The Cosmic Career Coach

Dear Cosmic Career Coach,

I am a Scorpio and my company has recently gone through a drastic re-organization in the past few months. Previous to this I had worked there happily for several years. Now my job is completely different. I hate going to work everyday and miss the way things used to be. Should I remain loyal to my company and hope that these are just growing pains? Or am I better off finding a new job?

—Struggling in San Antonio

Dear Struggling Scorpio,

Unless you work for an astrological empire, you're probably unaware that in January 2008 your planet Pluto moved under the planetary shadow of Capricorn. You, more than other signs, feel the sturm und drang and plate tectonics shifting beneath the corporate surface, causing you, your boss and your industry lots of unrest. So, what to do about that?

Well, Scorpio, that depends. When Pluto, the powerful planet of unconscious urges and major change, moves into a phase overseen by Capricorn, the planet of organizational structure and hierarchy, major institutions undergo drastic shifts. (Have you noticed that this is an election year, the economy is uncertain, the real estate bubble has burst, and Wall Street is rewriting the rules of the mortgage industry and debt instruments? Things don't get more Capricorn than that.) There's a pretty big chance that neither your company nor your industry you will ever return to the way it used to be.

However, you have the right to follow your bliss. The Pluto shift means folks like you are looking at how to structure a fulfilling life. Ask yourself if your new job duties will help you or hurt you. Were you promoted, or does your new to-do list indicate your industry is a goner? Ask yourself that, and then act accordingly. Remember, it was easy to love work in the expanding economy of yesteryear, but it's what you choose to do during tough times that impacts your career.

Hot Careers for Scorpios

• Forensic Science
• Health Care
• Substance Abuse Counseling

Dear Cosmic Career Coach,

How can I get more recognition at work? I'm a Taurus and I feel like no one recognizes the hard work and long hours I put in. I take every assignment people ask of me and put in 110% but no one seems to notice. I've worked at my company for three years and have never been promoted. How do I get the respect I deserve from my co-workers?

—Disrespected in Denver

Dear Disrespected,

You give like a saint to any workplace and you do it with a Zen-like calm. Of course, you expect to be appreciated. But if you're like most Taurus natives, you never let on that you need strokes because you actually enjoy the tasks associated with your job. Managers think you'd do the work for free and that they pay you because there's budget for your gig. Teach them otherwise.

To get the acknowledgement you're seeking, start at the top. If you hear about better jobs, don't hesitate to carefully mention to management that you're being recruited. If you learn that you need to take steps to remain competitive, ask management if you can pursue further education or training. What boss wouldn't be impressed with a worker who's eager and proactive about further contributing to the company?

Now, before you go saying you don't want to leave your job, Coach wants to tell you this: You need to be loyal first to yourself and to your employer second. You need to work on showing loyalty to your own interests so your employer will be loyal to you. Remind others that you're not a paid volunteer. Teach the boss your market value, and if he or she doesn't learn this lesson, take your business elsewhere.

Hot Careers for Taurus

• Culinary Arts
• Finance
• Massage Therapy

About Jane Hodges, The Cosmic Career Coach Jane Hodges is a Seattle-based business writer. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, The Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine and many other publications. When she's not reporting on real estate or big business, she writes the "Seeing Stars" astrology column for Southwest Airlines' magazine, Spirit. She is also the author of Cosmic Grooves, a music and astrology book series (Chronicle Books/Rhino Records, 2001).