Maybe it’s easier to stop hating and start making the most of your current job. Before you split, take some time for a little career self-awareness. Here are 6 things you can do to make the best of what seems like a miserable job.

1. Think Hard About What You Really Hate.

Will it go away? If not then what’s the root cause? Are you not being challenged? Is it a toxic coworker? Bad Boss? Take a close examination and make sure what’s making you unhappy doesn’t come from something besides work that’s creating this negativity vortex. Maybe work is OK.

2. Expand the Skillset.

Your employer may not be quick to give you more money, a new title or a cooler boss. But, often they will advocate for your growth by giving you access to training and conferences, allowing you to expand your skills.

3. Seek Out Projects.

Don’t wait to be assigned stuff. Get curious and find out about different things going on in the office. Insinuate yourself into different things. It’s up to you to mold your job into something you like and feel rewarded for.

4. Talk to Your Boss.

Initiate an honest conversation with your boss about the things he or she can help you do to get energized and engaged. Often we think we understand what our boss is going to say about things and we’re dead wrong. Your boss can’t just live in your head, have a conversation.

5. Be Clear-Headed.

It takes time to know for sure if you’re really hating your job or if you’re just hitting a learning curve or bad spot with colleagues and management. Give it six months and see if your feelings change.

6. New Job.

You don’t want to trade a job you don’t like for another job you don’t like. Once you understand the things you don’t like and/or aren’t good at, avoid them in your search. Don’t just take a job because it lets you flip the bird to your current one. It’s about you and your future.

Things pass. Sometimes the anger you feel goes away, but not always. Over time you’ll have a sense if things are working out. To help build that sense follow the above. Remember, this is about what’s doing the best for you. Don’t sabotage your work by acting rashly, but don’t sabotage it by not making the right change. Good luck and godspeed.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.