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Are You Only Pretending to Be in the Right Job.
By: Bruce Kasanoff

Every day I come across people who are in the wrong job. You do, too. They
are sad, unhelpful and may seem incompetent. It's tempting to get mad at them,
but the more humane response is compassion. No one feels comfortable doing a job for which they are a bad fit.

These experiences are frustrating, which is why it's so refreshing to come
across someone who is in the right job. Glenn O'Neill, for example, is a middle
school teacher who has taught social studies to all three of my kids. He is
always upbeat, inspiring and insightful; the students love him, and the parents
do, too. Most importantly, he seems to love what he does.
In honor of this great teacher, I created The Glenn O'Neill Test. It will
help you understand if you are actually a good fit for your current job:


Do people seek you out? If others go out of their way to tap
into your expertise, it's a very good sign you are in the right position. To
test this, ask yourself a hard question: do people come to you for help because
they have to, or because they want to?

Do "customers" recommend you? Everyone has customers, even
if you don't call them that. Someone depends on you to do your job well. The
highest compliment is when these folks praise your skills to others. When people
recommend someone, they are putting their personal reputation on the line. Do
others respect the job you are doing enough to risk their reputation endorsing
you?

Does your job feel "just right?" It's not too easy, but it's
not too hard, either. You generally don't get either overwhelmed or bored. This
can be a really hard balance to sustain, and it's quite possible that the job
that was perfect for you two years ago is too basic for you today.

Do you have room - and the energy - to grow? Every year
should bring fresh challenges. It's a giant warning sign when your job
theoretically leaves you room to grow, but you lack the energy to tackle those
"challenges." Early in my career, I worked in an entry-level position for
WGBH/Boston, the public broadcasting station. My supervisor gave me a review
that said I still had plenty of room to master my basic responsibilities, but I
perceived those tasks were so far below my aspirations as to not be worth my
time. Her supervisor agreed, and pulled me out of the department to take on on a much more challenging position.

Are you eager to learn? People who think they know
everything there is to know about their job are at risk of getting old, jaded
and inflexible. The world is constantly changing, and there are always new
skills and insights to learn. If you don't feel this way, you're in the wrong
job.

Are you comfortable with your compensation? We all could use
more money, but it's critical that you are able to make things work on your
current income. Life is not always fair, and sometimes society doesn't value
highly enough the job you were born to do. You may have made other life
decisions - such as having four kids - that preclude you from being a good fit
for a job you otherwise would love. Few things eat away at your soul like
feeling that you are underpaid for the work that you do.

Does your job fit your self-image? Human beings are complicated. We don't just need money and something worthwhile to do. Many of us
need prestige, power, or respect. Some people care more about their influence
than their income. Others want to be in the room when big decisions are being
made. While your job won't satisfy all your needs, it should be a good fit with
who you really are.

Are you thankful? Gratitude is important. I feel bad for
people who don't know how lucky they are until they lose what they had. If you
are actively thankful for your job, the odds are good that others are also
thankful you are in your position.

14 Signs You Love Your Job
By: Dharmesh Shah

1. You don’t talk about other people; you talk about the cool things
other people are doing.
“I hear Mary is heading up a new project. What are they working on?” “I’d
love to know how Mike managed to rescue that customer relationship.” “Sherry
developed a new sales channel; is there some way we can leverage that?”

When you love your job you don’t gossip about the personal failings of
others. You talk about their successes, because you’re happy for them – and
because you’re happy with yourself.


2. You think, “I hope I get to…” instead of, “I hope I don’t have to…”
When you love your job it’s like peeling an onion. There are always more
layers to discover and explore. When you hate your job it’s also like peeling an onion – but all you discover
are more tears.


3. You see your internal and external customers not as people to
satisfy but simply as people.
They aren't numbers. You think of them as real people who have real
needs. And you gain a real sense of fulfillment and purpose from taking care of
those needs.

4. You enjoy your time at work. 
You don't have to put in time at work and then escape to life to be happy.
You believe in enjoying life and enjoying work. When you love your job, it’s a part of your life. You feel alive and joyful
not just at home – but also at work.


5. You would recommend working at your company to your best
friend…
In fact, you can't stop talking about how cool your company is and the
awesome work you're doing even when you're away from work.


6. You enjoy attending meetings.
No, seriously, you enjoy meetings. Why? Because it’s fun to be at the center
of thoughtful, challenging discussions that lead to decisions, initiatives, and
changes – changes you get to be a part of.


7. You don’t think about surviving. You think about  winning.
You don't worry much about losing your job. You're more worried about not
achieving your potential. Not being as impactful as you can.


8. You see your manager as a person you work with, not for.
You feel valued. You feel respected. You feel trusted.


9. You don’t want to let your coworkers down.
Not because you’ll get in trouble or get a bad performance review, but
because you admire them – and you want them to admire you.


10. You hardly ever look at the clock.
You’re too busy making things happen. When you do look at the clock, you
often find that the time has flown.


11. You view success in terms of fulfillment and gratification – not
just promotions and money.
Everyone wants to be promoted. Everyone wants to earn more. You definitely feel that way too… but somewhere along the way your job has come to mean a lot more to you than just a paycheck. And if you left this job,  even if for a lot higher salary… you would still miss it. A lot.


12. You leave work with items on your to-do list you’re excited about
tackling tomorrow.
Many people cross the “fun” tasks off their to-do lists within the first hour
or two. You often have cool stuff – new initiatives, side projects, hunches you want  to confirm with data, people you want to talk to – left over when it’s time to go home.


13. You help without thinking.
You like seeing your colleagues succeed, so it’s second nature to help them
out. You pitch in automatically. And they do the same for you.


14. You don’t think about retirement… because retirement sounds
boring…
…and a lot less fulfilling.


How many of the above statements apply to you and your
job?


If you said:

0-3: You may want to find a new job. Life is too short.
4-6: You don't hate your job... but you don't love it either. What can you
do differently?
7-10: You really enjoy your job and the people you work with
11-14: You are deeply, madly in love with your job! (and your friends are
jealous!)