Discussing commitment at work these days is like playing a high stakes poker game -- everyone wants the other side to show their cards first, to prove they're not bluffing.

Employers point to high turnover rates and want staff members to show they're going to stick around before the company demonstrates what it can do for employees.

Employees, on the other hand, made skittish by a troubled economy and years of lay-offs, mergers and down-sizing, want companies to show good faith before they commit.

If you're not sure whether to hold 'em or fold 'em, consider where your preferences lie on the commitment continuum. Running the gamut from resolute detachment to clinical workaholicism, the commitment continuum encompasses the attitudes of workers in all walks of life.

It's up to you to figure out which level suits you. Some people aren't content unless they're giving their all. It takes a significant challenge to energize these employees, but once they're involved with a problem there's no stopping them. If this describes you, tell prospective employers about the level of commitment you like to give and seek work that offers dramatic possibilities.

Other employees, like full-time pharmacy students working part-time in a fast food restaurant, don't look to work for anything more than a paycheck.

This leads to an important point -- your ability to commit to a job varies throughout your life.

Take a full-time pharmacist with two children under the age of seven... Your commitment to a health system or retail job may be whole-hearted, yet there are competing claims on your life. How can you show these cards to a prospective employer?

It's easier to explain your situation to someone else if you've come to terms with it yourself. Natalie A. Gahrmann, writing for the website, mommd.com, devoted to women doctors, listed several tips for balancing work and life which can help you determine and describe your position.

Gahrmann pointed out that you can set your own standards, limits and boundaries. This applies to the level of cleanliness you want for your home and to the flexibility and hours in your work schedule. It's also important to allow time for yourself, so you can properly care for your patients and your loved ones.

Put these issues on the table when you meet with a prospective employer. If you can work together to accommodate your position on the commitment continuum, you might both come up with winning hands.