Q. I hate my job. ~ISFP

A. As a gentle, generous person of few words but deep emotions, it’s difficult for you to find a job that uses and appreciates your unique skills, without taking advantage of you.

I have two suggestions for you.

First, create jobs for yourself within your job that you will enjoy. There are certain tasks required of you at your workplace, and you’ll do your best with those, whether or not you enjoy them. But also add your own creative touch. For example, if you work with clients, make it part of your job to entertain their children while they are attending to other business. Or if you are required to write up information for the public, add illustrations that use your natural drawing talent and make the literature more appealing to others.

In other words, even if your skills haven’t been recognized and requested by your boss, add them anyway! No only will you get to do things you enjoy at your job, but your boss should see this as you going above and beyond the call of duty to provide better service! (If they don’t, find a new boss!)

My second suggestion for you is to find an advocate at your job who will stand up for you. It’s nearly impossible for you to do this on your own. You will take it and take it and take it… until you explode. Neither is good for your health or résumé!

Find someone at work who likes you and is a bit more outspoken than you are. Ask them to commend you to the boss — to talk up how wonderful you are with the kids and how great the illustrations are that you’ve voluntarily added to the advertising. You have to make sure people are noticing, if you want the appreciation you deserve!

You can offer something in exchange to this kind friend who will talk you up to the others. Perhaps you can take their kids to the park, or bake cookies for the staff birthday parties.

Finding ways to use your skills and finding friends to value you, these are the ways to save your sanity at work! With these two things, you can do just about any job and not hate it!