CareerBuilder.com writer

The average American spends a lot of time at work -- more than 1800 hours a year -- but do you love your job or are you frequently daydreaming about being somewhere (or anywhere) else?

CareerBuilder.com

Starting any new job can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. While you're anxious for a fresh start and to meet new people, you're nervous that you won't be able to do the job or you won't fit in with co-workers. Things inevitably work out, but that initial doubt can be daunting. People returning to the work force after an extended absence have an additional concern: Will they even find a job?

Yes, they will, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey of employees who have recently returned to the work force. Of surveyed workers who returned to work after being gone at least one year, 45 percent found a job in less than one month. Thirty-three percent took between one and six months to find work, while only 14 percent took longer than one year.

The Creative Group

If you're willing to "go white water rafting," "navigate a maze through a cornfield" or "take an improvisational comedy class" with your co-workers, you might be setting yourself up for career success. Taking part in team-building activities -- even those considered optional -- can provide a boost to your career. The examples above are just some of the responses from a survey by The Creative Group that asked executives to describe the wackiest or most unusual team-building activities they have participated in. Other responses include:

M. Wolfe for AOL Find a Job

To fuel their growth in today's competitive market companies are increasingly seeking the fresh perspectives of recent college graduates and other entry-level employees. What are these entry-level employers looking for in candidates? How do you make them look your way?

By RACHEL ZUPEK, CAREERBUILDER.COM

Vince Thompson was willing to do whatever it took to make his company successful. He shifted from sales management to leading sales training when the need was there, and when the company asked him to run its Southwest territory, he relocated for the position.

"The knowledge I needed to change positions did not come from my predecessors or even bosses," Thompson says. "It came from mentors and colleagues within the company that were vested in my success and willing to teach more and provide honest feedback."