Whistle while you work at your job

Posted by Sumathi Umapathy Sunday, May 20, 2018

Even successful employees at at some point lose interest in their work. They are jammed by the routine and day after day they are thinking about quitting their job. But more often it's extremely difficult to decide whether to leave or stay.

Psychologists have developed a number of tests and techniques that will let you understand your doubts much better.

Career development experts can try to dissuade workers from changing their job. After all, after spending years in the same field, one has a huge experience and has a potential to make a brilliant career.

According to James Citrin the senior director at Spencer Stuart in New York, "Lots of successful professionals tell me that they are really bored at work, and all the time they are thinking about leaving their current positions, but I always say that they have a lot of opportunities for growth right where they are."

Citrin says that an employee, tired of the routine work, can always find a way to get more engaged in other activities within the same company. However, there are the deadlocks: an employee suddenly realizes that he/she will never make a career of which he/she is dreaming about. In such cases it's much better to find a place where one can apply their skills, while getting paid more.

So when one starts thinking about quitting the job, this tired employee should ask himself a question: "Can I find myself here in this company in a year?"

This advice is usually given by Marshall Brown, Washington consultant of the career development. According to his experience one should talk about this problem with a closely related person who can evaluate the situation our subject have found himself in.

Tom Welch, career development specialist from Stuart, Florida, recommends to pay more attention to the disturbing questions of the friends: "Is there something wrong with you?" Welch has developed a special test for those thinking about changing their jobs. The first part of the test is dedicated to compiling a list of existing employee skills, as well as the benefits of a current position, including the level of salary and office location.

In the second part of the test, an employee is asked questions about his colleagues. First of all you need to figure out whether you are appreciated by your surrounding and whether you're not feel yourself as a black sheep.

If the results of the test are quite frightening, it means that you're in a bad situation. However, Welch adds that in the test first part is the most important. Problems with adaptation inside the team can be temporary. But if an employer does not value intellectual potential and other talents of an employee, then it will be pretty hard to find a common ground with the superiors. The consultant from Vancouver Steve Mitten recalls that a few people are just working to get paid. People tend to get satisfaction from what they do. Mitten advices to evaluate the attitude to the job on a 10-point scale.

Mitten sais, "10 points will give you the work that you love, and 1 point - the one you hate. So if your current job have scored on this scale, less than 5 points, then you don't need it."

By the way, when a person stops expressing enthusiasm and overall performance decreases. Welch says that those who found themselves in a similar situation, suddenly realize that they start losing customers. Those are increasingly addressing other employees. Customers seem to feel that there is something wrong with a manager or a consultant.

In such cases, experts advise is not to be afraid of changes. You must not stagnate if the situation reached the deadlock.

How to get rid of the glass ceiling effect, and where to move on?

Finding yourself: important rules
To avoid an effect of hitting the glass ceiling, it's important to understand whether or not you are in a dead end or you're just tired and need some rest. Otherwise, you are running the risk of "committing follies" just quitting your job and getting some other which you may not need at all. As a result, once again you will find yourself just where you have started.

To dot the i's, and cross the t's take a break, get a vacation at least for two weeks. Depending on your inner sensations you will see whether you can continue working in the same company and the same field, or you need to start from a blank slate.

Test: "Where Should I Move On?"
When we are talking about the fact that you will to again find yourself again - we are not talking about something abstract. We've prepared for you a list of specific questions, the answers will help you understand what to do next.

This questionnaire is based on the traditional model of success that combines what you like to do, what you are doing best of all, what you are getting paid more, and so on. Your inspiration map.

First of all you need to judge on your own interests, the ones that inspire you most of all, and you're willing to devote your spare time and energy.

So, please answer the following questions:

  • What did you like to do most all in your childhood? What is the source where you wanted to direct your energy?
  • What do you like to do right now? What are you doing in your spare time?
  • Now please answer what you don't like to do? What's that thing that you're procrastinating all the time?
  • Which thing is able to capture you so much that you forget about time?
  • Doing what you can feel the maximum energy recovery and inspiration?
  • What tasks reveal your creatively most of all?
  • What impresses you most of all? What skills and achievements of other people inspire you most of all?

If you can't give an answer to this the answer to this or that question no need to rush. Dedicate as much time as you need. Write as long answers as you can. Don't be shy of some silly ideas, they can be a valuable source of important information.

After you've given the answers to all the questions, please choose the top 7 things that are repeated in all answers. This will be your inspiration map.

The map of abilities and talents.

You will then need to make another map - the map of abilities and talents. You need to understand what you're doing best of all. The map of abilities is the second important component in your self-search.

This time you need to answer following questions:

  • What daily tasks are the easiest for you?
  • What classes in school or university were the easiest for you?
  • What skills and abilities make you successful today? What, in your opinion, is the reason of your success?
  • Into the development of which abilities do you invest most of your time?
  • What questions are you most often being turned to for an advice or support?
  • Where at can you call yourself an expert? (Maybe you have some certificates, awards or professional recognition from colleagues or superiors management)?
  • What are your strengths? What would your boss praise you for?

The same as in the previous section please select the top 7 things that are getting repeated.

The “proof round”. Your success zone

After giving answers to all question, please compare these two lists highlight common key points and combine them in a separate list.

Make a top 3 list. All the points you'll get in result will be your success zone.

So what's next?
Look through the final list and think about where you could apply your talents and skills - both inside the company and beyond.

If you understand that, most likely, you will start your own business, be sure to analyze the market needs, what products, services and competencies it needs, and what you can offer. Through this analysis you will find your own direction for further development.

And the last important thing.

To make sure that you did everything right, imagine, if there was nothing you could change. What would be your profession?

How do you feel about it? If you are indifferent, or you do not like this option - then you need pass the test once again. If you are feeling quite comfortable - congratulations, you are - on the right track.