Become One of Only 47% of Workers Who Are Satisfied With Their Jobs

BOSTON - Jan. 10, 2014 - PRLog -- For the 7th year in a row, fewer than half of workers were satisfied with their jobs. 2014 could be the year that, if you are one of those unhappy at work, you can turn things around and get your career unstuck, according to ClearRock Inc., a leadership development and outplacement firm headquartered in Boston.

Only 47% of employees are satisfied with their current positions – down from 61% who were satisfied when The Conference Board first conducted its job satisfaction surveys in 1987.

“There are two ways to get your career unstuck – make progress at your current job or search elsewhere. With the unemployment rate declining, there are more jobs available than in recent years. But it may be worth taking a shot at improving things at your current employment first,” said Ellie Eckhoff, vice president with ClearRock Inc.

ClearRock offers the following advice on getting your career unstuck in 2014 – by either resolving issues with your current employer or finding another job:

1. Have a talk with your boss. “A good starting point is a frank discussion with your manager about your potential, possibilities to take on more responsibilities, make your job more challenging, or transfer to another department or role,” said Laura Poisson, senior vice president with ClearRock.

2. Determine whether it’s worth staying with your employer. “Rate the major factors – such as compensation and benefits, opportunity for advancement, relationships with your manager and co-workers, and how much you like the job – as either positives or negatives. Then, see if there are more plusses or minuses to guide you on whether to stay and try to work things out or seek career satisfaction elsewhere,” said Eckhoff.

3. Pay close attention to how you feel about your current job. "It may be time to leave if your current job is taking too much of a toll on your personal life – you don't want to get out of bed to go to work, you're losing sleep, you're irritable all the time.  It also may be time to change jobs if you don't feel appreciated any more – especially if you used to feel valued, but you no longer think you make a difference," said Poisson.

4. Don’t turn down a significant opportunity to advance. "One reason to leave may be if a potential job is substantially better than your current position in  career growth, chances for advancement, more responsibilities, and a sizeable difference in pay and benefits. The new position should offer clear advantages than just a bigger paycheck,” said Poisson.

5. Don't be afraid to toot your own horn to let others know about your accomplishments.  “One of the biggest reasons people feel unappreciated at work is because they don't share compliments and praise they receive from customers and co-workers, such as positive letters and e-mails.  Spread the word, but in a discreet way,” said Eckhoff.

6. Increase your challenges. “Look for opportunities at your current job or another job where you can continue to grow in your career. Volunteer to lead a special project, task force or charity drive so you can showcase your capacity to take on responsibility and produce results,” said Poisson.

7. Don’t take a passive approach to your career. “You should have two over-riding career objectives – continually upgrading your knowledge and skills and persistently updating your career network. Keep your network current and apprised of your latest career developments, update your social networks and add new contacts who can assist with your career progression,” added Poisson.

About ClearRock

ClearRock is a Boston-based outplacement and leadership development/executive coaching firm that is recognized for genuinely caring about the people we work with. What truly sets ClearRock apart is our customized approach. Factoring in everything from career goals to client and consultant/coach compatibility, we tailor action plans for every organization and individual we work with. Our mission is to become, and to continue being, long-term advisors to our clients, while providing the highest quality career consulting and executive coaching services in the industry. For more information, visit http://www.clearrock.com.