The name Craig Newmark may not be familiar to many people, but his Web site Craigslist is known by almost every young adult with a computer. The company is the brainchild of Craig Newmark, and has become one of the most popular sites on the internet.

Craigslist is affordable unlike many of the major sites, and offers guru level results for the little guy in the internet marketing game. It is the ninth most visited site on the internet and gets more traffic than one of the giants in the industry, Amazon.

Started in San Francisco in 1995, Craigslist is perhaps the ultimate site for classified listings. The company was originally limited to the San Francisco area, with want ads, items to sell, and even personal ads. It generates income solely from help wanted ads, and offers postings of job advertisements at significantly lower cost than traditional print ads.

The costs are even lower than one of the leading career websites, Monster. For the most part, posting and reading ads is free. Their revenue is generated by people posting job ads at significantly below market rate.

The success of Craigslist has proven that both employers and employees want a cost-effective, easy way to fill openings in the job market. In July 2005, the company won the right to send more than 2 million classified ads into space (one light year away) after they won an ebay auction for broadcasting time from the deep space communications network.

Often described as an online community, it is a site where you can find jobs, housing, goods, services, romance, local activities, advice and lots more. It has a reputation for being a big, friendly community. One of the more popular sections, the "Best of Craigslist" includes a quirky collection of community rants that make interesting reading. One of the major contributions to the popularity of the website is the fact that all of the services are provided free, and it enables folks within the same community to liaise with each other.

Recently, there have still been no major changes to the usefulness or non-advertising nature of the site. They still have no banner ads, and are only charging for a few services to businesses. Jobs in the gigs section are often work for free opportunities, or scams advertising great jobs if one will take a course or pay a fee for job listings.

Craigslist will always be a winner when it comes to local classified advertising, simply because the operation is big enough, popular enough and cheap enough that it would be difficult for anyone else to compete. There is no question that the company has a formidable presence in the United States as far as classified advertising services are concerned, and this is mostly evident from the numerous criticisms it receives from the various rival newspapers who are competing for the same advertising dollar.

With over ten million new classified advertisements each month, Craigslist is the leading classifieds service in any medium. At its inception, and still today, it is a virtual smorgasbord of online offerings with thousands of listings organized by city and category.

This is a multi-billion dollar company that is currently nowhere near its potential as a business, which suits the founders just fine. This company is making us think about our business differently, primarily making us think about what the hot buttons are for this community, not only in terms of what people are buying and selling, but also in terms of what types of activities incite a community to come together. Newmark, the founder, says that Craigslist works because it gives people a voice, a sense of community trust and even intimacy.

I’ve been working in some capacity since I was twelve. I began delivering newspapers in the neighborhood, was a stock boy at a local children’s clothing store, and did various jobs throughout college. I began full-time employment when I graduated in 1970 and have worked ever since. My last job lasted nearly 25 years. Since college, I’ve been in advertising and marketing, which matched my degree. It had its ups and downs, but was mostly economically rewarding and emotionally satisfying. Every workday, I would get up and think about what the business world would hold for me in the next several hours. For the most part, it was something to which I looked forward.

But there were other factors involved. My coworkers were also my friends, to a large extent. Many were people with whom I socialized. Then there was the working conditions. This company provided the latest computers and Internet access, fax machines and my cell phone. I had a nice office with a view from the third floor, a lunch room, and covered parking. I received a generous car allowance and many other perks. Because I was in commissioned sales, I was often given bonuses or “spiffs” as incentives along with awards and trips to places like Hawaii, for outstanding performance. I had a terrific compensation package including all my insurance, 401K and pension plans. You might say I was spoiled and had nothing to complain about and you would be right.

So, why did I dread the job on certain days? Sure, I had to go to mandatory all- day meetings where I listened to statistical reports that were boring ad nausea, but so what? Lots of employees are dragged into meetings. Other days, I had to face irate clients or long drives to customers that rarely bought anything. Yet, that’s all part of a salesman’s lot. So, why were there days when I wanted to do anything but go to work? Okay, I’m a bit of a whiner, but who isn’t? So, getting back to my topic, what are the real warning signs that maybe it’s time for a change of job scenery?

It’s more than dreading meetings, facing your boss, or hoping for more pay. It’s an attitude. Here are some basic warning signs that may have you rethinking your employment.

It’s time to leave your job when…

(1) You begin having anxiety attacks when you merely think of having to go to work.

(2) You constantly complain about the tiniest work-related issue to friends, family or anyone that will pay attention.

(3) Nights and weekends are the only time you appear genuinely happy.

(4) You notice you are having more and more illnesses preventing you from working, or

(5) You get frequent headaches at the workplace.

(6) You find excuses to pick fights with coworkers.

(7) You have evil thoughts about your boss.

(8) You resent the company for almost no reason other than it’s there.

(9) You invent reasons why the product or service you sell are faulty.

(10) The job is never satisfying on any level.

(11) As you drive to work, you concoct reasons why this day will be the worse day of your life.

(12) You are convinced that a vengeful God placed you in this position.

The bottom line is that there is no use being miserable. Just as if you were in a lousy marriage, it’s time to consider a divorce, in this case, from your job. You are probably thinking that it’s easier said than done. You’re right, but life is too short to be stuck in a place you hate. It’s time to grab the want ads and rethink your future. You be happier, less ill, and have more to look forward to each and every day. Remember, there is always a better job out there somewhere just waiting for you if you’re willing to seek it out.