You Are Not Alone

If you dread Mondays and find yourself longing for the weekend before Wednesday even arrives, you are not alone. 70% of workers say they are unhappy with their current work situation. This is a staggering, if not down-right upsetting figure, given that we spend a third of our day at work. And hey, extrapolate from there in terms of what that means for your life. 

But, if you are reading this article, then there is hope for you. It's important to acknowledge your situation and take steps to change it for the better. 

So let's get to the bottom of it and identify the possible causes for your dissatisfaction.

Possible causes for career dissatisfaction:

• You don't have passion for your job or your industry
• You don't feel supported by your organization or your manager
• You cannot seem to excel in your position, no matter how hard you work

Never Stop Learning

Ask yourself, why are you unhappy with your current job or industry?

If your current industry or work doesn't align with your values, examine your own values carefully and list out industries or job functions that might align better. Here's a free Values Checklist template to help you complete this exercise. Once you've done that, skip to the Informational Interview section. 

If you are frustrated because you cannot seem to excel in your position or that your colleagues are surpassing you, perhaps there is a skill gap? A great way to identify whether there is a skill gap is to talk to your manager or trusted colleagues and ask them for constructive feedback. 

Once you've identified the top skill you need to improve, how do you move forward? Let's imagine that your skill gap is public speaking. (75% of people report having a fear of public speaking, so this is not an outlandish example.)

• Find out whether your company offers courses to improve public speaking
• Request opportunities to practice your public speaking, so you can learn by doing
• Join a local Toastmasters or another organization that focuses on building this specific skill

The Importance of Learning from Others

How can you possibly know if a new job function or a new industry is right for you? It's simple, really. Carefully prepare a list of questions about the role or the industry that someone with practical experience can answer. Next, reach out to someone (or a few people) in your network who are currently in that role and kindly request an informational interview. The information you gather at these interviews will begin to paint a picture of what this new role may be like for you and how well of a fit it will be. During these interviews, gauge your own sense of excitement for what you are hearing. Do you see yourself in those roles? Do you have any transferable skills that could be a fit? Does the work being described align with your values ? See the Building Your Skills section above for how to synthesize your values.

Remember:

• Be prepared and professional when running your informational interviews, you never know who you'll meet along the way
• These are not job interviews. Please, do not ask for a job or recommendations. That is a major faux pas of informational interviewing.
• Have fun and keep this light

I'll Say It Again, Get a Mentor

Nothing can be more critical and more puzzling than finding a mentor who can guide you through your various career shifts. Take a look around your network and see if there's someone you can approach.  If there is no one in your network, there are plenty of resources to get started finding a mentor. Once you find that someone, make sure to nurture that relationship, ask for feedback, and work on goals together.  

Remember:

• Someone you respect and trust
• Someone whose work you admire
• Someone you can be candid with
• Someone who can provide objective and constructive feedback