In Praise of an Easy Job -- But Not Too Easy

When you're content at work, the days seem to fly by, and everything seems easy. But easy doesn't necessarily have to equal mindless or without challenge.

Case in point: I once worked with an admin who had come from a high-stress job at a veterinary hospital. She said she took the admin job because working at the vet exhausted her. Yet she found herself at the opposite pole in her admin position, as she was often bored.

According to this article, finding this elusive balance between ease and effort is what determines job -- and career -- satisfaction. To extend the story's exercise metaphor, you don't want every workday to be like running 10 miles uphill, but breaking a sweat stretches you.

So in a world that sometimes feels rife with job dissatisfaction, how do you find such career nirvana? Whether you're just starting out or have been around awhile, these articles can help guide you:

• "Examine Your Values to Find Career Happiness"
• "Discover the Work You Were Born to Do"
• "Don't Let Money Lead You Down the Wrong Career Path"
• "Make Career Decisions You Won't Regret Later"
• "The Role of Self-Assessment"

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