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Being comfortable at work is not always a good thing. After having been there myself for a few years I felt it was time to "get more out of life" and get motivated. I am the type of person who looks at the glass as half full, so if you see differently than me, you may not like this article. Has you job become as they say cake / easy / no longer challenging? Why not ask for some additional responsibilities or assignments? Especially with the how the economy is today, why would you not do something to ensure you at least appear to be engaged?
If your current employer is anything like mine there is a multitude of opportunities available for you to choose from. There may even be additional avenues that have not been uncovered that can enhance the employer's reputation with the community or other charitable events. My current employer offers programs that include training if many different formats - online, class-room settings, other self-paced opportunities. Educational assistance programs may be available too - simply ask for them. Examples include programs to receive your Bachelors, Masters or possibly even your PhD. Employers are always looking to increase the skill sets of their employees even during down times in the economy. Certification programs may be covered under the education assistance programs. I received my PMP with the training budget at my employer. Of course this was a planned event, so it may take a bit of persuasion and convincing on your part to your management. My words of advice to you are "Sell the dream hard." Be persistent, but show them the potential value they will receive. Other areas of development include leadership courses - some are online, some are in a seminar format. Either way, these leadership courses can be effective at building the necessary skills you need to further enhance you. Make a name for yourself at your current employment.
Another avenue to test the waters in is that of volunteer work. Does your employer assist with volunteer associations within your local area? If so, they will have a list of potential opportunities to select from. If your employer does not have any affiliations, venture out on your own and get to volunteering. Not only will this help fine tune the much needed people skills that we all should pay a little more attention to, it also allows you to develop the proper networking contacts. When networking is done in the correct manner, as opposed to forcing contacts onto someone through the improper etiquette of shoving a business card or just a phone number down someone's throat at an inopportune time, it develops properly. The people that you are volunteering with, working side by side with, will see you in a different light. They will see your capabilities and dependability first hand and remember it when an opportunity arises. This obviously can go the other way if you are not a volunteering type but again, the glass is half empty, right?
My wife recently told me about a cold contact that she made during the normal course of her day in attempting to fill a position for her employer. She contacted someone who was way too qualified for the position and the salary was not even close to what the person commanded. Despite being a cold contact, the person was quite easy to talk to and very pleasant over the phone. The contact told my wife that she knew some people in the field and at that particular skill level the employer was searching for so she passed along the contact number. She eventually passed it along to other contacts she knew that may be a good fit. It just goes to show that even though you may not get the original offer, you may be remembered by others who are willing to pass along information. You can do the same for others that you have previously networked with if you develop the relationship correctly.
If your true goal in life is self-improvement through knowledge, you owe it to yourself to take the initiative and better yourself. You may have opportunities at your fingertips that you are not even aware of. Remember the state of the economy we are in today. Make yourself more valuable to whomever you work for.
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Source by Scott R Anderson
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