The Importance Of Knowing Your Career Values
Everyone wants to find the perfect job. But it can be nearly impossible to set out on a career path without knowing your values. Your values are what drive you. They constitute your beliefs and your purpose, and can help you decide what’s most important to you in your career. Choosing the right job,
So how can you determine what your career values are?
It may be tempting to look to others for inspiration, especially if you’re feeling lost. But remember, career values aren’t universal… They’re unique to everyone, so what matters to you might not match up with someone else. Try not to focus on anyone else’s choices or values. You need to find what’s right for you!
Here are the three categories of values you’ll find yourself choosing from when learning about your own.
· Intrinsic values.
These are the values that keep you motivated. They are more about how you feel… Think about what gets you up in the morning, what makes you excited. These are your intrinsic values.
They might include helping others, having your work recognized or respected, or being able to express your creativity and imagination. Having an awareness of your motivators will create a sense of what kind of career you should be pursuing. If creativity is a huge motivator in your life, you want to make sure you’re taking jobs that allow you to exercise this value, and any others you hold.
· Extrinsic values.
These are the tangible rewards you can experience in your career, such as a promotion, leading teams, or having flexibility in your hours. Know what rewards matter most to you, so you can align your career with what you desire out of your job.
For example, a poll conducted by Monster showed that 40% of respondents required work-life balance for job satisfaction. Maybe for you, having a strong work-life balance means getting paid a certain amount, having more time off, being able to travel for work, or having flexible hours. Whatever your extrinsic values may be, they can help you determine the sort of career you embark on.
· Lifestyle values.
These are the values that determine what your lifestyle looks like, from where you live to your long-term life goals. These could be living in a certain city, buying your dream house, or saving a certain amount of money. Knowing what you want your lifestyle to look like will help you determine what you value for your career.
Knowing your career values means you’ll be more capable of choosing the right career path for you, one that aligns with those values and gives you purpose and gets you excited about going to work in the mornings! Use Career Companion’s FREE career values module to help identify your values, beliefs, and core principles.
Once you’ve gone through these three categories and Career Companion’s module, try writing down a list of your values, and then rank them in order of importance. This way, you’ll have a solid list of what matters most to you, one that you can keep in the back of your mind when considering your next career move. Are you ready to get started on finding your values?
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