Your Career Values

It’s easy to assume that your values are like most people’s: be ethical, want to make a contribution, have work-life balance, etc.

But people’s values vary more than one might think. This self-assessment inventory should help you home in on the sort of career or job you want. It may also help you decide if you want to stay in your current position and current career.

Mark each of the following career attributes with one of these:

–Must have (M)
–Nice to have (N)
–Ok not to have (O)
–Don’t want (D)

Some of these attributes could be described as “abilities” as well as “values” but no matter. Their inclusion should be helpful to you.

Who?

Political affinity is a surprisingly important factor in job satisfaction.

___ Coworkers who mainly are Democrats or Socialists

___ Coworkers who mainly are Republicans or Libertarians

___ Much of the workday spent with highly intelligent people

___ Much of the workday spent in teamwork and meetings rather than in solo work

___ Much of the workday with artsy people

___ Much of the workday with businesslike people

___ Coworkers who dress in professional attire

___ A workplace culture that’s social, even if that detracts from productivity

Where?

___ Employed by a large company. If you wish, specify an industry, product, or service:

___ Employed by a small company. If you wish, specify an industry, product, or service:

___ Employed by a non-profit. If you wish, specify a cause or nonprofit:

___ Employed by the government

___ In a particular location, for example, by the water, in an office, at school, home, outdoors, small town, city or its suburb. Specify:

___ Employed in a specific city or two. Specify one or more:

___ Not being “stuck behind a desk”

___ Travel: If you wish, specify where and the percent away from home.

What

___ Heavily uses a particular ability, knowledge, or skill. Specify:

___ Addresses a particular problem. Specify:

___ A prestigious occupation even though training is long and competition for good jobs fierce.

___ Ethical work and employer

___ Much autonomy

___ Being an expert

___ The work involves a cutting edge

___ Often requires artistic creativity

___ Often requires intellectual creativity, problem solving

___ Big-picture thinking rather than detailed implementation

___ Variety of tasks

___ Much of the workday persuading people

___ Much of the workday planning with people

___ Much of the workday supervising people

___ Much of the workday healing people

___ Much of the day producing or reviewing data

___ Much of the workday building or fixing

___ Risk-taking, physical or financial. Specify:

___ Detail-orientedness, being accurate

___ Leadership

___ Requiring significant additional education

Workload

___ X to Y work hours per week. Specify:

___ P to Q commuting hours per week. Specify:

___ Learning a lot on the job

___ Modest productivity expectation

___ Low stress

___ Flexible schedule

Compensation

___ Income. Specify target range:

___ Commission-based or bonus-heavy compensation

___ Benefits

___ Job security

___ Physically attractive workspace

The takeaway

In light of the above, should you consider changing your job? Your career? What are your few most important Musts?

Dr. Nemko’s nine books are available. You can reach career and personal coach Marty Nemko at mnemko@comcast.net.