USA Today claims that “50 percent of Americans are unhappy with their careers, with the number rising as high as 66 percent on the East Coast.” Recent UK research, by recruitment consultancy Badenoch & Clark, also suggests that 24% of all office workers are unhappy - the unhappiest being computer and telecoms specialists!

So what are the top reasons for career dissatisfaction? Lack of flexibility, poor management style, job instability (due to off-shoring and out-sourcing for instance) poor pay and, believe it or not, boredom. After all we all want to feel challenged by the work we do and it’s been scientifically proven that the human brain needs frequent, varied, stimulation. Once we’ve learnt a particular task, we want to stretch ourselves, learn more and do more. One would have thought that boredom would be less prone in the computer industry, where technology sometimes changes at the speed of light, but apparently this is not the case. If you’re a Computer Professional who’s seeking a bit of a challenge, here are top seven ways to make the most of your career.

1. Set Priorities and Goals – First start by defining what you really want out of your computer career. For instance, years ago, when I suddenly lost a loved one to heart disease, I realised that life was too short to spend doing work my heart wasn't in. Consequently I left a working arrangement that wasn't right for me and set up my own consultancy. What’s really important to you; fulfilment and flexibility or money and prestige? Respect those needs by setting specific, measurable, goals and devising strategies that will enable you attain those career goals.

2. Learn Something New – It’s always a good time to pick up new skills and brush up on old ones. Make time to attend training courses, local evening classes, seminars and workshops or at the very least subscribe to leading journals and magazines. You can also learn a lot by job shadowing i.e. spending time observing colleagues at the department you’d love to work in someday.

3. Volunteer Work – Selflessness also pays off career wise. Think about volunteering at local schools and community centres. For instance, many senior citizens are terrified of computers even though it would make their lives so much easier. Take time to show such people how to write letters to their loved ones using Microsoft Word or how to set up a free email account – modern day skills you excel at yet probably take for granted. Volunteering is emotionally rewarding and looks great on your resume too.

4. Teach Someone – Are you great at building hardware or are you a talented website designer? If the answer is yes, contact local schools or training institutes and teach what you know on a full or part time basis. You can also present lectures at professional gatherings e.g. AITP conventions (by the way the Association of Information Technology Professionals is currently seeking speakers for upcoming collegiate conferences).

5. Write Stuff – Writing is a fun way to share your interests and expertise so why not write your own computer career book and publish it via print or online media? Whilst a lot of people feel that writing a book is hard work, remember that it’s hard work you have to do once in order to reap a lifetime of reward. You could also write for national, regional or local newsletters, journals and magazines.

6. Consult – There are many small firms out there who cannot afford to employ in-house computer experts. Whether you’re a programmer, hardware engineer, analyst or even a virtual assistant, it’s a good idea to offer your expertise to firms like these on a ‘pay as you go’ or ‘retainer’ basis.

7. Deliver the Goods – Technology is progressing at lightning speed these days and as a result new inventions are emerging on a daily basis. In your spare time, contact leading hardware and software manufacturers, offering to demonstrate their products at trade shows and other gatherings. This will enable you to network with industry professionals, brush up on softer skills (e.g. marketing, presentation and sales skills) as well as earn some extra income too.

As you can see there a lot of opportunities to use your computer related skills out there. Give the above ideas a try and you’ll be sure to make the most of your computer career.