“The people I worked with were nice, but I got very bored very, very quickly. I feel like I’m not making the right decisions when it comes to applying for jobs. Sometimes job specs read like copy-paste jobs and I can’t tell the difference between them, which I guess must lead to my eventual dissatisfaction. I don’t want to make a name for myself as a ‘job hopper’! How can I get a job I’ll stick around for?” 

You say that you can’t bear working for these companies after a while—my first thought is whether you are in the right industry. Putting everything else aside – the people, the location of your office, the tasks you have – do you still feel a passion for your occupation? 

If the answer is “no”, then we’ve solved that problem at least—try to find out what will get you up in the morning! There are so many online courses that you can take at your own pace and at little cost. Why not try out something that you find intriguing? There’s something for everyone on eCourse sites like Udemy and FutureLearn.

If the answer to the question is “yes”, however, then at the interview stage you need to be asking more questions of the company. Interview them! I feel the biggest gap in your knowledge here is what exactly is making you feel unhappy.

There might also be a problem in your attitude to work. While you seem to be proactive in looking for jobs, it appears that you stop being proactive once you start a new position. Don’t make the mistake of leaving your future in the hands of your employer!

If you want to enjoy your work more, get involved, take the initiative, and find out where the gaps are in the company. Come up with solutions. Pitch them to your boss. Companies want their employees to provide value for them, so we think that finding ways to improve their work could lead you to something much more interesting in the long term.

If this isn’t an option, one way to try something different without feeling completely unmoored is through temping. You can build a wonderful reputation as the “go-to” person to help over a shorter period. 

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A great recruiter will ask about you. This is exactly what we do at Aldrich & Co – call today or take a look at our jobs board to see the kinds of great roles we place.