Help! I hate my job!

It’s normal, after a restful break, to feel slightly apprehensive about returning to work. You’ll probably find that you get back into the swing of things pretty quickly once you’ve braved that first chilly early-morning commute. But if you’re genuinely dreading it and thinking “but I hate my job!”, how can you move on?

Word Dragon is here to help with some proactive steps to make sure that this is the last New Year that you’re feeling this way – great things lie ahead!

New Year’s resolutions

The new year is a time for new beginnings, but most resolutions are destined to fail. Whether that’s due to poor planning, lack of willpower or just falling back into the same old habits – or a mixture of the three! – doesn’t change anything. Rather than setting unattainable resolutions, consider taking baby steps. Lots of small, easy changes over time will eventually achieve the big change you desire. For January, your goal could be as simple as identifying your career goals or filling out just one job application.

Find your direction

Start your journey towards career contentment by deciding exactly what you want. Maybe you’re aspiring to a more local role, a step up, work-from-home opportunities, a bigger pay packet…? Identify the things that you won’t compromise on and those that are nice-to-have. Then you can build an action plan around which roles to prioritise and how to get there. For example, a career change might mean thinking about retraining, whereas if you’re aiming for a bigger pay packet then a high-impact CV showing your value might be a better focus.

Can you resolve the problem?

Some work problems can be easily solved with a conversation with your boss. Maybe they can help you to work towards an internal move, a promotion or more flexible hours? If you don’t ask, you don’t get – so if there’s an avenue to explore to help you overcome your job woes, then it’s always worth having the conversation. If that doesn’t seem like an option, then more drastic action is required and you’ll need to consider moving into a new job at a different organisation.

Network like there’s no tomorrow

One of the most common ways of securing a new role is via your network. That’s not limited to your professional network, either. Catch up with your friends, family, people you’ve met doing

, virtual acquaintances,

and anyone else you can think of. These are the people that are on your side and want to help. That’s not to say you should cling desperately to them sobbing “I hate my job – help me find a new one!”. Just mention that you’re open to new opportunities and make sure that they understand what you’re looking for. Even if they don’t know of any roles available immediately, you’ll be at the top of their mind if they hear of anything.

Don’t forget social networking sites too. Even if you don’t want to broadcast that you’re looking for a new job, there are still plenty of groups that you can join to support your job search. You can also follow companies you’re interested in working for, so that you hear about vacancies as soon as they pop up and have some background on them if they invite you to interview.

And while we’re on the subject of networking, is your LinkedIn profile complete and up to date? It should be! With a sprinkling of keywords and a rounded account of your

, experience and personality, you could have recruiters approaching you with open vacancies. Staying active, by liking, commenting and posting, will boost your profile and make sure that you’re the first person your contacts think of when jobs arise.

Prepare to apply

It’s no good

and not being in a position to apply for it. As well as updating your LinkedIn profile, you need to update your CV. Luckily, this is one area of the job search that you can outsource.

, to make sure that it aligns with current best practice, shows off your skills and experience and positions you as a desirable candidate, giving you the best possible chance of catching a recruiter’s eye. You’ll be perfectly positioned to hit the job market, with the confidence that you’re putting your best foot forward.

Go, go, go!

With a high-impact CV and LinkedIn profile under your belt, you’re good to go. Hopefully your network is keeping their eyes open for you, but it won’t hurt to hit the job boards as well. There are plenty of specialist job boards now, catering to different industries and specialisms, so take time to find the ones that best fit with your target career. You may have more luck there than with the more generalist boards, if you have a particular type of role or industry in mind. Check in regularly with any companies you’re targeting too – they’ll almost certainly have a Careers page on their website.

Prepare to interview

It’s all well and good applying for jobs, but you need to make sure that you’re prepared for the interview, too. There are plenty of practice questions available online, or CV Shed can recommend interview coaches that can help.

Set time aside

Whatever stage of the job search process you’re at, you have more hope of achieving your goals if you set time aside specifically for this purpose. How much time you can afford is up to you – it doesn’t matter if it’s a few minutes a week or a few hours, as long as you use the time to make progress in some way. It could be writing your CV, applying for jobs, networking, preparing for interviews or browsing job boards – whatever it is, you’re more likely to succeed if you have a firm commitment to the task every week (or even every day!)

Make the first step towards finding a new job by

.

I don’t hate my job – I love it!

By taking small, regular, focused steps, you should be well on your way to a new job. Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight, but with patience and proactivity this could be the last New Year that your cries of “I hate my job” drown out Big Ben’s bongs.

Happy New Year! I hope the coming months bring the change you hope for. For support with your next steps, check out

– I can help with cover letters and LinkedIn profiles too!