Resolution #1: Get a New Job!!!

So, here it is…January 5, 2015. Five days in. Five days wondering if this Resolution-thing is going to stick this time. Sound familiar?

I’ve heard from a number of folks about their Resolutions. Most Resolutions have been about weight loss or fitness goals or both. But then, there are a few others focused on another kind of change… a new job… or even a new career.

According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for the United States, 19 percent of U.S. employers surveyed expect to add to their workforces, and 6 percent expect a decline in their payrolls during Quarter 1 2015. Survey results also suggest that employers expect hiring to remain stable during Q1 2015 compared to Q4 2014, and to slightly increase compared to one year ago.

So if hiring is looking up, is now the time to make a career move?

An article in Forbes magazine (June 20, 2014) shared some astonishing statistics. The article’s title: Most Americans are Unhappy at Work. It shared that 52.3% of us are unhappy at work. Three decades ago, 61.1% of people liked their jobs. In 2010 following the Great Recession, that number was 42.6% and has only risen slightly since.

Is your job enjoyable? I’ve heard some people say, “Work isn’t suppose to be fun…that’s why it’s called work.” I don’t know about you, but I think that is just plain sad. In this same Forbes article, when asked “What makes employees happiest at work? survey respondents noted, “Interest in work,” which 59% said satisfied them and “people at work,” which 60.6% said they liked.

If you are one of those folks not all that satisfied or simply unhappy with your current work or career situation, maybe now is the time to change that.

For a closer look at job growth areas or careers that may peak your interest, check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data in this guide will help you determine what careers are growing, where the growth is happening, and what training is needed for specific jobs.

Happy (career search) New Year!