NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Most workers consider themselves lucky to have a job. But it may be time to start asking just how happy you are with it.
Job satisfaction has been on the decline since 1995, according to a study by the Conference Board. Overall satisfaction approached 59 percent in 1995, but these days it's down to 49 percent.
Older workers are the happiest, and younger ones and boomers are the most frustrated.
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 CNNfn's Gerri Willis shares her 5 tips on how to find a satisfying job.
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A long and jobless economic recovery may well be giving way to higher demand for workers. Already the outlook is improving, with Friday's jobs report for October showing the biggest gain in payrolls since January.
And that means the millions of Americans itching to find new and more-fulfilling work may soon have that opportunity. As you consider making a move, consider these five tips.
Tip 1: Ask if you are you promotable?
The Five O'Clock Club, a career coaching company, identifies these clues. Are you included in meetings where other peers are not? Are you asked for input on big company decisions? Given more responsibility?
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Naturally, those are all good signs.
Are you in the right place at the right time? If your company is not doing well and no one is moving, you probably won't either. If your immediate boss has been fired or left the company, and if the company is headed for a merger, this may not bode well.
Your progress is also linked to your boss. Do you like your boss? If not, chances are your boss does not like you.
Tip 2: Think about why you want to switch
It's not just your performance that is the issue. Plenty of people make moves for other reasons such as escaping from a killer commute, fear of losing quality time with family, or even not feeling safe in the area where your job is located.
Tip 3: Consider your finances
If you are considering a job change, make sure you aren't loading yourself up with debt. Too much debt causes you to be more vulnerable during a job transition. Therefore, get your financial picture in order and give yourself a cushion of about six months.
But you should know what you are worth on the open market. There are several Web sites you can visit for information, including www.salary.com, www.bls.gov, and www.jobstar.org.
Tip 4: Make the move within
Sometimes the best career move can be within your current company. Look around and see if you have the potential to change positions where you currently work.
Potential employers don't want to see a worker who jumps from company to company. Several moves within the same company, however, shows upward movement and determination to get ahead.
Tip 5: Get connected
According to Jennifer Kushell, president of the Young Entrepreneurs Network, the most successful workers in any given industry are the ones who know what's happening within their industry. Those who struggle the most are just in tune with their own little circle of co-workers.
You may also consider contacting a headhunter, whose job is to introduce candidates to companies that are hiring. Headhunters get paid by the hiring company -- not you -- so make sure the headhunter is working in your best interest.
Gerri Willis is the personal finance editor for CNN Business News. Willis also is co-host of CNNfn's The FlipSide, weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (ET). E-mail comments to 5tips@cnnfn.com
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