Are you one of them? Be honest, now. Have you decided - actively or not - that you already know enough, and don't need to continue improving your skill set?
Call it a feeling of invincibility. It has its advantages in the business world, but it can have its drawbacks, too. Particularly when you start thinking about changing careers, and especially when you start thinking about moving into a different industry.
When you explore a new career, you're going to see two groups of folks: the people already doing the work you want to do, and the ones who aren't there yet, but want to be.
Not all of them are pursuing continuing education to make themselves better candidates for the management positions they're after.
But a lot of them are. And that's an extra point or two they'll have on you when you start sending out your resume to recruiters and headhunters and the like.
Now, that by itself may not be enough of a motivator for you. Real world experience is often a more powerful aphrodisiac to a hiring manager than a college degree at any level.
But it's also fair to say that 1) everyone can use a tune-up, and 2) academia often serves as a hot spot for research and trend-spotting in many industries. So don't dismiss the education thing outright.
Need a little present-moment way to look at it? Think of the people working around you. How much could they benefit from the increased knowledge your extra-educated self brings to a team? How much could your company improve? And then (to make it all about you again), how much better would your resume look when you've helped your team and your company make great strides?
Education isn't just a lark. If you have a company that helps pay for continuing education (most do), you know they don't think it's a lark. They know it'll only help their bottom line by keeping their people sharp. It'll help your bottom line, too.
So if you haven't gone through that course catalog yet, now's as good a time as any to start. Whether it's the local community college, a full-fledged degree program, your industry association's event calendar, or a trade group certification course, go for it!
Career education wisdom says, ?You have to choose to do the best you can with what you have where you are." So, short of finding another job, what can you do?
Here are some tips that can help you see work in a new light and spice up a dull job.
1. Start to see the big picture. Lots of people are ready to tell us what we should be. But we need to find out for ourselves what we want to be. So, ask yourself, ?What is it that I'm doing? How important is it? How does it fit into the big picture??
Recognizing that you are part of a bigger machine and that you are important to the functioning of that machine can give you a sense of self worth.
2. Focus on other people. If you're concerned only about yourself and your bad feelings, you only intensify the negative. If you can help other people it puts your situation in perspective.
For example, volunteer to help a co-worker finish a big project. Or show someone how to use a particular skill you've acquired.
3. Let go and laugh. Forget the wrongs, real or imaginary, that someone perpetrated on you a couple weeks ago. It's just not worth holding on to. If you relive it over and over, you're beating yourself up--not the other party.
When you let go of the past you embrace the present. That includes learning to laugh. Laughter releases the tension in you and allows you to let go and do your job better.
4. Know when it's time to say ?enough.? You may ultimately find that even with your best attitude your job just doesn't live up to your expectations. If you absolutely abhor what you're doing, then it's time to start looking around. Find out what does turn you on.
Career education advice recommends that you carefully explore your options before precipitously making a move. Even in the worst circumstance you still have a job and a paycheck. But just men tally turning the corner and recognizing it's time to move on can give your current job a boost, at least temporarily.
Take the time to prepare a carefully-crafted transition plan of action so you don't lose sight of where you want to go next and how to get there.
Paul Megan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Employment, Careers and Job Hunting and Employment. Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: ?How To Lock Up A High-Paying Job In 14 Days (Or Less)!? Click on R. Paul Megan's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.