With so many people out of work these days, we might get a glimpse of what the Great Depression was like. Hopefully, we will not see our economy go any worse but unemployment still ranks as a monster ready to make our lives miserable. For those who have managed to keep their employment, it may seem that stress has crept in a little bit to make us wonder how long our job will last. For those out of work and wanting to get back to some sort of honest labor, it may seem to be an impossible goal at present. So many jobs have simply disappeared; there isn’t anything to regain. Just like the folks who used to shoe horses for a living, some professions are just not with us anymore. To add more insult to injury, each generation brings many more people to the workforce. Unfortunately, with people living longer, the previous generation is still holding their jobs. We have too much supply of workers and not enough demand. Additionally, most work these days is more sophisticated than ever before. Instead of a man with a broom, we may have a computer controlled vacuum cleaner system. We put a man out of work and we spend an enormous amount of money on a complicated machine. If the man can be trained to operate and repair the machine, okay, he has a new job. But what happens if the man cannot adapt? For all the above reasons and more we need to carefully assess the work environment if we expect to find work or to continue in our present vocation.

To find a suitable job these days requires different skills than those of yesterday. Today there is but one rule for employment: “who you know”. This fact was always tacitly known but it was always kept under wraps because it is totally unfair. How would a person train themselves for this skill? If you do know someone in a company, they could probably steer you toward the right person to talk to but suppose you are new to town and you haven’t met anyone yet? As dismal as this situation appears, there are always things we can do to become employed.

First, find out what talents you possess. Are you best with your hands rather than thinking? If so, then you would want to enter a trade where you would be happy building something rather than being forced to think of advertising slogans in a think tank. Conversely, if you cannot put a nail into a piece of wood, but you can do complicated math problems in your head, then maybe something in the computer field is right up your alley. Whatever you choose to do, think about being happy in the job, not about status or remuneration. At the end of the day, you want to feel satisfied that you have not wasted your time or that you have stressed yourself unduly.

Second, search the newspapers for job offerings. From this source try to match your skill set with what you find. Sometimes you will have to move to another city to find what is right for you. However, will moving to another area for a job outweigh family considerations? No. Remember that your family is part of the reason that you go to work initially.  Sometimes you may be better off just starting your own business. You may have a talent for food preparation and so you could start a little cafe business. If this sounds tantalizing, look no further.

When the day is done, be sure that you feel good about going to work today; do you look forward to going to work tomorrow? The feeling of satisfaction that comes from an honest day’s work is difficult to beat. So, instead of trying to take whatever you can find, or trying to get the best paying job, opt for something that will bring you the most satisfaction. If you have the choice between a job that pays very well, but you hate that type of work, or a job that pays less but you absolutely love that type of work, go with what your heart tells you. You will be much happier.