Like the New Year, autumn - or Fall if you prefer – is one of those times when job-related blues can really hit home. The holiday period is over and it's a long haul to the next break. You are back at work and nothing has changed. You are bored or under pressure. Your boss is unreasonable and your career seems to be going nowhere fast.

At recessionary times like these, it can seem that the only option is to sit tight and wait for the employment market to pick up so that you can move to a new job. Unfortunately, the indications are that, this time, the pick-up will be a slow one. But that doesn't mean you have to just sit there and wait. And wait. All that will do is to send your motivation on a downward spiral.

Instead do some positive planning so that you are ready to take advantage of opportunities when they occur – and there are some around even now. So how do you do that? Well, Career Arena programmes are underpinned by some wisdom from Peter Druker, one of the 20^th century's most respected management gurus: Success .... comes to those who know themselves, their strengths, their values and how best they perform”.

So, go on! - make a start on building a self-picture based on those points. You may just surprise yourself and discover talents you didn't know you had. And that, in turn, may lead you to opportunities you hadn't realised existed!