Please Keep Complaining About Your Job!

By Luc Theriault

job, jobs, career

If you're one of those people who complains about your job all of the time, please keep doing it.

Why? Because it gives me more opportunities.

The Grass is Greener On The Other Side:

A lot of people spend their time analysing what they could have and then telling the world about it. They'll compare their salary to workers in similar jobs in other communities or at other companies. But what it comes down to is that if you're not happy with the conditions where you are, you have the option of going somewhere else. Thousands of employers are looking for staff, and you always have a choice to do something different.

If you choose not to go somewhere else, you should learn to accept it. But, like the title says, your other option is to keep complaining. It doesn't bother me. It's annoying to listen to sometimes but it leaves me with more than ringing in the ears... it also leaves opportunity.

Dreaming Of That Perfect Job:

How many people are working jobs they don't really like. They'd rather be an actor, or a musician, or a TV news anchor, or run a boat tour company. Whatever it is, most people have at a secret job wish. Figure out what yours is. Let's assume you chose acting. Now, let's assume that's what I really wanted to be too. In reality, it's not. I could never remember the lines!

While you're working at job in an office, I'm working an evening job in a bakery. But when you're done the day at your job and telling your spouse, friend, mom, brother about the job you dislike, I'm going online to find sites where they advertise Calls for Auditions.

The next day, you're back at your job, not thinking about acting at all. I get a call from one of my friends. It turns out she's heard of a Call for Auditions tomorrow where they're looking for a guy my age. She obviously doesn't qualify but she figures she might as well mention it to me. After all, I'll likely let her know if a future role for a woman comes up.

Doing What You Love:

You've often heard "Do what you love and the money follows," and I agree with that. Not necessarily because you might as well try and it might happen, but because you notice opportunities when you look for them. Here's an example: You may have been on a beach a million times and never noticed red rocks. Then, a friend decides to collect red rocks and asks you to look. All of a sudden, you start finding all of the red rocks on the beach. They've always been there. You just never noticed them.

In this example, it could be Calls for Auditions instead of red rocks. There are Calls for Auditions all the time, particularly in larger cities. But when you're working at your office job, I'm actually noticing them and seeking them out. Don't rush out and quit your day job, but try to notice opportunities you might be missing.

If you're the type of person who will go after what they want out of life, in many cases, you end up talking to people, online or offline, who have the same goals and aspirations as you. These people in many cases aren't those who have figured "I can't," they are people who are working on it or at least are open to the possibility.

You notice little things like the local film co-op newsletter that features Calls for Auditions. You see a web site where you can subscribe for free updates when people post them. You're seeing the "red rocks on the beach".

Dream Jobs in Your Field:

The world needs actors. It needs whatever job you decide to do.
People think there aren't a lot of jobs available in Canada right now, though job sites are more popular than ever and companies are frantically looking for staff to fill specific positions. They spend money and efforts to recruit the best staff. If you're the best, it doesn't matter how many people are applying, you're the one they'll want. How do you become the best? Complain less and do more. Upgrade your skills, read up on your industry, and help colleagues out. The difference between the people who are dissatisfied with their job and those who are truly thriving at work is that often, the ones who thrive are doing what they enjoy.

But, of course, if you want to complain instead, that's just fine with me.