I Hate Your Job

If you wanted to quit your job tomorrow, could you do it?

My friend David is in a job that he absolutely loathes. David is a smart, young guy who landed a pretty lucrative first job, yet now that he’s been working there for a year, he’s realized that he’s made some poor choices when it comes to his career and his finances, and he’s miserable.

At work, he’s bored by what he’s doing, and he gets chastised by his peers for “leaving early” because he doesn’t eat all three meals at the office. He’s realized that the work-life balance that he wants to strike is incompatible with what’s expected in his department, and he’s decided that he’s no longer willing to sacrifice certain leisures and freedoms for the benefit of more money.

So, like many people, he’d love to be able to leave his miserable, high-paying job to take a more personally rewarding job with a lower salary. I talk to him about it almost every day, and constantly, I remind him that he’s not alone. In fact, according to a report published by the Conference Board in February of this year, over 60% of American workers under the age of 25 are dissatisfied with their current jobs.

He wants to make a change, but you’ll recall above where I mentioned that David had become aware of some mistakes that he’s made. For one thing, when trying to pick out a job for himself, he had his eyes on the $$$ and not much else. He didn’t care that he didn’t find insurance all that interesting, and didn’t take the time to process what a 60 hour workweek would feel like.

He made some questionable budgeting decisions as well. David drives a relatively new Lexus and lives in an apartment in one of the nicest parts of Chicago. He also is without a rainy-day fund and has moths in his 401k. He’s driven his monthly expenses up too high for the next couple of years and has no savings. So now, though he wants to work in marketing, he’s obligated to maintain his income by something that makes him miserable.

There are ways for him to get out of this mess, and he’s working to that end. But that’s not the point. The point is, he has to face an uphill battle because he’s dug himself into a ditch, and he is just one example of countless people who are tied to jobs because of finances.

Especially if you’re just about to enter the workforce or start a new job, it just makes sense to keep your expenses in check and your savings in high-gear. That way, if you wake up one day so miserable about your job you want to jump off a cliff, you can just quit instead!

I mean, honestly, there comes a point where being able to walk away from a soul-sucking job to focus on a job search is the wise, healthy thing to do, and if can take steps to give yourself that option, why not don’t you?!

Of course, in the vast majority of cases, you should try to maintain your employment until you find something better and get the offer, but what if you’re fired? What if you reach a point where you’re just too miserable in your job to successfully conduct a job search?! What if you want to start your own business?

By keeping expenses under control and continually adding to your various types of savings, you are investing in your ability to survive a career change–voluntary or otherwise. And if you’ve ever known someone who wound up stuck in a truly heinous job, you understand the value of being able to get out of that situation on your own terms.

This is a repost from the beginning of September. Thanks to those of you who are serving our country in the military and to those who have done so in the past.

Do you know anyone that has served our country in the military?

An email I received yesterday from Anita Bruzzese brought my attention to a worthy cause.

Apparently, finding work after a tour in the military may not be as easy as it is for civilians.

Anita writes:

I recently spent nearly an hour talking to Caulfield, an articulate, passionate and committed guy who gave me a real earful about the pitiful state of affairs regarding employment for our veterans. Despite having served with honor and serving in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, these vets have a tougher time than other job seekers looking for work – those age 20-24 often have an unemployment rate two to three times higher than non-veterans of the same age group.

Our veterans are usually impressive people with a sense of pride and integrity that immediately distinguishes them from the candidate pool. Beyond that though, these are often highly trained individuals in the areas of leadership and problem-solving in addition to the abilities and interests they bring to the work world.

This organization is a strong effort to help match these noteworthy prospects to the corporate world’s needs by compensating for the unique challenges created by being otherwise occupied during the typical first years of a civilian career.

Hire a Hero focuses on helping vets connect with people locally who can help them get jobs. By allowing vets to post requests for help, and information about themselves, the site helps connect vets with hundreds of companies willing to employ those who have served. At the same time, the social networking aspect helps vets support each other during the difficult period of returning to civilian life and trying to find a job.

Take a moment to visit Hire a Hero.

It’s always tough to watch someone you love go through something difficult. If your spouse truly hates his or her job, you will want desperately to be able to help.

Here are some effective ideas for how to do just that.

1. Encourage them to make a change: It is easy to get in a rut with a bad job and to have mixed feelings about the need to get out. There will be self-doubt, confusion, and fear, but your job is to keep a level head, help address those concerns, and remind him or her that finding something else is, in fact, a good idea.
2. Help them focus on other thoughts: Work can be all-consuming when it’s miserable. Sunday nights become an extension of Monday morning and sleep becomes restless. An exercise goal, a hobby, spending time with friends, charitable work, reading for pleasure–you may have to insist that the person takes some time for other important activities rather than just vegetating in front of the TV.
3. Point them to constructive actions: When you’re inside of a bad situation, it can be tough to see the way out. Encourage them to think about their goals and dreams. Help them understand what they like and dislike about their current job, have them investigate other careers, and remind them to apply for other jobs.
4. Bear the burden when possible: Taking care of your spouse by assuming more responsibility than is expected of you can be a huge blessing to the weary worker. Whether it’s doing the laundry, watching the kids, balancing the checkbook, or working on a resume, they will feel loved and supported. They’ll also be able to breathe a bit easier since their workload will be reduced.
5. Be optimistic: Without ignoring reality, take a positive approach to your discussions with your spouse. When he or she feels doubtful, encourage them. When they complain, focus on positive action. When they are optimistic, agree with them. If there was ever a time to be an encourager, it is now.
6. Loving someone doesn’t mean being a doormat: You need to be something stronger than that. There will be times when your spouse wants to extend rest into laziness, fear into paralysis, or expression into whining and complaint. Your job is to be a supportive encourager. There are times when that means speaking up, and it is a privilege to be able to act in that role for someone in a time of need if you do it kindly.
7. At the same time, they don’t need another boss. Try to know when they really do need to just sit in front of the TV. Pushing them is not the same thing as encouraging them.

A bad job can put a strain on a marriage, but despite the increased tension, there is an opportunity to demonstrate love in a powerful way. Take the opportunity to be the giver, to love unconditionally, to motivate, and to encourage.

I love games, and a reader was kind enough to forward this one to me yesterday.

It’s called “Cubicle Freakout”, and I got a certain satisfaction from it. I’m easily amused, though, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

While it is safe for work, there is music and sound, so be aware of that. Give it a whirl, and drop a comment if you get a brag-worthy high score. I could only get 86% destruction.

Recently, I asked Dan Schawbel of personal branding fame some questions which I thought might be of interest to you, and he answered the call. Thanks, Dan!

1. What is personal branding? The process by which individuals differentiate themselves by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition to achieve a specific goal. This definition was developed through expert collaboration using a wiki.
2. How would you sum up your best personal branding advice in as few words as possible? Use social media as a career catalyst by clearly displaying your personal brand on a blog or other websites, generate a community around your ideas and focus on meeting others who share similiar interests. Networking is how we get from point A to point B in our careers, so meet new people, give first rather than receive and nurture the relationship to create everlasting opportunities.
3. What are your thoughts on deciding which version of your name to go with when you buy a domain or write an article? Is that a stupid question? For example, C.S . Lewis was known as Jack by his family, and his first name was Clive. He went by C.S. Lewis in print though. It depends what your comfort level is, but either way, as long as it is consistent and gives people enough of a realization of whom you are, then you are in good shape. When you choose your name, ensure that your email address, social networking aliases, avatar and biography information match that name. Try to stay away from nicknames such as “smartmarketer101″ and avatars of other people or objects.
4. Many of my readers are in one job but longing for a different one. How do you manage your brand when you want to transform what you do but haven’t yet? Everything stems from passion. Start a blog or website with something you are passionate about and network yourself into an opportunity that aligns with that passion. I was doing product marketing but my true passion lied in social media and personal branding, so I developed my brand online to illustrate that. Now I’m doing what I did outside of work, for work. Anyone can achieve this, but if no one knows what you enjoy or excel at, you will be stuck.
5. Can committing to a personal branding decision be helpful in motivating us toward change? It’s less change and more of a mindset. If you understand that branding for product and companies can be transferred into personal branding, then you will be more successful. The tactics the big brand names use still apply. Instead of change, focus on yourself, what value you can provide and how that value is attributed to your passion.
6. It seems like there should be a different branding strategy for a creative writer than for a lawer than for an entrepreneur. What are some key differences between how a creative, a professional, and an entrepreneur should go about building a brand? If you are creative, people are going to be looking for examples of your work, therefore you will have to incorporate a portfolio into your website. If you are an entrepreneur, you will be more idea centric, while if you are a professional, you will want to focus more on positioning yourself as an expert to the world.
7. What am I doing well and what am I doing poorly with my personal brand? Be honest… Chuck, I would break apart your “About” section into “Blog Info” and “Chuck Westbrook”. The most important part of a blog is connecting content and author. The fast we can find out who is writing it, the more we can grasp the content. You have a great blog title, graphics and a well thought out concept. 284 subscribers would probably agree. I think you should make a podcast at some point, so your readers can get a better picture of who you are and the personality/appearance behind the man.
If you enjoy reading this blog, why not tip the author?

Traffic was disappointingly light on the way back from lunch, and I found myself back in the parking lot. I turned the car off, was still for a moment, then stepped outside.

I don’t want to be here. I looked at my feet, watching the motion of the ground as I walked toward the building. A scuff mark on my shoes. Cracks in the asphalt too. Some nice cars, some old cars–parked next to each other. The old ones were mostly dirty, and I realized that I wasn’t quite ready to go back inside yet.

I noticed a siren in the distance. Faint, loud, faint again. It occured to me that someone was probably having an emergency at that moment. A fire, a crime, a sickness.

In the past months, I’d almost forgotten about things like fire and crime.

The siren was gone, but my attention was now keen and cast outward. It was then that I noticed the perfect weather. It was blue and brisk. I could hear ducks and the wind. A leaf scattered on the asphalt very close to my shoes.

I felt peaceful and a tinge sad.

Eventually, I turned back to the building and started to walk again. Inside that building was a very small place. Within an hour, it would be my entire world again. My badge let me back inside.

Most of us have our eye on a dream job that we’d like to have, and if we’re serious about it, we’re already doing something to make that a reality.

Talking with the people who have that dream job already is a good idea if you know how to do it. Usually, those people have some degree of celebrity. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• They are human: There’s no reason to be shy about contacting someone you admire and respect in your field. They probably started off just like you, and they also probably remember what that was like. Once again, they are people, so don’t treat them like a means to an end. Contact them to get to know them, not to use them. Don’t worship them either.
• They aren’t Brad Pitt: Unless it’s Brad Pitt or some other mega-star, they probably don’t deal with raving lunatic fans all that much. Rather than cringe at fan contact, they probably enjoy intelligent emails and heartfelt compliments.
• They are busy: You don’t get to the top without being pretty busy. Once you’re at the top, you don’t get any less busy. If you email them, keep it short and to the point.
• They know how to say no: Unless you approach them in person, you’re probably not putting them into some horribly awkward position. They get requests all of the time, and they probably say no to most of them. You’re not imposing if you’re doing it the right way.
• They know how to say YES: Dan Schwabel has gotten interviews with a ton of interesting people for his personal branding enterprise including Donald Trump and Jack Welch. I bet he’s also been rejected more times than an Amway salesman. Point is, sometimes you’ll get a bite.
• They respect potential: If you’re a rising star in your industry, that’ll be appealing to them. As Dan has more wins and success, his yes to no ratio will improve as well. Demonstrate truly impressive interest and success in your life and then in your messages to them, and they’ll be more likely to respond and respond affirmatively. Comment on their blog, meet them when they make appearances, and have some work of your own you can point to if they are interested.
• Famous is a relative term: Anyone in a position to have a public audience is famous to a degree. Would you rather be friends with people at a low or mid level of fame or be a blip on the radar of a mega-star? Both, probably. Make a point of befriending the people you admire, regardless of the size of their audience.

An Example

I’ve contacted Seth Godin by email a few times, and I’ve always gotten a positive response. Seth has several best-selling books to his name as well as one of the most popular blogs around.

Earlier this week, I emailed him what amounted to an impression of him:

Subject: An Observation on Adsense

Hi, Seth,

Some coffee bean sellers are paying big bucks to appear above Gmail emails with the word “coffee” in them. I must have seen the Coffee Fool’s advertisement a thousand times. I’ve never bought a coffee bean in my life.

Problem is, in most cases, the word coffee shows up as a metaphor for socializing: “Let’s grab coffee or something.” Phrases like “brew”, “creamer”, “french roast” or “coffee beans” are much more likely to hit the target as well as be less expensive.

Who should buy the word “coffee”? Facebook. “Lunch” should belong to LinkedIn. Leave “snacks” and “meals” to real food, but “coffee” and “lunch” belong to socializing.

I respect your work and aspire to similar success as a thinker and author. Thanks for taking a moment to read this.

-Chuck

He replied:

very thoughtful riff, Chuck

thanks.

I’d received more enthusiastic responses in the past, but I took that as a compliment that he read it and thought enough of it to reply.

I pressed a bit:

Of course, now my entire sidebar in Gmail is full of coffee bean links, but that’s no mystery.

I would very much like to receive your occasional and casual mentorship in my goals to be a thought-leader and an author.

Is this something you would consider in one form or another?

I’m 23 and am pursuing a path as a full-time writer while working part time to pay rent.

Again, thanks for your time,
Chuck

At this point, I realized that the odds of him saying yes were slim. That’s a pretty bold thing to ask. On the other hand, he might be willing to give me a 5 minute phone call every now and then.

chuck

the best I can offer is my writing

I’m just too too swamped

I’m sorry

I thanked him and asked if I could write about our conversation, explaining what I wanted to say, and he agreed enthusiastically. It was definitely worth asking, and when something of mine shows up on his radar, it might ring a bell. For all I know, he’s subscribed to my RSS feed. I know that Darren Rowse has.

Who do you know of that you wish you could actually know?

Today is the day.

There’s no reason not to pull the trigger today. Money is no excuse. If you don’t do it, you’re just being afraid, lazy, or both. I’m not kidding, either.

It’s time to stop wasting your life at a job that clearly is an awful fit for you. Write the letter now. Two weeks notice. Your decision is final.

“…no longer continuing my relationship with…”
“…decided to pursue other interests…”
“…leaving the organization…”

There’s really no good reason for you to do otherwise. It’s just a matter of judgment and discipline. I’ve proven to you that now is the time over these past few weeks. Make a change.

I promise this will work out for the best. I’ve worked hard to make sure of it.

Signed,
(insert your name here)

Decide when you’ll see that letter again. Arrange to have it sent to you at that time.

Now get busy. You’ve got a promise to yourself you need to keep.

My Story

As the author of this site, I’ve kept my personal story out of the content for the most part. For a while, I even tried to hide my age for fear of being dismissed as too young. On top of that, I didn’t see my story as being all that relevant or interesting until now.

I think it’s time I more fully shared my background with you, and I imagine most of you can relate to at least some aspect of the story, maybe even all of it.
[Click to Continue Reading →]

Part of me is tempted to mentally take superstar do-everything types like Tim Ferriss down a peg to make myself feel better. That part of me is stupid, prideful, and very real, unfortunately.

Anyway, props to Tim Ferriss are due, and frankly, I think the guy is deserving of the attention. From his recent blog post about a sabbatical he just returned from:

As tempting as it is to “just check e-mail for one minute,” I didn’t do it. I know from experience that any problem found in the inbox will linger on the brain for hours or days after you shut-down the computer, rendering “free time” useless with preoccupation. It’s the worst of states, where you experience neither relaxation nor productivity. Be focused on work or focused on something else, never in-between.

Time without attention is worthless, so value attention over time (emphasis mine).

Anyway, the entire post is quite good even if I don’t agree with all of it. Check it out at Mozart’s Tim Ferriss’s blog.

Until next time,
Salieri Chuck Westbrook