Are you stuck in a job you hate? And you feel there is no way out? I know how you feel, believe me, I’ve been there too! The trouble is, there is a recession just round the corner and you, like all of us, have bills to pay. So you can’t possibly think about moving. But you feel depressed and that there must be more to life than this – so what can you do to improve the situation?

I am going to share a few steps you can take, which should help you to improve things in the short term. First of all, take a close look at your present job and see if there is anything you can do it make it a little more tolerable. You’ll have to stay there till you find something new, so if you can make a few changes, you’ll feel a lot better and that will give you the impetus to get out there and look for something new.

So, why not start by asking: what is it you hate so much about this job. Is it that you have to complete repetitive tasks, which are driving you to distraction? Are there ways in which you could perform these tasks more quickly or efficiently, so that you finish them faster and can move to something more enjoyable?

Most companies I’ve worked for waste resources and have quite a few inefficient practices. I think this is pretty universal and soo it shouldn’t be difficult to find some strategies which will help save your boss some money. And in the present economic climate, which employers won’t be happy to find people on the payroll who can come up with ideas which will help them save time or money?

Is it possible for you to learn something new? If you are bored out of your mind picking up a new skill should liven things up a bit. And it will also be something to add to your CV or resume. You can learn formally, by finding someone to teach you you can just watch those around you and learn informally.
Or you could decide to focus on an existing skill you already use and work to get a great deal better at it.

So, as an example, if you type a lot, work towards improving you speed or if you use two fingers, learn to touch type. Or decide to learn some more functions of a computer programme you use. Most people just use the functions they need, but you could expand your knowledge and become an expert in Word or Excel or something else.

Find out more about the company or the industry in general. Choose an area of the you aren’t too familiar with and find out more. Understanding the bigger picture can help you to see the significance of your own job , which can make it a bit more meaningful.

Little changse can make a big difference; are more likely to notice you and look on you more favourably when it comes to promotion or additional responsibilities. And even if they don’t improve your conditions, you’ll be building your skills and experience and that is going to make you the type of person other employers want to hire. You can feel good about your new achievements and you’ll be able highlight them on your résumé, which in turn is going to help you get a better job.

So don’t despair if you feel you are in a rut. There are things you can do to get out of it. I’ll be writing some more about getting a job during the recession .

How to Get Your Career Back on Track