Do you make career choices while you sleep?

And by sleep, I’m talking figuratively, though some folks do wake up with the blinding realization of what to do with their careers…

No, what I’m talking about is how many of us (yes, I’ve been guilty of this a lot of the years) just accept what’s offered to us in our work and our lives, rather than actively living by a set of values and choosing to accept or decline based on those values – or to go out and get something for yourself when the choices you’re offered don’t work for you.

I took some time to go over the Work Values Checklist from Monster.com today, and found it to be a simple and powerful tool for getting your values up into your conscious thinking level – which is a great start, because the more you’re aware of those values, the better chance you have of making decisions in line with them. And that leads to a more satisfying work life (and life life).

The one thing that didn’t quite ring true for me was the “golden handcuffs” description of the Extrinsic Values. Sure, people use certain qualities of their work as excuses to stay in a position. But if those qualities are of importance, then you need to know that to be able to find the right job elsewhere, especially if your current position fails you on the Intrinsic and Lifestyle Values.

(Maybe I’m just being fussy, but I would’ve liked to see a greater acknowledgment of their importance.)

If you set aside 15 minutes or so to go through it, I think you’ll be pretty pleased with what it reveals. And if you’re not sure how this will help you in your executive job search, consider this quote from the end of the article:

Finally, write two or three sentences describing or summarizing how your values will translate into your ideal job. Knowing what’s important will help you prepare for your next interview or help you find increased satisfaction with the job you have.

It’ll also help with your resume preparation, I daresay.

Don’t gamble with your résumé. Get a free résumé critique from Career-Resumes.com® today. Peter Newfield, President of Career-Resumes.com® and the résumé expert for BlueSteps.com, The Ladders, and former expert for Spencer Stuart Talent Network, leads a crack team of résumé writers with over 100 years of combined experience. Invest in your executive career at Career-Resumes.com®.

No Comments

No comments yet.

Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI

Leave a comment