Self-Awareness: The Road to Better Career Decisions
Whenever I talk to clients who have reached a crossroads in their careers, I always hear “I don’t know what I want to do. Can you give me a test to figure it out?”
Well….there are career assessment tools that help provide clarity about your values, interests, personality and skills, but alas no magic wand available.
However, you can take the first step and make a commitment to really uncover those things deep inside your heart.
Take a look at your current job and evaluate your career progress in the past five years and ask yourself these questions:
- What do you value in work? Achievements, recognition, status, autonomy or making a difference? Is it present in your current job?
- What are your top skills and strengths? What are you really good at and really enjoy doing – writing, teaching, leading others, building, analyzing?
- Are you using your strengths every day? Does your current job fully maximize your talents, strengths and favorite skills?
- Are you doing what you love? Are you passionate about what you do and genuinely interested in your company’s products, services and clients?
- Do you know your market value? Does your paycheck make you elated, happy or disgusted – bottom-line are your financial needs being adequately met?
- Is there a good balance in your work? Are your job tasks and required responsibilities at a reasonable level or do you feel excess pressure and demands?
Can you grow where you are? Are you stuck in first gear or does your job give opportunities for growth and personal development?
Well, don’t sit there staring at the questions, nodding and shaking your head – go ahead, take notes and determine how you feel about your current career.
My next question is what are you going to do about it?
