Job Satisfaction a Prime Reason for Seeking Career Guidance

At Career Vision, we are often asked to describe our typical client. That is a difficult question to answer because we provide services to clients who range in age from high school to retirement. Our emphasis for the last two years has been to improve Career Literacy™ for high school age families. The early-age focus is driven by the increasing importance and expense of post-secondary education and the statistics on job satisfaction and school completion. However, we continue to work with many adults, from young professionals to experienced executives. They generally fall into five categories. Which category describes you best?

1. The Proactive: These are successful, take-charge individuals who really understand that they are responsible for their own career management. They are hardworking, dedicated employees who have learned they need to set time aside to plan strategically for their success and satisfaction - and do so.

2. The Negotiator: This is a relatively new type of employee. They strongly value their quality of life. They are often quite talented and in positions which require a high level of performance. They are looking for more independence in the way they approach work. These individuals are looking for career options that can help take advantage of an increasingly flexible and evolving workplace.

While we occasionally see individuals who are not successful in their work, many of our clients fall into the category of dissatisfied workers. These are competent people, who are currently employed and working hard, but are experiencing some type of stress or dissatisfaction on the job. They fall into the following three categories:

3. The Mismatch: These individuals are clearly in the wrong job. They are usually required to perform tasks which tap into their weakest areas or aptitudes. A simple example would be a highly creative individual who spends his/her day doing paper-and-pencil or online clerical tasks. These types of positions are often found in the entry-level range. An individual who works hard may find that they are promoted or moved into even more detailed or administrative positions. They operate on a blind hope that eventually they will land in the right spot or someone will recognize their under-used talents. While this can work out, it is a very shortsighted, random approach that usually leads to growing dissatisfaction, even if the salary increases.

4. The Multi-talented: These individuals thrive on learning new things and taking on new projects. While they are being challenged, their satisfaction level is high. Unfortunately, when their position becomes routine or does not draw on their multiple talents, they become frustrated and bored. These restless people often move from job to job. Without a plan, they can become the "Jack/Jill of all trades, but master/ mistress of none."

5. The Burned-out: These individuals are dedicated and believe that hard work will gain them the rewards and advancement they think will bring job satisfaction. In some cases, this will be true. More often these individuals sacrifice all their time and energy for the organization, without really thinking about what they want for the future. They often become angry and resentful. Many of these people remain undiscovered because they have not communicated a sense of direction.

Career planning is complicated. Each person's situation and set of opportunities is unique. We are proud of our process which encourages individuals to make informed choices to increase their satisfaction and success on the job.

© Copyright 2007, Career Vision / Ball Foundation. Article may be reprinted with permission.

Direction. Decisions. Satisfaction.