Career Compass: Learning to navigate careers

Navigating a career is a challenging process. It is common to question when and if to make a change, plus the worry of it not being the right fit and being stuck in the wrong role looms over every decision. Here are some helpful tips when considering the next move to feel more confident in career choices.?

Self-reflection??

How do I know where I am going without a map? We have become reliant on the traditional job ladder and the assumption that there is a natural progression or a clear next step in the path. This is no longer the case in the job market today. Instead, we are challenged to progress creatively, looking sideways and diagonal to make progress in our careers. The new question should be, how do we find the right direction without a map? The answer is our compass. By identifying strengths and values, we develop our sense of direction, creating a compass that will lead to finding positions that align with what is most important.?

Strengths??

We spend so much time working that it is essential for fulfillment and enjoyment to feel good at what we do. A study conducted on positive interventions found that if someone could identify their strengths and then apply them in new and different ways, it led to experiencing higher levels of happiness and satisfaction in work. How do we determine what our strengths are? We can identify what we excel in through reflection and talking to colleagues and individuals closest to us. Here are some suggested exercises:???

• Track your tasks at work. Keeping a journal, write down your daily tasks for the week. Label what energized you, what you enjoyed, and what you most looked forward to. This will help you pinpoint where you find joy in your current role.???
• Seek feedback. Schedule a one-on-one meeting with your supervisor and ask them to share where they feel you excel and what strengths they see in you. Ask the same questions of colleagues you frequently collaborate with or witness your everyday work. Lastly, ask friends and family members who will offer insight on a personal level. Then, you can compare to find an alignment between work and life to identify strengths.???

Through these reflective practices, you will identify a specific skill or two that is enjoyable, brings a source of pride, and that you would like to continue to develop. That skill will become your brand and help guide you for growth in your current role while pointing the way to other opportunities that could benefit from that skill set.? ??

Values??

Values create our motivation and drive. Knowing our values allows us to stay true to ourselves both at work and in our daily lives. It helps us build meaningful relationships and pushes us to continue to develop. Knowing our values helps to focus our career compass and drives us to make better decisions when finding that next step in our journey. It is essential to find alignment between values and work to feel fulfilled. Values may change over time, so repeating these reflections at different points in your career is good practice. Here are some exercises to practice:?

• Develop a career graph. Reflect on your experiences so far in your career to uncover what your values may be. Plot the highs and lows of your career, detailing how each role impacted you. You can also focus on your current role, plotting different accomplishments, tasks, and projects you’ve been working on. Then, after you’ve plotted your path, ask yourself, what do my highs have in common? What can I learn from my lows? Hopefully, from these themes, you may start to see what you value in your work. The authors of Squiggly Careers outline this exercise, and they offer some great resources for this exercise free on their?website!?
• Write out your Workview and Lifeview. Finding connections between who you are, what you believe, and what you do is essential. This helps develop meaning and purpose in your life and career. Here is the?Career Development Life Design and Your Career Booklet?link. It includes writing prompts to help you reflect on work and life and determine where they may align and how they may be disconnected.??

These values will guide your compass, identify future opportunities that align with who you are at a deeper level, and help you find more fulfilling work.??

Tune in to a network??

Networking is an opportunity to create meaningful connections with those who could impact the journey. It provides the chance to plug into a depth of knowledge, new perspectives, creative ideas and solutions, and gain insight into the unknown. Developing a network leads to possibilities in your current role, future role, and personal development; those are the categories you should seek to expand your connections. Seek out those who can help you succeed in your job now, find those who could link you with future roles, and discover people who push you to be the best version of yourself. The challenge is developing a connection deeper than business card exchanges and LinkedIn connections. Here are some exercises to expand your network with meaningful connections:?

• Develop an elevator pitch. In order to start the conversation on the right foot, you need to capture who you are and what you stand for in an introduction. Take the time to write an elevator pitch and practice until it feels like second nature. Check out this article that outlines how to write the perfect elevator pitch in 15 minutes. Make sure to include your strengths and values!?
• Practice meaningful conversation and active listening. Networking is no one’s favorite activity because of the dreaded awkward silence, but practice makes perfect! Also, asking the right questions can keep the conversation moving. Here is an impactful TED Talk that demonstrates?how to have better conversations?(which includes listening!).?
• Make time to connect! Seek opportunities to meet new people and take advantage of events that allow you to be outside the office. If you find someone that you would like to learn from, reach out to schedule an informational interview. These conversations have the potential to open doors later!?

Using your compass as a guide, search for opportunities that utilize your strengths and exude your values. Maybe a connection will inform you of the role in which they think you’ll succeed. When that opportunity presents itself, it is time to develop the perfect resume and cover letter that aligns with the role. Check out future blogs to learn more tips for writing your resume and cover letter! ?

Resources

Burnett, B., & Evans, D. (2020). Designing your work life: How to thrive and change and find happiness at work. Alfred A. Knopf.

Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions.?American Psychologist,?60(5), 410-421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410

Tupper, H., & Ellis , S. (2022). The Squiggly Career: Ditch the ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career. Portfolio Penguin.