement
Solving problems
Soundness
Speed
Spirituality
Spontaneity
Stability
Strategic
Strength
Structure
Success
Support
Synergy
Teamwork
Temperance
Thankfulness
Thoroughness
Thoughtfulness
Timeliness
Tolerance
Tradition
Trustworthiness
Truth-seeking
Understanding
Uniqueness
Unity
Usefulness
Vision
Vitality
Wealth
Winning
Wisdom

STEP 3.

Keeping in mind your reflections from Step 1, compare the remaining values/buckets of values. Which of the remaining values do you consistently honor in your life? Which would you like to prioritize more?

You are trying to identify your top 10.

It may help to pick two at a time and think about them side by side. Your goal is to re-order them from least important (at the bottom) to most important (at the top).

For example, if you are comparing Achievement and Adventure/Fun, you may think of a situation where you are given a last minute opportunity to travel to an exotic place you’ve always wanted to explore. Perhaps it's a friend's destination wedding. At the same time, you are on track for a promotion at work, but know that taking time off would set you back and/or possibly cost you the promotion. How would you resolve the conflict? Would you choose Adventure over Achievement or vice versa? Re-order the values accordingly.

Prioritizing like this will take some time but it is a worthy exercise.

WHEN YOU CAN CLEARLY DEFINE AND EXPRESS YOUR VALUES, YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF LIVING A MORE PURPOSEFUL AND CONTENT LIFE. YOU WILL FIND IT EASIER TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS AND WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. LIVING A LIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONE’S VALUES MAY NOT ALWAYS BE EASY, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS GUIDE YOU IN THE DIRECTION THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU.

7 Tips For a Stronger Resume

7/26/2017

A resume is one of the most important tools in your job search toolbox. Without a strong stand-out resume, it is virtually guaranteed that your application for a job will be overlooked by the prospective employer.

Even if you have networked extensively and have an established connection at the company you are seeking to work at, you cannot underestimate the importance of a well-crafted resume.

Your resume is the prologue to the story you tell the employer about yourself and your professional background. It tells the employer where you’ve been and where you want to be headed next. It lays the setting for further conversation.

And you know that in today’s competitive job market, you can’t afford to showcase yourself in any but the best possible light.

Which is why, I recommend that you spend a good chunk of time editing and updating your resume before clicking ‘send’. This is particularly important if it’s been a while since you’ve updated the document and/or are considering switching careers.

Below are 7 tips for drafting a stronger resume:

Make Sure the Formatting is Consistent and Resume is Typo-free

Tiny details often tell a much bigger story. Formatting may seem less important that the substance of your resume, but make no mistake. If the formatting is not consistent throughout the document, it says one thing about you: you rush to get the job done. No employer wants to see quality sacrificed for speed. The same point applies to typos. Take extra time and read each bullet point over at least twice to make sure there are absolutely no errors or inconsistencies.

The Resume Length Should Be 1- 2 pages

Unless you are an academic or a scientist and have a long list of publications to list, it is not generally recommended that your resume exceed 2 pages. For young professionals without an extensive job history, the ideal length is 1 page.

In today’s competitive job market, it’s not unusual for an employer to receive hundreds of resumes for one position. A hiring manager will likely spend only a minute, if that, reviewing your resume before deciding whether you make the cut for an interview or not. They want to quickly assess your qualifications and appreciate a concisely crafted document.

Use a Chronological Format

You have likely come across two different formats for a resume: chronological and functional (or sometimes a mix of those two). In a chronological resume, as the title implies, you list your experience chronologically, with accomplishments as they pertain to each job experience. In a functional resume, on another hand, you highlight your abilities and categorize your skills instead of creating a timeline for your work experience.

If you are a career changer, are re-entering the workforce, or have gaps in your resume, you may prefer the functional format because it takes the focus off the gaps. You may think that works in your favor. And there are times you may be right.

However, when a prospective employer picks up your resume, she wants to quickly understand your work history. Functional resumes typically take longer to piece together, and the hiring manager may simply choose not to take the time to do so. It may also seem that you are trying to hide the gaps, rather than focusing on your skills and abilities, and your efforts can backfire.

So, why not play it safe and use the more popular chronological format? Then spend some time drafting a good cover letter where you tell your story and summarize your skills.

List any Gaps in Employment

This point is related to the recommendation above. Yes, you may be concerned about putting down gaps in your resume, particularly large gaps, however it is better to be upfront about them than seem like you are trying to hide something.

If you have taken time off to raise a family, as one example, put that down. Took time to travel? List that as well. If during the “break”, you did consulting or freelance work, be sure to list those projects. Any volunteer experience during the gaps should not go in the work experience section, but in a separate volunteer section.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job Description

The days of the standard resume are gone. You can no longer send the same resume to multiple employers and expect that you will be rewarded with a call back. Want to show you are genuinely interested in the job? Then take some time to tweak your resume and customize it to fit the job to which you are applying.

How can you tailor for best results?

First of all, create a compelling narrative throughout the resume that shows your work history and prior experiences are a good fit to the desired position. You will have to show you have built a set of skills in your prior roles that will be transferrable to the new position. Put emphasis and highlight the type of work that’s relevant to the new job. Delete or minimize any work or other experience that doesn’t directly apply.

Use keywords listed in the job description. This point is important! Many times your resume may not even make it past the employer’s applicant tracking system, if the wording within the resume does not match with the specific skills and qualifications listed in the job description.

Scan the job description carefully to make sure you understand the requirements of the position. Then, identify your past work/projects that match those requirements and use the same vocabulary used by the hiring manager to describe the experience in your resume. But no embellishments or exaggerations! Those can become obvious down the line and will surely backfire.

Quantify Your Achievements

When you talk about your experience, what do you want the prospective employer to remember? That you worked on some project they’ve never heard of, or that you can produce results? Likely the second. You are an attractive candidate because you have proven time and time again that you can deliver by increasing sales, revenues, or by creating more efficient processes. Show and quantify those achievements for each role you list on your resume. Talk about any improvements that you were responsible for.

Use Strong Language – Action Verbs and Keywords

If your Experience section is packed with words like “managed”, “led”, or “oversaw”, perhaps it’s time to update it. Although common, these words have become so overused that they risk obscuring and minimizing your true accomplishments. Worse yet, instead of highlighting your uniqueness, you’ll seem like everybody else.

So, why not be a bit creative?

Start out each description with strong action verbs instead. Try “headed”, “planned”, “executed”, “organized”, “built”, “created” or “implemented”, as just some examples. Don’t stop there. Look up action verbs for more great ideas.

And don’t forget to sprinkle in the all-important keywords. As mentioned before, hiring managers search by keywords to find resumes that match the skills and qualifications listed in job description. Make sure your resume includes those keywords.

Use Bullet Points

This may be an obvious point, but it can’t hurt to repeat it. The clearer your resume, the easier it is for the prospective employer to get a quick grasp of your history and identify your key leadership roles, contributions and accomplishments. Use bullets to communicate your information clearly and effectively. When you show that you can create a well-organized resume, you will be sure to stand out from the crowd.

The Seven Second Elevator Pitch

2/28/2017

Get on the elevator, fancy a job
On the seventh floor
You are going to the top
Stop. Doors open
You are only on two
In walks a woman in a suit. Looks at you
Speak, your brain says. She’s important
But your mouth feels numb
Sticky, gooey, like you’ve swallowed gum
You have only one chance to impress
Or hold your peace
What will it be? Fight or flight
No. Surprise
Calm and serenity wash over you
Handshake. Release
Eye contact. Hold
You’ve already spoken volumes
And you are only on four
Then a little voice says, don’t try so hard
Be yourself, and if it’s right
The connection will bloom
Chances are
You will know you’ve made it quite soon
Relax and enjoy
It’s a short ride to seven
So different from the work you must do
To get way up to heaven

5 Strategies to Help You Make a Successful Transition to a New Job

5/24/2016

Transitions are hard. Like other major life events, a job or career change, whether voluntary or involuntary, will likely be a period of highs and lows that will test you and your family.

So, when you finally do land a position, the feelings of elation and relief will be palpable. Oftentimes, however, the emotional tension felt during the transition does not fully lift when the job search process is over. Now you are faced with a new challenge. Starting a new job can be overwhelming, and can require you to re-align your routine, priorities and responsibilities.

If you find yourself nervous about heading back to work or starting a new position, you may benefit from these 5 strategies to help ease the transition:

Prepare Your Family

People who are closest to you often experience the changes occurring in your life with similar intensity. So, you can be sure that when you make a move to a new job – with it’s new demands on your time and energy – your family will be affected. You can help your spouse, kids, or anyone else in your immediate family affected by the change by setting clear expectations of what’s to come. A few days before you start a new job, sit down together to talk about your new schedule. School-aged kids who are old enough to understand the changes will benefit the most from having a talk. This will also give them an opportunity to ask questions and voice any concerns. If you will be gone for extended periods (for work-related travel), or if a caretaker will need to step in – this kind of conversation will be particularly important.

Go to Sleep Early, Starting on Weekends

It goes without saying that you cannot do your best when you are tired. And a new job will be certain to sap your energy as you ramp up to speed. You may be going on overdrive in the office. And it may be hard to relax when you get home, as you process your new experiences, as well as try to carve out quality time with family at the end of the day. It’s easy to stretch out the night into the wee hours, but resist the urge to do it all. The garbage can wait another day to be taken out. The mail does not have to be opened today. Go to bed an hour early. Arianna Huffington said it best. “Everything you do, you’ll do better with a good night’s sleep.”

Be Ready to Work Hard and Do Your Best from Day One

Whether you will be working in a similar role in a new company, or making a big career change, you will likely have a steep learning curve transitioning to your new responsibilities and getting acquainted with a new company culture. You’ve shown in the interview process that you have the experience to do the job, and you passed the “fit” test. But whatever your prior accomplishments, as a new recruit you will still have to prove yourself all over again. The faster you build your credibility by working hard and being a team-player, the better your long-term chances of success at the new company.

Focus on Building Relationships with Your New Co-workers

You are a new guy (or gal) at the office. Making new friends is never easy, and it can be particularly challenging when you are joining an already formed team. But making close connections with people you work with can be crucial not only to your on-going job performance, but to your overall well-being. Spend some time getting to know your new co-workers not only professionally, but personally, over coffee or lunch. As they so aptly say, it will feed your stomach and will nourish your soul.

Thank and Keep in Touch with People Who Helped You

We all have a network of people we look to for help when we are in a transition. They are our family, friends, past colleagues, acquaintances, or people whom we don’t yet know but could be introduced to by our inner circle. Networking is a crucial part of making a job change, and it is a well-known fact that most times you will find your new position through someone in your network, rather than through job boards, recruiters or cold calls.

If you were lucky to have people who helped you, remember and thank them after the fact. Whatever their contributions and gestures of support – these are your friends who you can count on. One day you’ll be there for them.

How Picking Up a New Hobby Turned Out to Be Fertile Ground for Some Important Life Lessons

4/21/2016

Spring is the perfect time to begin a new chapter. New buds are popping from the trees excited by sunshine. Plants, birds and people have woken from the winter slumber and come together outdoors to celebrate this time of year.

Are you freshly excited to try something new? Perhaps a new job is on the horizon? Or maybe you’ve just begun to think about making a change. Are you moving, or thinking of trying a new hobby? Or, perhaps you’ve decided to turn your hobby into a business? Whatever your situation, spring is the time of renewal.

I, too, have decided to try something new.

I am a city girl that has recently been transplanted to the suburbs. I have very little knowledge about the great outdoors, and until recently I have never had to worry about a back yard. This is certainly not a source of pride, and neither is the fact that I have never planted anything in my life.

So, given my new circumstance, I have decided that it’s time to change the status quo. I have decided that this year I am going to learn how to plant a garden. Or, at least a couple of vegetables and berries.

Easier said than done, but I have committed and I don’t want to let myself down. So, I am diving head first, and even though I’m just at the cusp of the planting season, I’ve already accumulated a few lessons learned.

First of all, learning something new is terrifying

I am realizing that as far as my gardening knowledge-bank is concerned, I am not just at zero, I am quite possibly in the negative. Until recently, I didn’t know where to buy the potting soil. Perhaps I am a bit afraid of my efforts being a flop, but mostly, I am hesitant because I don’t know where to start. To say the least, this is overwhelming and somewhat terrifying.

Taking small steps will give you the confidence to move forward

It’s been a while since I picked up a new hobby, and I’ve forgotten what it feels like to push yourself into new territory. My 6 year-old is starting to ride a bike, and she is a bit scared. I’ve tried to tell her what to do to best keep her balance. But then I realized she needs to do it her own way – she needs to first get a feel for her bike. To spend some time just sitting on it, with feet on the ground. This will give her the confidence to begin pedaling on her own. Small steps.

Like her, I am spending more time outdoors, just looking at the garden bed. Getting familiar with what it looks like. Learning the names of the flowers that were planted there before. Trying to discern the difference between weeds and plants. I am being mindful about the experience, and it is helping me take the next step in the process.

Having a detailed plan will set you up for success

If you are planting this year, now is the time to start planning ahead – to start thinking about what you want to plant, buying the seeds, and doing some prep work on the garden bed. As a novice, I am learning that there are specific steps I need to take, now, and again when the soil warms up enough for the seeds to grow. Plant too soon, and the garden will not take.

I am learning what I need to plant, how much water and sun exposure the seeds will need, how much space to allocate, how to weed, and about the importance of soil quality. I am doing prep work like a good job hunter before her networking conversations and interviews.

Don’t get discouraged when things don’t go according to plan

Things won’t always go according to plan, and I am already seeing the warning signs. Apparently, I am not the only one who likes to smell the flowers and munch on fresh garden goodness. The cute bunny family that we “adopted” as our outdoor pets are already starting to cause problems. I’ve just had to shoo one off the yard, and I know it’s just a matter of time until he comes back, and brings friends. I am trying not to get discouraged, but I know what will really help is not to wish them away, but to buy a garden net.

Steady work pays off and makes you feel fulfilled

As much as I want to see quick results, I am learning to be patient and to take it step-by-step. I know that if I am careful and steady, my work will eventually pay off. In the past couple of weeks, I have already learned more about gardening that in the previous 40 years. Above all, this has taught me the most important lesson to date – a new challenge is fun and it’s making me happy to stretch beyond my comfort zone.

To be continued…

Here is a Story of Success...

10/23/2015

When a client and I enter a coaching engagement, a client begins a journey that we hope will lead to positive change. Whether it’s to discover a better fit, or plan a course of action for career re-entry, we work together to improve their professional situation. So, understandably, when I tell others of what I do, they are curious to hear the “success stories” of those I’ve helped. They want to hear about a successful transition.

I like to share those stories because they inspire us to believe that people can change the course of their lives, despite seeming challenges and obstacles. But I like to share other stories as well – those that are less life changing but just as significant to those of us that live them. These people are successful not because they make a radical change, but because they make a carefully considered decision not to. Then, they make the best of it, with positive attitude, strong work ethic and the ability to keep dreaming.

I am lucky to know one such person. I met her almost 15 years ago at my old job, when we were both starting out in the same department. Over the years, she has become more of mother/grandma figure to my family, with her steady presence in my life, and now my children’s lives throughout our milestones, celebrations and traditions. She is a rock I can always depend on to be there, but what I most admire about her is her outlook on life.

I know her well enough to know that she spent her life in a career that was not a natural fit. She worked up steadily from job title to job title, from department to department, slowly climbing the career ladder, but never stopped dreaming about someday taking up more artistic pursuits. Dedicating herself to her hobbies full-time was not a real possibility, although it was always in the back of her mind. Not one to begrudge life, she never allowed her circumstances to affect her ability to give her best to her day job and to those that came in contact with her.

This summer I went to her retirement party. There were people there from the various departments where she spent her career, from junior to senior level – all of them came to thank her for her years of dedicated service and to wish her well on her new chapter. It was touching. You could see that she would be missed.

A couple of weeks ago, she came to visit me to catch up. We talked about her new life and how she is now pursuing her hobbies with gusto and has plans to begin selling her art on-line. I was excited to hear about her new life phase, but what nearly brought me to tears is when our topic of conversation turned to our old job, and she spoke with a deep sense of pride of the impact she felt she made through the years.

I sincerely wish that all of you feel that sense of pride after years of working, whether it’s in your dream career, or at a job that is less emotionally fulfilling but no less important.

I would think that is how one experiences success.

When Your Workplace Stops to Beckon, is it Time to Pack Your Bags?

5/6/2015

Whether you love what you do, or are only lukewarm about it, the environment where you work can have a significant impact on your day-to-day job satisfaction.

Do you find yourself dreading the office each day? Perhaps you work alone, but crave more social interaction? Are you frequently behind-the-scenes, disconnected from the impact that your job makes? Or, is your work style at odds with that of other team members? Do all these things add up to you wanting to make a change?

From the overarching culture of the organization, to the make-up of the team, to the location and details of the office set-up, our work environment can add or detract from the sense of meaning and fulfillment we derive from our jobs.

This issue has been coming up in my coaching work. Recently a client told me that her job environment is a large part of why she wants to switch careers. A social person, she is someone who craves collaboration and teamwork, but instead must spend her days alone at the computer in a closed office. Her colleagues, happy with the set-up, interact with her infrequently. There is little need to bounce ideas off of each other, as everyone works on their own individual projects. It is a serious place where academic approach and independent contributions are valued above collaboration and communication. After a few years, this environment has begun to affect her sense of engagement and motivation.

Another client faces similar challenges. Although she likes to work independently, geographically removed from her office, her lack of visibility is not ideal and limits her opportunities for growth. She feels disconnected from her team and from the impact that her contributions make.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend shared some thoughts by Dan Ariely, a well-known behavioral economist, on the subject. In a Q & A portion of his website, Dan dealt with a related concern about job satisfaction. The questioner, an air traffic controller working at a remote radar facility, asked whether moving locations (closer to the airport where he could see the planes taking off and on) would increase his motivation and level of fulfillment. Being geographically removed from the airport made his job feel too abstract. Seeing planes as only dots on the screen created a sense of disconnection, and he struggled to see how what he did had tangible impact.

Dan responded that moving locations will likely help. He reasoned that that the disconnectedness and the abstract nature of the job could dull our sense of empathy and care, which are deeply connected to the sense of meaning we derive from our jobs. Dan further hypothesized that even if the change in locations was not possible, other changes could help. Being given tangible information about the people on the planes – for example, that they were all healthy upon arrival -- may have an impact on the perceived meaning and satisfaction the air traffic controller derived from his job.

So, what does this mean for those of us wanting to make a change?

Should we make adjustments to our external work environment – move to a different job location, leave our office for an open floor plan, switch teams, or find a partner that works well with us? Or should we work on changing our perception – trying to focus on the positive impact that our job will have on others? Or perhaps more radically, consider changing our jobs to find a better fit?

I think the answer probably depends on whether you have a sense of deeper purpose in your work. Are you happy with what you do and find the work meaningful? Or do you struggle to imagine how what you do makes a difference?

For me, spending a day by myself writing and not interacting with people directly can be challenging. But I derive enough meaning from the work to compensate for the temporary lack of connection with others. That was never the case in my previous job, no matter how often I tried to sit outside my office, or work in a setting that offered more variety. Ultimately, it was tough to connect the dots of how the job really mattered, although I know that many others at my office felt differently.

The decision to change jobs, and even careers, is a radical one but is sometimes the only viable solution to ensure long-term job satisfaction. Other times, though, smaller changes to the work environment are enough to help you rediscover a sense of meaning in what you do. And other times, still, making smaller changes may lead to bigger ones down the road.

Do you know which change is right for you?

When you don't have to get away from work...

2/3/2015

My mom came to visit us last month. Aside from the joy of having her spend time with us, her visits are always appreciated on another level. She is a guru in the kitchen. Yes, that means healthy, tasty meals prepared for us every night! The woman is skilled and best of all, she loves it – she loves to cook!

It’s not a secret that your favorite skills and what you are good at are often intertwined. When you enjoy doing something, you’ll likely choose to do it often. And practice makes perfect, isn’t that how the saying goes?

When I speak to my clients, it is one of the first things I try to emphasize. So many of us work in jobs where we are expected to use our non-preferred skills for a good part of the day. We may not even realize how taxing that is until we get home, plop on the couch and have no energy left to cook a meal. Do you know what activities you do the most throughout your day? What skills are you using – are they the skills that you enjoy? Do you find your energy level dropping as your day unfolds, or are you energized and in the flow?

Your state of mind, as well as your physical well-being at the end of each day, can give you clues as to whether you allocate too much time to your non-preferred skills. It may be tough to recognize when this happens because it is usually a gradual change. Assuming we’ve done our due diligence, upon starting a new job we typically find a match between our skills and the tasks we must perform. But jobs often morph and the job descriptions change as we climb the career ladder, assume new responsibilities, or make lateral moves to expand our area of expertise. It can often happen that over time we find ourselves performing less and less of the tasks we originally enjoyed.

Have you noticed yourself moving at a slower pace at work? Are you able to accomplish less in the same amount of time? Do you get tired more easily? Or do you find yourself procrastinating when a new project lands on your desk? Perhaps this shift has happened to you.

Of course it’s unrealistic to expect work to consist solely of tasks requiring the use of skills that we enjoy the most. In any job, there will always be a mix of fun and drudgery. But we would be wise to keep a check on whether the balance continues to shift in the right direction.

A good, but somewhat unconventional, test?... when you are on vacation and still enjoy doing the work. Don’t get me wrong -- I am certainly not advocating working through vacations! We all need some time to recharge, to get away, to leave our work personas behind for a few days. But if you find yourself itching to do what you love, even when you don’t have to – then perhaps you have found the holy grail of work.

My mom is certainly a testament to this. When she cooks, her energy is contagious. Her meals are packed with nutrition but their main ingredient is always love. She uses her cooking skills to benefit all of us and she makes it look effortless. I am not even sure she knows she is working.

Pretty impressive for someone who need not be – after all, this is her second act. In her first, she was an engineer. I’ll have to ask her next time she visits how she enjoyed it.

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