While the job market is still in recovery there are a lot of companies looking for really talented people to help them navigate the rapidly changing economic environment.  We spend much to much time at work for work to be “just a job”.  I get up and check my eMail very early and late at night, not because I have to, but because I believe I have a great job and I really love what I do.  The money and job title are not as important as being happy at what you do but it takes courage to take that first step and say “I want a change!”.

If you’re unhappy in your job would giving you more money really make it that much better or would you still be stuck with the same challenges and frustrations ?  I have learned over the course of my 20 year career working for some of the biggest brands that there are some very good managers but that for every good manager there are usually 4-5 bad ones.  You could try fooling yourself to thinking it’s going to get better but like Dilbert says “management is where they hide incompetent people”.

Changing jobs is very stressful but remember that YOU are in control of your life and YOU have the power to make it happen.  List what’s really important to you and talk to people within their networks to learn about how other companies, and managers, treat them.   For me the most important part of any job is knowing that I am contributing to my companies success without having to go to endless meetings that waste my time or do dumb things like Power Points to try and convince people that they need to follow my buy-in.  When I am successful, my manager is successful and my company is successful.

If money and title are that important to you than there is a good chance that you will never really be happy where you work.  If however, you like making others around you better employees and better people than you need to stop worrying about title and total compensation.  Don’t live to work; work to live but enjoy what you are doing and take each day as a new chance to learn and become a better person.