Would developing a new skill get you a pay increase or allow you to move into a better paying position or occupation? If you haven’t been at school for a while and you haven’t had time to keep up with technology, it’s likely you’ve fallen a long way behind. Catching up might seem daunting, but it might very well put a whole lot of extra cash in your pocket.

Do you want to change occupations, re-invent yourself or simply move forward in your current field of expertise? Either way, learning a new skill could get you there. The Internet has changed everything and the chances are it has changed your occupation in at least one of these ways:

• How your employer or business markets services or products;
• The type of equipment used in the business;
• The way people communicate in the business;
• The administrative tasks;
• The software used in the business;

Changes in technology always open the door for enterprising people to jump in and create a profitable niche for themselves. Here are some ways you might be able to get in on the action:

If your profession is a little slow to take up new technology, why not jump in before everyone else. If there’s new software available, learn how to use it and you could soon find your skills very much in demand.

Perhaps those involved in your trade or profession are not known for their enthusiastic interaction with technology. If you don’t mind dabbling with technology, why not learn all the ways that new technology could improve small businesses in your trade or profession – then sell your services as a consultant/expert and help those businesses into the modern era.

Is there new technology or software being used in another country that could revolutionize the way things are done in your profession? If so, get online, make some contacts and investigate the possibilities.

Re-invent yourself entirely. Have you always wanted to have a go at something different? Whether you fancy becoming a website designer, a writer, an engineer, or even setting up your own online store and becoming an e-tailer, the pathway is out there just waiting for you to find it. What you’ll need to learn to get there will vary of course – it might be a formal course at a reputable institution, or it might just be a matter of getting into it and learning as you go. Either way, if you’re up for it, a change can be as good as a holiday!

Don’t be put off planning a change by the fact that you’ll need to learn new skills – learning is much easier when you’re older. You might be surprised to discover that since leaving school you’ve learnt to listen more intently and extract the important information while disregarding the waffle; to write important things down; to follow instructions; and importantly, not to fall asleep in class!

If your job is no longer exciting you – or worse, it never did – then perhaps you’re due for a change. Consider learning some new skills and moving on or moving up!

There are many reasons why people become unhappy at work and it’s not always easy to define what it is that’s making you unhappy there. It might be one of the more obvious things:

• A rude, unpleasant employer or nasty colleagues;
• A workplace culture of discrimination and/or bullying;
• A dislike of the actual work that you do;
• A lack of appreciation of your good work or skills;
• Unacceptable remuneration for what you do;

Alternatively, it might be something you haven’t put your finger on. Perhaps it’s:

• Dissatisfaction with the path your life is taking – for example, you’re not doing what you hoped to be doing at your age;
• You feel that you don’t fit in with those around you;

If your misery is caused by an unpleasant workplace culture, there’s every chance that the grass is indeed greener elsewhere – so start looking! If the level of remuneration is a problem, you can always ask for a pay increase – and if the response is unsatisfactory, scout around for a new position if you believe that a higher income would make you happier.

A lack of appreciation is a little more difficult to deal with because there are a great many employers who don’t appreciate their employees. Some take the attitude that you’re being paid for what you do and that is sufficient appreciation. Of course, there are also many employers who really do appreciate employees but don’t take the time to express their appreciation. Think about which category your boss falls into. If it’s the latter, look harder, and you just might start to see more signs of appreciation. When it comes to being appreciated, the grass is not always greener with another employer.

General job dissatisfaction is perhaps the most difficult to address because it’s usually about so much more than the job. Sometimes we just feel we’re in the wrong place – but going elsewhere is going to be a substantial change, and one that we cannot guarantee will turn out as we hope. The thing is, if you don’t begin to explore the possibilities, you’ll never know.

Perhaps you have creative tendencies that you don’t have the time or the energy to express. If you’re an aspiring writer, artist or musician, being unable to express your creative nature can make you miserable – but when you have to work five or six days a week, it leaves little time or energy for creative pursuits.

If this describes your situation, you’ve got some serious thinking to do. You’ll need to find time if you want to develop your passion and get happy so you’re going to have to think outside the square. Can you afford to decrease the time you spend working? Is there another position or occupation you could slide into that would allow you to bring your passion to work? Reducing your lifestyle expenses and decreasing the amount of time you need to work to pay the bills can be another alternative.

It might just be the case that you fell into an occupation by accident, or because it seemed like a good idea at the time – but now you feel you’ve wasted years of your life and you can’t see your way out of it. Look harder! Decide what it is you want to do then set about researching how you might get there. When you know what you’d prefer to be doing, try this simple exercise:

1. On a sheet of paper, write down the occupation you’d prefer to be in.
2. Now list any qualifications you would need to obtain in order to enter that profession.
3. Find out which facilities offer the training you need, how long the course is, whether you can do it part time or online. Note down the details and how long it would take you to complete the training.
4. List the ways you could complete this course – for example, on your next annual leave; online in your spare time; by correspondence; by taking an afternoon off work each week etc.
5. Think about what your new life would be like when you are able to enter your chosen profession.

You might very well find yourself filling out an application form. Once you’ve started to learn your new skills, there’s every chance you might find a position where you can utilize your skills even before you’re qualified – and you may well discover that the grass is indeed, greener on the other side!

Almost without exception, it seems to be brought on by one of two things:

1. Mounting regret that one hasn’t pursued the dream career of their youth.
2. An increasing realization that life really is too short.

The Dream Career Path

What was it you intended to be when you grew up? Perhaps it was a lawyer, a famous writer or artist, or an actor? Maybe you intended to become a missionary worker overseas, or work for the United Nations. Where does the time go? Now you’re forty-something and as you sit tolerating your now boring job, the spark is gone and you’re beginning to say to yourself “I wish I had…”

The question is, should you, or has time passed you by already? The answer will depend more on your personal and financial circumstances than on what it is you wanted to be – and, on how much you want it.

For an older person, getting into University or College to educate yourself in a new field isn’t that hard anymore. If the dream career was artistic or creative, it’s very much up to how much talent you have and how hard you’re prepared to work to make things happen. In fact, many things are a lot easier when you’re over forty because you know how the world works.

Can you afford to do it is usually the big question. If you really want to do it, you’ll probably find a way. If you can afford to take time off to attempt it, why wouldn’t you? Dropping to part time and pursuing your youthful ambitions in your spare time is another option. Getting a job that is peripheral to what you want to do is worth consideration too. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way. If you don’t make some attempt then when you retire you’ll be telling your grandchildren “I wish I had…”

Life is Too Short

Yes it is. Why are you working your guts out and surviving week to week, forever struggling just to keep on top of the bills? What sort of “quality of life” is that?

Well, we all make choices. If you’ve chosen to have a lovely home in a nice suburb, drive the car of your choice, wear designer label clothing and eat out regularly, then you might have to review your priorities. If there’s something you really want to do in life, would downsizing your home or moving to the country make it financially possible? Think about it and you might discover a new path in life.

Of course, if you are financially secure and can easily afford to step off on a new path, what on earth are you waiting for?

Are You Really Worth More?

Assessing what your skills are worth at a basic level is a relatively simple matter if your occupation and duties are well defined. Even if the pay rates for your occupation are not defined by law or suggested a professional association, do just a little research and you’ll quickly find out what people with similar skill levels in similar positions are being paid.

Of course, it’s not always that simple. It’s often a matter of what you are worth to the company you work for – and that will come down to you as an individual. Consider the following:

• How long have you been in your position and how good are you at your job, by comparison to others?
• Do you have an exemplary record of attendance and punctuality at work? In other words, are you known as a reliable and responsible worker?
• Have you demonstrated a willingness to put in the extra hours when the job calls for it?
• Are you often called upon to take charge of a situation or supervise a project because the boss knows they can rely on you to ensure things get done properly?
• When you take your holidays, is it difficult for your employer to find a replacement who is as competent as you?
• If you told your boss tomorrow that you were leaving, would he or she panic – knowing that finding a suitable replacement would be difficult?

If you answered in the positive for several of those questions, the chances are that you’re worth more money to your boss.

How to Get More

Getting a wage or salary increase is often as simple as just asking – but there’s a right way and a wrong way to do that.

The wrong way – catching them in a spare moment and verbally hitting them up for a raise. Doing it this way will put him or her on the spot and make them feel uncomfortable. Without time to consider your value, they may simply say the company cannot afford it – and then your opportunity is gone and both you and your boss will feel awful.

The right way – put it in writing. Start by saying how much you enjoy your position and making it clear that you wish to remain working for the company but would appreciate it if your wage or salary could be reviewed – mention how long it has been since the last review. List the reasons why you are of value to the company (without putting the company or your boss down). Put a figure on it – and one that is just a little higher than the amount you want, so they can negotiate down if they’re so inclined.

Putting your request in writing will give them time to consider the situation well – and come to the conclusion that as replacing you with someone equally as competent would be difficult, you do in fact, deserve that raise.

If you work for a small business, the financial situation of the business is likely to be a major factor. It might be the case that the business you work for simply cannot afford to pay your more. If that’s the case however, a clever boss will let you know how much they value you, and possibly offer you at least some small additional benefit.

What if Your Boss is an Idiot?

Let’s face it – there are some employers who have no appreciation of good workers at all. They’re often a little incompetent themselves and it’s evident to those around them that their success is entirely due to the employees that keep things ticking over. If this sounds like your situation, your boss might well say no to your request. You might realise that they’d be in deep trouble if you left, but your boss probably isn’t capable of seeing it.

If you’ve decided you’re worth more, ask for it! Best case scenario, you’ll go home with a pay rise and a smile on your face. Worst case scenario, you’ll finally reach the conclusion that it’s time to move on.

Many will nominate an occupation like:

• Airline steward
• Artist – writer, musician, painter
• Actor or comedian
• Cruise ship
• Professional sportsperson

So why aren’t we all doing working in our dream jobs? Are there not enough dream jobs to go around? Perhaps – or perhaps it’s just that we don’t want them enough. Most of them are very competitive to get into. Ask those same friends and acquaintances whether they have ever taken any steps to get into their dream occupation, and most of them will say no. Have you tried to step into your dream job? If you haven’t, why haven’t you?

For most of us, it comes down to a simple confidence problem. We look at the glamorous people occupying those positions and we don’t quite see ourselves in the same light, so we conclude that the chances of making it are quite small.

Now it’s true that if you want to be an artist, actor, comedian or professional sportsman, you’ll find it quite competitive – but if you’ve never taken your skills for a run, you’ll never know how good you are. If you make no effort at all, you have no chance at all. Logic dictates that if you at least attempt something, you have a chance of succeeding.

If being an air hostess or working on a cruise ship takes your fancy, why not find out what it would take to get the job. After all, there are numerous positions to be filled on cruise ships – everything from cleaners to cooks and entertainers. If seeing the world and getting paid for it is your dream, a little research and a lot of persistence could just turn your dream job into a reality.

If you’re lacking in confidence, you’ll just have to take steps to build that up. Those jobs are all considered a little glamorous but if you take a little look at the vast majority of people in those occupations, you’ll see that they’re really no more glamorous than you! Sure, there’s no shortage of stunningly beautiful actors – but there are just as many highly successful actors who have risen to the top of their profession without the “advantage” of good looks!

As you get older it becomes harder to enter a new profession – particularly when you have financial commitments that can prevent you from taking the time off to learn new skills. Some occupations – professional sportsperson or dancer for example – are ones where those involved have often been exercising their talent from a very young age, and if you haven’t been, you have to be realistic. Unless you’re exceptionally talented (and you might be) your chances are limited.

For the younger folks, there’ll never be a time quite as good as NOW to start exploring the possibilities. When it comes to most dream jobs, you don’t have to be a glamour puss – but you do have to make the effort to apply.

1. Are you a people person? If you’re an introvert you probably aren’t going to enjoy a position that forces you to deal with strangers all day every day. Conversely, if you detest being left on your own and love a chat, you won’t want to go for any career that will have you spending long hours working alone or in a remote location. That said, most of us are a mixture of both and enjoy some interaction with others during our working week.
2. Can you work well under pressure, or do you like to be left alone to do things in your own time? This is an important factor – if you don’t like to be rushed and deadlines make you anxious, choosing any career where there are constant deadlines could be a mistake. The other side of this is that some people need deadlines to keep them motivated and if left alone find it difficult to get things done.
3. How important is it for you to be recognised for what you do? Some occupations are relatively anonymous while others give you the opportunity to become a talked about expert in your field. For some, recognition brings a great deal of satisfaction – to others, recognition or being in the limelight is an utter nightmare.
4. Do you like to call the shots? Yes, most of us do. Unfortunately, unless you’re an expert in your field, it’s likely you’ll have someone telling you what to do and what not to do, at least to some extent. However, if you’re a leader and people naturally tend to do what you suggest, look for career options that have good prospects for promotion.
5. Want to travel? If you love travelling why not consider choosing a career that would allow you to travel the world while being paid for it – or at least get you some great discounts. That doesn’t necessarily require you to work as airline steward. Think outside the square. There are numerous careers paths connected to travel and airlines and cruise ships need a range of administrative and technical employees and generally offer discount travel to employees. Perhaps you could consider choosing a career within the Department of State – perhaps as a Foreign Service Officer. The Department ranked as one of the top five places to kick off your career in the Business Week September 2009 edition.
6. Do you get satisfaction from helping others? If you do there are numerous careers that offer you the opportunity to be of service to others. Again, think outside the square. Helping others often comes down to personal choice rather than career choice – a multi-millionaire property developer is just as capable of assisting people in the community as a doctor, nurse or aged care worker.
7. Are you prone to depression or anxiety or to taking other people’s grief upon yourself? If you are, you might want to steer away from careers or job choices that expose you to unpleasant social conditions. If it saddens you to see elderly people losing their independence or suffering financially, aged care is not for you. If seeing children being placed in harm’s way makes you frustrated and angry, think twice before choosing a career in social services because it may traumatize and frustrate you a great deal even if you desperately want to help.

Of course, the biggest question of all to ask yourself is – what do you want to do? No matter how impossible it seems, don’t be tempted to put it off until later in life – you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities when choosing a career.

1. You’ve been listening to the older employees – those nearing retirement who’ve been with the firm for 30 years – saying “I hate this job” for a few years and you recently started to think that yourself. Yes, it’s time to go – unless of course you want to be sitting there in 30 years looking and sounding as pathetic as they do.
2. You barely tolerate your boss – you know much more than they do, could run the business or department better than they do and their incompetence irritates you. This, my friend, is a recipe for disaster. Stay there much longer and you’ll start to work down to their level – after all, they don’t know what good work is so why should you put in your best effort? Pretty soon, you’ll begin to feel bad about yourself so get out now and go somewhere you’ll feel more positive and your best will be appreciated.
3. The alarm goes off at 5am even though you don’t have to start work until 9am. That’s because it’s going to take you three hours over coffee to convince yourself to go in to work. During those three hours you consider taking a sick day, and wonder whether perhaps unemployment wouldn’t be so bad – you could move to cheaper accommodation and eat rice, right? Get out of here! You’ve got options and if you weren’t so stressed you’d see them. Get online and start looking for your new job now!
4. You’re taking so many days off that the other employees don’t recognize you when you do go in. Go while the going is good. Getting fired won’t help you find something new. It tends to be easier to find a new job when you’re already employed – that, and your new employer is unlikely to ring your current employer for a reference, which is just as well if you’re on the top of the sick leave charts.
5. Your boss is a bully, or is rude and arrogant, and you’ve been tolerating their behaviour for quite some time. This job isn’t going to end well. Whether you leave now or in a year’s time the boss is still going to hit the roof so sooner is better than later. Go for a new job now.
6. You’re not doing what you want to be doing. You’re working as an apprentice motor mechanic when you’d rather be doing graphic design…but there are so many graphic designers out there it’ll be hard to break in. Doh! Don’t listen to the negative people. Study your passion on weekends and at night and start making contacts in that line of work. You could be in your dream new job in a year or so – as opposed to still being an apprentice mechanic and wishing you were something else.

If you want to make something happen you’re going to need to take some positive steps towards making that happen – and the first thing to do if you’re unhappy in your job is to make the decision that you need to find a new job!