Career
Clarity
Finding your dream career is like going on a treasure hunt. The more clues you have, the more likely you are to discover or create work that works for you.
(Whether you have a job or you run your own business, you can use the ideas in this article to enhance your current situation or target your next dream situation.)
- First, you need to know what kinds of clues to collect--To discover the answer to this question, keep reading this feature article.
- Then, you need to be able to recognize the clues when they show up in your life--I'll cover this topic in the next newsletter.
Most people who are trying to identify their dream career focus on what they want to do. They think about their passion and try to use those clues to determine their next career.
Unfortunately, this tactic usually leaves people feeling frustrated because their clues aren't specific enough to identify a particular career out of a field of many. For instance, a potential client might say to me, "I know I want to work with children" or "I love to work with numbers" or "I want to use my creativity." Although each person has a clue to their passions, one clue doesn't help them isolate their ideal work. There are a host of careers that give you the opportunity to work with children, numbers or creativity. The key is to know more about yourself so you can narrow your focus even more.
In fact, you want to have as many clues as possible so that they point you directly to your treasure.
- Who Are You?
What's your personal style? What do you value? How do you function best?
Understanding your personal style helps you find a career that allows you to be fully yourself at work.
- How Do You Want to Live?
How do you want to spend time with those you care about? Where do you want to live? How can you best handle your personal responsibilities to your loved ones?
Knowing how you want to live insures that you create a career that enables you to live the life you want.
- What Work Environment Is Best for You?
What does your ideal work day look like? What's the best work location for you? Who would you like to work with? What benefits would be ideal? How much vacation would you like each year?
Understanding your environment needs, means you can create a career that allows you to be satisfied and productive in your work.
- What Are Your Favorite Skills?
What skills do you enjoy using? How do you like to help others? What processes do you enjoy most?
Knowing the skills that are most important to you, allows you to create a career that weaves together your favorite skills.
- What Are Your Favorite Interests?
What topics do you enjoy talking about? What industries are you drawn to? What tools and equipment do you enjoy using?
Knowing the topics that interest you most, enables you to create a career that fascinates you.
By gathering all of these clues, you not only find a career that you enjoy, but one that allows you to live the life you want and be yourself at work. To track the clues you discover, create a binder with tabs or a computer file for each of these questions. As you create your lists, you'll find that themes begin to appear.
If you'd like help creating your list of clues and finding out how to combine them to identify your dream career, use Your Dream Career For Dummies or the Career Clarity Program (tm) (a more deluxe version of the program that includes the option of coaching support). Each program provides step-by-step guidance as you collect the clues you need to discover your dream career.
How do you know when a clue is a clue? Watch for the answer to that question in the next newsletter.
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