Employees who are passionate about their company are the best performers, regardless of industry, tenure or gender. That was a conclusion based on a study by PeopleMetrics, after speaking with about 6,000 workers across the U.S. So are you telling me that it really doesn't have to do with the amount of money you can make? Well, it's pretty common to hear that true passion and zeal in an employee produces the best product. I have a friend who does IT compliance for one of the biggest banks, but despite the fact that she's raking in the dough, she's not as content as she imagined. Although the bi-weekly checks do provide some sort of gratification, it's short lived compared to envisioning the type of work she will be doing in the long run. Worker confidence has also risen, measuring reaction to overall economy and job market, a piece of info which can boost those hesitant to switch over to their dream job, even if it means a significant cut in pay. So regardless of having to climb back on the ladder, seize every opportunity because you never know when you'll hit it big.