Getting back to love in the workplace...

Some free advice from someone with experience - do what you love!  For fifteen years, I've been blessed and privileged to work as a recruiter where I feel tremendous passion - for the work, for my colleagues, and for the candidates I meet, interview and assess, and guide in their career searches.  The idea of working long hours, of extended travel assignments, of crazy deadlines - none of these things phased me because I was having so much fun with what I was doing.  

Then last year, when Stanford Financial Group was put out of business, I was forced to seek new employment in an impossible job market.  It seemed like nobody was hiring which meant recruiting opportunities were scarce if not non-existent.  I was fortunate to have found an opportunity in another area of recruitment.  I "experimented" in the world of outsourcing - and was disappointed to discover it was radically different from the recruiting to which I had grown accustomed.  Work no longer seemed fun - it seemed like, well, work.  Days were longer, hours dragged on, weekends became bastions of refuge and real life-savers.

I'm back in the job market again.  I'm thrilled because I have a pretty clear picture of what I need to be doing professionally and the type of organization that's going to bring out my passion and drive.  As a recruiting professional, I can easily say this is more than half the battle in a career search.  Being passionate at work leads to greater performance, stronger contributions, and heartier relationships.  These in turn trigger promotional opportunities, chances to stretch and expand professionally, and an inner calm and peace hard to define or valuate.

So take the opportunity to assess and determine your "happiness" level with what you do.  Do you value your own contribution?  Do you come to work eager and leave the office fulfilled?  Do the people around you respect you, your opinions, and your output?  How excited are you to know everything about your field?  Can you say you're passionate about your job?   Make sure the answers to these questions are an affirmation that you're in the right place doing the right thing for you!

Happy hunting!