(ThyBlackMan.com) Long gone are the days when your hard work was rewarded with continued employment. Today, most Americans understand they are one decision from being unemployed, whether it is due to restructuring, management changes or cutbacks. In this new economy, there is no such thing as “permanent employment.” The destabilization of the employment landscape has shifted the relationship many have with their jobs.
A recent survey conducted by The Conference Board found that fewer than half of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs, the lowest level since record-keeping began 22 years ago. That’s down from 61.1% in 1987 when the first survey was conducted.
Decreased confidence in the job market has many Americans, both employed and unemployed, asking themselves the question,” Do I Really Want Another Job?” Although, historically, the predominate conditioning of our culture has had the majority of people accepting the employee for life mentality, go to college, complete their Master of Public Administration degree, become an HR leader, with a retirement check being the big payoff. 
As difficult as a job loss can be, it often is an opportunity to reevaluate and refocus to determine what is truly important in one’s life. Take Stephanie H, 44, she was laid off from her job as a senior executive with a large nonprofit organization. Like most, her initial reaction was fear,“What am I going to do now when the job market is so tight?” After she moved through her fear and took stock of her skills, talents, and interests she acknowledged to herself that she really wanted to do something else but “fear”kept her in procrastination mode. Her true dream was to work for herself and provide consulting services to nonprofits, but the thought of giving up a steady paycheck terrified her. Now with the paycheck gone she decided to go for it: she had a website created; ordered business cards, and; informed her large network of colleagues of the services she was now offering. Two years later, Stephanie has no intention of going back to a job as her business is thriving.
For many a job loss could really be a blessing in disguise as it often takes something dramatic to occur in our lives to break us out of our habitual behavior. Were it not for being laid off or terminated, so many businesses would not exist today. Had Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank not been fired from their jobs with Handy Dan there would be no Home Depot. Had JK Rowling not been fired from her job as a secretary for the London office of Amnesty International, millions of readers would have not been introduced to Harry Potter.
If your “job” is not life affirming, why are you there? Here is how you know that you need more than just a job:
Staff Writer; Harold Leffall
This talented brother is an Empowerment Specialist, Author, Speaker and Entrepreneur. For more info visit; Harold Leffall.
