Do You Have Career ADD?

Do you have a track record of getting bored and wanting to change jobs or employers after a year?

Do you find yourself getting unhappy and anxious after the first 90 days on a new job?

Do start a new job on a high, only to struggle to get excited to go to work shortly thereafter?

Then you may have career attention deficit disorder.

Career ADD affects millions of Americans and is increasing rapidly. There are two reasons why workers today are feeling dissatisfaction on the job and a desire to move on after a short time.

Reason #1: You demand 'great' even when you don't know what it is.

Instant gratification marketing tells our society to never be satisfied. In America, we are constantly reminded that what we have isn't good enough – and that is particularly true with our careers. We've been encouraged to never settle for anything less than perfection.

A 'great' work environment, pay, boss and perks are just a few of the criteria employees expect today. If you have Career ADD, however, you struggle to ever find and keep your definition of a "great" job because your definition changes constantly.

With Career ADD, you generally can't define career satisfaction on your own terms, so you become focused on pursuing whatever others tell you a "great" job is. In short, the grass is always greener at another job for someone with Career ADD.

Reason #2: You are focused on the external rewards a job provides instead of the internal satisfaction it can bring.

Individuals with Career ADD are generally addicted to rewards and incentives. You want praise, money, recognition and perks as a way to keep you engaged and motivated. Always in need of a carrot, once the newness of a job wears off, you become bored and in need of something new to excite you. The truth is, none of these elements of a job provides true career satisfaction.

Career satisfaction comes only to those who choose a job because of the way it will allow them to experience, learn and grow in life. This requires 1) a clear understanding of a person's professional strengths and preferences, and 2) the patience to identify and pursue the right opportunity -- two things a person with Career ADD does not take the time to cultivate. Translation: Individuals with Career ADD haven't invested enough time and energy into creating a personalized definition of career success focused on work that supports their definition of a satisfying life.

In summary, those with Career ADD believe the intense pursuit of career success will eventually solve all of life's problems and make them happier. Sadly, this is a never-ending, fruitless endeavor. The only way to eliminate Career ADD is to stop expecting so much from a job. Career satisfaction is attainable at any age, it just requires proper management of expectations.

JT O'Donnell, nationally syndicated workplace columnist and author of the book "CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."