Job Therapy: Finding Work That Works for You

A psychologist’s guide to finding your most fulfilling job yet

When we’re unhappy in our jobs, we often attribute our frustration to a bad manager, boring tasks, and stressful workloads. But our dissatisfaction at work usually stems from a deeper psychological need that’s not being met at work, like not getting the recognition you deserve.

In Job Therapy, Dr. Tessa West helps you figure out the real reason you’re unhappy and shows you how to find a new position in which you’ll thrive, whether in a different role, company, or new industry altogether. Through her research interviewing thousands of people who have recently switched jobs or undergone career changes, she found there are five common sources of career frustration:

having an identity crisis – does your sense of self no longer match your job?
you’ve drifted-apart – do you no longer recognize the job you once loved?
you’re torn between places – are you taking on too many roles at work, switching tasks too often, or stuck between two paths?