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[/custom_frame_center] Kenny Rogers is credited with over 120 hit singles, topped U.S. country and pop album charts for over 200 weeks and has sold over 100 million records worldwide. He is well-known for collaborating with multiple bands, singers and songwriters, so even if you don’t like Islands in the Stream, you have to admit that this artist knows a lot about making interesting situations work. His November 1978 release, The Gambler offers insight into successful collaboration. For you, that means sage career advice. Perhaps you didn’t read career advice on that album cover or hear it mentioned at the Country Music Hall of Fame, but a quick review of the refrain of his Grammy award-winning song may make you a believer.
“You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em Know when to fold ‘em
Know when to walk away
Know when to runYou never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table There’ll be time enough for countin’ When the dealin’s done.”
Let’s take it line-by-line and relate it to your job.
You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em
When you look at your career and life goals, are you happy where you are right now? It’s easy to think about the negatives of any situation, but if you really looked at what you do for a living, are you pretty satisfied?
If not, can you make minor adjustments and stick with your job? Get proactive and see what positive changes you can make. If you have a yearly review that might be a good time to reevaluate your situation. Things may not be as bad as they seem. Or…
Know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run
According to the article, Why Health Care Workers Leave and What Makes Them Stay, by Jason Lovelace, employees often list heavy workloads and inflexible work schedules as work/life balance killers. Do you find your work satisfying and rewarding or do you dread going to work? Are there opportunities for advancement or do you feel like you will be doing the same task ad nauseum? Sometimes you have to make tough choices, sometimes sooner than later. It can be really difficult to leave a familiar job and even harder to find a better one. If you need to leave your job, this is when you put together a game plan – start networking, try a locum tenens position in another field or contact your recruiter (if you have one) and update your resume.
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table
It goes without saying that talking salary with co-workers is a quick way to make enemies. Lovelace says 75% percent of healthcare workers are unhappy with their salaries. With many companies not giving merit or cost-of-living raises, it’s easy to see why talking Benjamins is a testy topic. You throw in sign-in bonus discussions, and you may find yourself being escorted from the proverbial table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done
This line obviously works in tandem with leaving monetary discussions with your boss and your loved one(s), not your co-workers. But there’s another issue to leave until the end of your work shift – any unhappiness with your workplace/co- workers. It is a basic human trait to commiserate with someone (anyone) who will listen. But as the old adage goes, “Word gets around,” and you know anything you say has your name attached to it and can be quoted/repeated/ posted on social media. Don’t trade feeling better in the short-term with keeping a positive long-term reputation. If you have a beef, talk to your boss or address the issue directly. It’ll keep you in the game longer.
Roy L. Cohen, author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide, says you create a dynamic career “by having a clear idea about what you want and why, what qualifies you, and how the market you present yourself to will benefit.” Or as Kenny Rogers would say, “If you’re gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.”
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By Melissa Baysinger
