What Makes Me Tick?
A lot goes into figuring out what kind of career might be the best fit for you. Below are some types of things to consider:
INTERESTS – Interests, quite simply, are the things you enjoy. They include the mental and physical activities that you find stimulating. Do you like working with data, or get your energy from working on a team? Some of these interests can be reflected in your hobbies and social activities. Most people find that job satisfaction is linked to interest in the activities they perform.
VALUES – What is most important to you – are there inherent values which you build your life upon that you would like to have incorporated into your work and work environment? Pursuing work that is congruent with your values can also provide work satisfaction.
NEEDS – What are your basic requirements that must be met? Salary, geographic location, flexible work hours, commuting time are all factors which should be considered when reviewing any career transition.
SKILLS – What are your key abilities, talents and strengths? Organizational skills, communication skills, writing and problem-solving are all highly desirable skills. Many of you have technical skills which are invaluable in your fields. Reviewing your accomplishments to determine what skills were critical in assisting your success is a necessary step in understanding what skills you should market in your search for a new opportunity.
PERSONALITY – The importance of “fit” in a particular position or organization cannot be underestimated. When evaluating your next organization or team with whom you will work, be sure to evaluate how it fits you since they will be evaluating your fit also. Personality qualities such as how you make a decision, as well as what energizes you can all vary among individuals and can lead to satisfaction in different working arenas.
You may also want to consider taking career inventories and assessments available through Career Services to help you clarify the answers to some of the above questions.