Dissatisfied? Is it the job or is it you?
Lionel Desjardins

Stats Can. informs us that the level of serious discontent among Canadian workers is approaching 50%. In light of this troubling statistic, we must consider the possibility that many Canadian workers are in the wrong job. How can we determine as individuals whether we are in the right job? Simply stated, the happiest workers are performing tasks for which they have a passion, are using the talents that make them successful, and are receiving a level of compensation that will support an acceptable lifestyle. Any level of discontent with a position hints at the fact that one or more of these key elements may be missing. Is there a self administered test that you can take to determine why you may be dissatisfied with your present job? We believe that there is.
  
In Good to Great, Jim Collins describes in detail companies that have risen above the rest and that have sustained “greatness”. One of the key principles that he elaborates was the three circle “Hedgehog”, which focuses on the capacity of companies to derive success from their outstanding strengths. This same principle can be spun off to provide a test for individuals to determine whether or not they are in the right job both for present satisfaction and for future success.

As a preliminary step, we suggest that you choose a Personal Board of Directors made up of friends, family and co-workers with whom you feel comfortable and who believe in you. This group will provide advice and help throughout the process including the evaluation of your results.

The next step will be to carefully choose the appropriate information to fill in the circles of the following diagram:

In circle #1, you must enter what you have a passion to do, what you want to do more than anything else. It could be a passion for helping people, building things, improving systems, rebuilding, making things grow, or nurturing children. Whenever possible, it is best to remain in the realm of job related activities that can be found in the National Occupational Classification Titles at http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca. If you are having difficulty with this phase, brainstorm a list of work related activities that  you have a passion for doing and consult with your personal board of directors to narrow down the final choices (to provide perspective, keep in mind that there are Day Trading companies that seek employees that have a passion for video games).

In circle #2, enter what you are better than most people at doing. This is something that you have a superior talent to do. When you do this, your performance is outstanding. When your friends and associates have to perform this task or operation they seek you out to get your advice or to have you do it for them. You were born to do this. You may be best at coaching, building teams, using machinery, negotiating, persuading, causing plants to grow, solving certain types of problems, or understanding numbers and numerical results.  If as with circle #1 you are having difficulty with the process, consult the National Occupational Classification descriptors, generate a list of your special skills, and consult with your personal board of directors.

In circle #3, enter a “yes” or “no” answer to the following question: could you make a living doing what you have entered in circles #1 and #2?

If you have chosen descriptors for circle #1 and #2 from the National Occupational Classification and if your personal board of directors agrees with your choices, you are guaranteed a “yes”. Your three circles should present an accurate picture of the passion and talents that should be part of your ideal job.

Now you need to compare this ideal with your reality. Does the content of circles #1 and #2 coincide with what you do in your present position? If the answer to one of these is “no”, you can expect some discomfort and frustration in your present job. If the answer to both of these is “no”,  you are in an extremely unenviable position where you can expect a great deal of frustration and dissatisfaction, for you are doing a job that coincides with neither your passion nor your strengths. Long term success and happiness will require that you make a change.  This change must be built around the passions and skills that this process has clarified. It must include an exploratory networking phase designed to gather pertinent information and to impress potential partners and employers.

If on the other hand, circles #1 and #2 do coincide with your present position and you are still unhappy and dissatisfied, you are in the right job but with the wrong company. In this case, the exploratory networking phase should be expedited by the fact that you have specific experience. The good news is that if you have religiously gone through this process and you feel that you need to make a change, your Personal Board of Directors will provide you with an extremely valuable and well prepared support system for your search and especially for the required networking.

Lionel Desjardins is a senior career advisor with Capstone Career Solutions Inc. in London Ontario. (www.capstonecareers.ca.) He can be contacted at lionel@capstonecareers.ca