Identifying your Career Values – Part 2
Ready to beat the 9 to 5 grind and find greater fulfillment in your job? In the next several posts, I’ll show you how you can create a sense of fulfillment in your career – right here and now.
In the last Career Corner post we were talking about Career Values and what values mean. I asked you to start to identify your values – what did you come up with? Send them to me, I’ve love to hear from you.
So what’s the big deal about values? The most important point is: Your values are your guideposts to fulfillment. Therefore, if you live your life according to your values, you will feel fulfilled. It then follows that if your career is aligned with your values, your career will be fulfilling for you. This is where the term Career Values comes in. Your Career Values are those values that you need to have honored at work to feel fulfilled.
Here are some examples of Career Values: Accountability, Achievement, Adventure, Autonomy, Balance, Beauty, Communication, or Community. Which, if any, of these things is important to you at your job? If you want to feel like you’ve achieved something every day, this could be one of your Career Values. Or if you’d love a sense of adventure from doing your job, adventure is a value to place on your list. One reason that people tend to be unfulfilled at work is that their Career Values are either not being honored or that they are being stepped on. If you have a sense that some aspect of your job isn’t a fit for you, it could be because one of your Career Values isn’t being honored.
In the next several posts is a 5 step process to get you started on identifying your Career Values and making changes to feel more fulfilled at work.
Step One: Clarify your Career Values
1. Answer these questions and make a list of what comes to mind first:
i. What are the things at work that you love to do; when you do them, it gives you a sense of satisfaction or pleasure?
ii. Think of a peak experience or positive pivotal moment at work. What made it a peak experience? Was it the kudos you received for a job well done or the sense of teamwork you experienced on a specific project? Write down why it was a high point in your career.
iii. If you were allowed to make one powerful, positive change in your workplace, large or small, what would it be?
2. The items on the list you created above are some of your Career Values. Keep this list handy. As you think about what you like and don’t like at your current job, you’ll begin to uncover more values to add to the list.
Need help clarifying your Career Values? Here’s a quick solution…a Jumpstart Career Coaching Sesssion. In this one-hour session you get to ask as many questions about your career goals as time permits. If you feel stuck where you are and just need a little boost to get you moving forward, sign up now.
For free tips, tools, and expert advice on finding a career you’re passionate about, visit my Web site at www.createyourcareerpath.com.
Here’s to having a career you love,
Hallie Crawford
Career Tips
