Thinking About a Career Makeover? Do a Job Analysis

Thinking About a Career Makeover? Do a Job Analysis

by Marcia Robinson

If you are thinking about a career makeover, instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater - get into a career fitness program. In other words, do not walk away from a great opportunity before you try to negotiate away the pieces of your job that cause you stress at the office. If you enjoy most of your current work and have less than about 30% that you would just rather not do, think about using the following checklist to evaluate your existing job or career to find out if the situation is salvageable.

1. List all the really important components of your existing job. This might actually take you a while to do since you are probably doing a lot of things and your job description has evolved over time. Use your original job description as a guide. Do not forget to include any one time special projects or assignment you might have worked on as well. You can get down to task level if you want, but it may be easier to start with responsibilities that encompass other tasks. For example, if event planning is a component of your job, use that instead of looking at securing the catering contract.

2. Identify those key components of your job that you really like, can tolerate or really dislike.

3. Of the key components you dislike, identify the ones that you do often enough to have a real bearing on whether or not you have an excellent day at the office. Think through a plan to not do this part of the job. Can you delegate the job? Is there a viable team solution? You might be able to clean up your list by delegation or sharing the responsibility.

4. Identify those components you really enjoy and that energize you. Include any special projects or assignments you may have had recently that had a great outcome and that you really enjoyed.

5. Identify other duties you think your job could include. Keep in mind although these might enhance your job, it is very important that they also support department goals and company needs. Think about including activities like community service or maybe even regular collaboration with another department.

6. Schedule an appointment with your boss or supervisor today to have a career fitness orientation session to discuss modification of your job description to include more projects you might have enjoyed in the past.

Consider also, that some tasks you might not enjoy because you were never properly trained to do them. You may have had to learn on the fly, but with the appropriate guidance, you could master the skill to the point where it is no longer an issue. In this career fitness session with your boss negotiate lessening those tasks which are not a good fit for you, getting additional training and increasing your contribution somewhere else.

Before you think that this is not possible, think again! Job reclassifications happen all the time, but many supervisors will wait for the employee to make the first move.

Do not expect to get agreement on every request immediately. Keep your meeting with your supervisor professional, within the allotted time and stick to your agenda. Remember that your goal is to make your job description a negotiation. Be positive and know that this is entirely possible.
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About Marcia RobinsonMarcia Robinson has worked in leadership roles in career center operations for 8 years and has successfully coached job seekers to personal, career and entrepreneurial success. She holds a BS in Business Administration and a MBA with an emphasis in Strategic HR Management. Robinson writes on career, workplace and employment issues for BullseyeResumes.com.

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