3 Surprising Truths About People Who Hate Their Jobs - The Muse

3 Surprising Truths About People Who Hate Their Jobs - The Muse3 Surprising Truths About People Who Hate Their JobsUntil recently, I thought Id have crappy jobs forever. In fact, until I started writing for a living, I probably wouldve folded your laundry every day if you told me that you could pay me enough to make rent and buy groceries. I hated a lot of my previous positions that much. And because I welches in that situation, I know what youre going through if youre currently a member of the not-so-exclusive I Hate My Job Club.Thats why it welches so easy for me to write up this list of the three things youll only understand if your current role makes you want to tear your hair out. 1. Youre Still Trying to Do Your Job WellA few years ago, my dad told me that hating your job isnt an excuse to slack off at work. Hed assumed from all my complaints that I was just sitting aroundwell- complaining. But for the most part, I pushed myself to do my best every day. And Im willing to bet th at many other members of this club are in the same boat. As you know, people who think their jobs suck still have a lot of motivation to work hard- whether it has to do with making sure you remain employed (until something better comes along) or getting a promotion (that gets you away from your current boss). And no matter what the case is for you, telling someone that you dont like what you do should never be a cue for that person to assume youre loafing around at the office. So the next time someone says that, dont be afraid to say, I told you that I dislike my job, but I never mentioned anything about slacking off while Im there. Im proud to say that despite all the issues, I work very hard.2. You Know Youre Lucky to Have This JobThere are days when everyone- especially those of you who cry on Sunday nights because you realize you have to be at work in only a few hours- forgets the fact that theyre lucky to have a steady paycheck. But for the most part, one of the things that kee ps members of the I Hate My Job Club motivated is the understanding that theyre lucky to be employed at all. While I hated my job (so much at points), I also knew plenty of people who didnt have any sort of consistent employment. And even though Id often tell people that I was going to quit and drive around the country in a beat-up minivan, I also understood that I was lucky to be able to pay my bills and afford to go out for the occasional happy hour. People who think their jobs suck have a lot of thoughts during the day- and for many of them, one of the most surprising is gratitude for having a regular source of income. So when someone tells you to feel lucky that you even have a job, you can say that youre well aware- and that you dont need to be reminded not to take it for granted. TRUTH TALK YOU DESERVE TO LOVE YOUR JOBAnd luckily for you, we know lots of awesome companies hiringCheck them out now 3. Youre Always Just Days Away From Quitting (Then Payday Comes)On the flipside, its that regular paycheck that keeps people in those horrible jobs for far too long. Theres a lot of comfort in knowing that twice a month, youll have the cash you need to buy groceries, as well as something fun that you absolutely dont need. And when you hate your job, sometimes those impulse purchases help you cope with the fact that youd rather be doing anything else for a living. Or for me, even when I knew it was time to get out, some sort of major life event would always occur. Someone would get married, and Id need to buy a gift. Or something Id been eyeing for months went on sale. They were silly reasons to stay at a company I hated, but ultimately, the fear of not being able to even consider them kept me in positions I hated for far too long. You should consider yourself lucky if you cant relate to any of these things. But for those of you who know what its like to do a job that sucks the life out of you, its about time that the people in your life understood whats going th rough your head.With that said, being able to purchase something you really want doesnt compare to having a career you love. And you truly deserve to have a job that youre excited to go to every day (OK, most days). So while you should get kudos for surviving a position you hate, you also owe it to yourself to look for something better.

Does Your Company Stifle or Nurture Ambition

Does Your Company Stifle or Nurture Ambition Does Your Company Stifle or Nurture Ambition With the assumption being that you want to retain your talent and minimize unwanted turnover, it seems vital that you create an environment that is warm and welcoming to ambition and leid cold and hostile. But, the question is are you doing it? Is your geschftsleben stifling or nurturing ambition?For example, does your organization regularly recruit from within? Many companies are good at promoting internal employees but many employers offer positions externally without considering external applicants. This approach of not advertising internally is career limiting for internal staff, stifles ambition and doesnt make business sense, as a Wharton Business School study shows that internal hires are 18 20 percent cheaper and perform better than external applicants hired to comparable posts.And/or does your organization use Stretch Assignments? Stretch assignments are jobs, often on a temporary ba sis, which internal hires can be promoted into. In behauptung scenarios internal hires may take on a new role, which is beyond their current experience level and requires them to learn new skills and extend themselves (stretch) in order to succeed. If they succeed, they will have developed and progressed in the competency level. Stretch Assignments are a great way to nurture ambition and develop potential.There are two important conditions of stretch assignments in that there should be organizational support in terms of mentoring and coaching and a soft landing, meaning employees can return to their former roles if things dont work out. It is about stretching, not breaking, employees.Also, does your company have a competency framework making clear what skills are needed to progress within the business? If employees dont know what skills they need to develop to progress, they are working blind and are not self empowered to learn in a way that can help them reach their career aims- an d their ambition is being stifled. So, make sure to let employees know what qualities are needed to succeed and nurture their ambition.Do you provide access to mentors? A study by Sun Microsystems of 1,000 employees over a five year period showed that staff who had been mentored were 20 percent more likely to get a raise than those who had not been mentored. Another study by Sylvia Anne Hewlittshowed that mentored staff are more likely to ask for more responsibility. Mentors are clearly a great way to nurture ambition.Are all learning opportunities, internal vacancies, project opportunities, job rotation opportunities advertised internally? If you dont advertise these things you are creating a closed environment for career progression, as employees do not see any opportunities to progress and this stifles ambition. Try and create an open and transparent market for career opportunities .Is your organization accepting of failure? If you want to encourage your employees to learn, devel op and extend themselves, the best way to do this is to build a culture that is tolerant or even accepting of failure when an employee has attempted to push his/herself. If employees who extend themselves and fail are crucified, then this may discourage other employees from pushing themselves beyond their current personal boundaries.If you find that your business is answering no to a lot of these questions it may be that your current culture is stifling ambition, which could suggest there is a need for some change in order to cultivateand ultimately retain top talent.

Screw the cue cards 5 tips for mastering a live audience

Screw the cue cards 5 tips for mastering a live audienceScrew the cue cards 5 tips for mastering a live audienceTheres a reason public speaking is feared more than death.Its scary as hell So many eyeballs staring at you. A crowd of faces reacting to you. People are paying attention to yur every word, all of your movements, and theyre all vibin your energy. HI PRESSUREIf youre nervous just thinking about that possibility, youre notlage alone. Even the fruchtwein well-versed stage goddesses still get nervous and still want to know they did OK (lookin at you Queen Bey). Knowing that nerves are part of the process is a little encouragement to keep pushing through. Ive spent the past four years in front of groups as small as ten and as big as 500. Whether it was a workshop in Paris, a small presentation in Miami or a massive conference in NYC, Ive learned a few things through screw-ups, mentorship, and simply getting on stage and doing it that have helped make public speaking easier.Follo w Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreBecause you and I both know your success depends on you summoning those 5th grade diorama presentation skills in order to build thought leadership and visibility. You want that panel seat at Create Cultivate one day. You most definitely want the hot seat on a morning show. Or the viral Ted talk. Dreaming big requires starting small and mastering the moments with live audiences. Eventually theyll be the big ones and youll crush it, and your business will follow suit.Power pose ahead of timeThe position of your body can literally affect your mind. If youve never watched Amy Cuddys Ted Talk, do it now.If youre feeling so physically nervous you do not know what to do power pose in the bathroom stall, in a corner, or back stage. Whats a power pose? Stand like superwoman.I always make it a point to be moving before I go on stage. The physical movement lets the nerves flow through me instead of getting so jammed up I start shaking. Sometimes Ill dance. Other times if eyes are on me before I have the mic, Ill stand in a half power pose with my feet wider, my chest out, but overall relaxed and ready to take the spotlight.Minimize unknown variablesTheres nothing that will throw a wrench in your public speaking game like a variable you didnt know about. Were talking audio, clickers, live streams, timing, props, and beyond. The best thing you can do is get a feel for the space before you go in to crush it. Stand in front of the room. Walk the stage. Click the clicker. Talk to the A/V guys. Know the positioning of your slides and whos managing them. The more you understand all the tiny variables, the more comfortable youll be. And the better chance youll have at a home run.Remember you know something they dontAs inyour material. Your content. Your script. Your presentation. If you skip a section, forget a word, or flip flop the sequence, th e only part who will ever know that is you. So when it happens, and it most definitely will, dont immediately stop, apologize and freak out. Your audience was none the wiser until you brought attention to it. So just channel your inner Adele during the 2016 Grammys and KEEP GOING.Tell storiesThe woman and mentor who has gotten my public speaking to where it is today (Oh, Hi Tiffany) gave me one of the greatest pieces of advice when it comes to leading an audience People will not remember the information you give them but they will always remember the stories you tell. So if youre being interviewed for a webinar or giving the first big keynote of your life, create an emotional connection with your content by telling stories to prove your point. These stories can be harvested from your own life experiences or the journeys of others. Itll provide a memorable experience for everyone involved.Start small. And set the date.When I used to be in broadcasting, theyd tell us newbies to go mak e our mistakes in small market gigs first. It makes sense, and luckily those small opportunities arent hard to find. Pitch your local community group to host a workshop, Q+A, or talk. Womens groups, networking groups, and communities are always looking for amazing people with strong content. You can get a feel for the spotlight which will push the momentum and your comfort level for the big stuff.If you get an invitation to speak, say yes. If you get nervous, youre not alone. Command that spotlight and have fun while you do Theres no greater thrill than one from rocking out with a live audience.This article originally appeared on Create Cultivate.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong pe ople