"Help! I don't like my job!"

More than 45% of Americans share your sentiment. Here, strategies to make your job more satisfying and steps to forge a new path

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

Small changes

Pinpoint five facets

There are a handful of puzzle pieces that need to be aligned for us to be fulfilled at work, says expert Donna Sweidan. The first is your values, from creativity to flexibility: Do they jibe with your workplace culture? Next is life goals: Where do you see yourself living in five years? How much longer do you want to work before you retire? The third puzzle piece is skills: Do you feel stymied and want to grow? Number four is interests: Simply put, does your job speak to your passions? Last is personality style: Do you work better alone or as part of a team? Says Sweidan, "Once you pinpoint the genesis of your disenchantment, you'll know what to change."

Make one shift