HELPFUL RESOURCES

Last week we asked if you should want to be a leader.

This week, we’ll look at how to be a good leader, regardless of your actual leadership role or title. 

Anyone can be a leader. The best, work at developing their skills and adopt the characteristics of other quality leaders. The easiest way to do this is to observe several leaders you admire. Observation may include following them on social media, reading their books, and attending or downloading any speeches they have given. Watch what they do and how they do it, then incorporate the traits you admire into your own leadership style. 

Next, realize that leadership isn’t just a “top of the ranks” role. The greatest leaders can – and will – work alongside those they are tasked with leading. Leadership is about setting an example. No task is beneath you. You shouldn’t ask others to do anything you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. 

The answer to that question is yes, but… and there’s always a “but.”

You may be thinking:

• I’ve never been a leader so how do I know if I’ll like it or be good at it?
• Does it mean more responsibility and am I ready for that?
• Does it mean more money and is the money appropriate for the level of responsibility?
• Does it mean I’ll have people who report to me and will I have to evaluate and discipline them, if necessary?
• Does being a leader always mean I’m in charge – or could I lead in other ways?

Some people never actually consider these questions, so they are unprepared when thrusted into a leadership position.

That leadership position could be as a mentor, team leader, project leader, supervisor, manager, and the list goes on. There are many ways, and some of them don’t require the designation as a “leader.”

This is the second of a two-part series on job happiness.  In last week's post, we took a look at the some of the warning signs that indicate you may be unhappy in your current position. This week, we will take a look at what to do if you find you are unhappy with your job.

One of the first warning signs we discussed is apathy. So, what should you do when you no longer care about the daily tasks or projects you are assigned, especially if it is a job you used to love? If you are in the apathy stage, now is the time to take a look at where you are and what you want out of a career or a position. You are older now than you were when you started this job and your interests and needs change over time. Take some time to think about what you are passionate about today, and what motivates you. From this vantage point, you will have a better understanding of what type of job or tasks will move you from apathy to enthusiasm. Then, you will want to see if you can adjust your responsibilities to focus on the things that do motivate you.

This is the first of a two-part series on job happiness. This week, we will look at some of the warning signs that indicate you may be unhappy with your current position. Next week, we will look at what to do about it if you find you are unhappy with your job. Sometimes, you know right away when you are ready for a change. But for others, their satisfaction with their position has slowly declined and they do not immediately realize how unhappy their position is making them. This post is meant to allow employees to recognize they may be unhappy, and maybe even help change their role on the job so that they can become a happier employee! Sometimes, people do not realize just how unhappy they are until someone points it out to them. In case you are one of those individuals, or you are just curious about how to tell when it is time for a change, or you are a supervisor who should be aware of your employees’ issues, here are some warning signs you can watch for.

Apathy

Apathy, not caring, lacking passion, unmotivated these are all ways to express a loss of interest in the daily job tasks. It could be that you see upcoming assignments as too simple, or you just do not care anymore about the tasks you have been assigned. Perhaps you look at your daily job to-do list and think it is like trudging along a rut you just cannot get out of. Or perhaps, you are present but not participating. You are doing just the minimum amount of work necessary, but no longer pitching in with conversations, other tasks, or helping co-workers. If you are numb to projects or tasks that used to excite you, you are probably in the apathy category.

Which skills are in high demand?

One of the best ways to find a job is to have a skill that is in high demand, but finding out which skills are in high demand now, and are likely to be in high demand in the future, can be difficult. After all, no one can accurately predict the future, no matter how many crystal balls they might have. But you can use information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the Department of Labor to get a good overview, and an estimate of industry trends to help you know what skills are needed now and how much the demand is expected to be in the next several years. The BLS has a page on their website called “Occupational Outlook Handbook.” You can use this page to search various occupations by wage, required education level, type of training required, number of new jobs projected and the projected growth rate. You can even browse various occupations by the highest paying, fastest growing and most new jobs. Right now, the fastest growing occupations are solar photovoltaic installers, wind turbine service technicians and four categories in the medical field: home health aides, personal care aides, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

You’ve been working at temporary jobs for the last six months and now you’ve been offered the job of your dreams. Fantastic! Or, let's say that your family situation has changed and you’re no longer going to be able to work the temporary assignments you’ve been taking – including the one where you’re currently assigned. So, you now need to quit. No matter what the reason, there is a right way and a wrong way to leave a temporary assignment. The wrong way would be to just announce “I quit” and walk out the door. Quitting without notice will result in your immediate termination from Supplemental Staffing – and most other employment firms as well. After all, quitting like that will burn all bridges and you never know when you might need a good word on your behalf from a former supervisor.

Your goal for leaving should be to do so professionally and with as little negative impact on your place of assignment as well as your employer, the temporary agency. The first thing to do when you know you need to leave is to notify your Staffing Manager. Remember that