TWEAK your way to better workplace life

Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed., • katy@careersolutionsgroup.net. • 

Last week, Cultivating Colorado Leaders, a local MeetUp group, got together to discuss how to achieve career happiness. Small changes leading to big payoffs was the theme. These were some of their top TWEAK tips:

T - Tap into talents. Work doesn't feel so much like work when you're using your natural gifts. Ferret out assignments that play into your best strengths and happiness will follow. Example: one cheery chef described trying a number of culinary jobs before hitting upon teaching cooking classes, a specialty that makes great use of her talents in training. As she said, "It took a while to find my fit, but it was worth the search!"

W - Work at it. Prize perks - plum projects, flexible schedules, status and recognition - typically come to those who attain a level of excellence in what they do. Achieving that expertise requires a significant investment in skill building (a minimum of 2,000 hours is a good guideline). If you long for the rewards of excellence, add to your skill set one small step at a time.
E - Explore and experiment. Millions of career options exist in today's world of work, so finding your satisfying niche is more possible now than ever before. To keep tabs on cool trends in your specialty, input relevant keywords into your favorite search engine (such as "advancements in customer service technology") to learn how things are evolving. When you hit on intriguing developments, take the next step to experience it yourself.
A - Always bring your A-Game. Your current career circumstances may be challenging, yet you are in complete control of your attitude. If you struggle to maintain an optimistic outlook, consider counseling to help you see more clearly what steps you can take to get to a more positive place.
K - Be "Kooky" to kick your results up a notch. Small risks can lead to big rewards, and breaking out of your box can help you get noticed. One joyful jewelry specialist now partners with non-profits to help raise funds, while growing her business in a meaningful way.

Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed., is the author of "The Career Coward's Guides" and provides career and job search support with Career Solutions Group in Fort Collins. Call her at (970) 224-4042 or send e-mail to katy@careersolutionsgroup.net.


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