We humans periodically stop and take stock of many parts of our lives – and one that frequently gets reevaluated is our career (or, if we’re not lucky, our job). Most of us spend a huge portion of our waking hours at work yet haven’t given what we do much thought since we landed our first jobs.
And, if you have held the same job since graduation, you may be living out the dream of your 18 or 21 year old self. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t trust my career to the decisions of even the world’s best teenager.
There are many ways at looking at work or careers, there is the old way exemplified by T.S. Eliot who said “For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.” A more modern take on the subject comes from Timothy Ferris’ book “The 4-Hour Workweek” where he says “I won’t ask you to choose between enjoyment today and money later. I believe you can have both now. The goal is fun and profit.”
You need to decide whether you want to live your life according to T.S, Eliot or Timothy Ferris. I know what I would choose.
If you think you may be in a job or career that is not the one best suited to the life you want to live,rate your current position based on the following criteria, using a scale of one to ten (lowest to highest). 1 is absolutely terrible and 10 is perfect – and the job doesn’t exist that gets all 10′s.
1. What opportunities do I have for growth?
2. What opportunities are there for the day-to-day challenges that I cherish?
3. How much opportunity do I have to interact with others, do long range or strategic planning, write, think, get out in the field, or do whatever else it is that turns me on?
4. Is the corporate culture one that I am comfortable with?
Your answers to these questions will give you some telling insight into which of the following applies to you:
o You can probably use negotiating techniques to make your current position meet all your criteria without making a move.
o You’re probably very unhappy where you are and should be putting out feelers shortly so you can make a move within a short time.
o You should begin to consider your options. Unless you can make major changes where you are you probably won’t ever be satisfied there.
o Now is the time to make a move – you’re committing career suicide!
For a more comprehensive test go to
[http://www.resumesthatrock.com/Career_Quiz.html]
If you would like to hear more about cover letters, resumes and the other tools you need to conduct a successful job search visit [http://www.resumesthatrock.com/Career_Home_Page.html]

