Creating Your Career by Design – The starting point

In this new space of re-evaluating the way we work and live, it is important to take an in-depth look at your career. Especially what you want from it and where it is headed.

This article and the two subsequent articles will form a 3-part series on the essential steps to moving your career forward in a way that serves you, your goals, and your values.

1. Know what’s important to you and get clear on your values.

It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? You know what you want… or do you?

Often, we assume what we want in our lives is what comes up for us when we first bring it to mind, however, if we spend some time really looking at what our core values are (by the way values are not morals, whether personal or societal).

Your values should be the basis for your career decisions and reflect what you want in your life.

• What is it that you truly value from your career?
• Being able to work flexible hours?
• Additional paid leave?
• The ability to work your career around study?
• Is quality time with family high on your list? Is it a certain income level? Career advancement opportunities?

Give some real thought to the things that are non-negotiable to you in your life. It is these very things that are your core values when it comes to your career because your career needs to be able to support them and allow you to sustain and achieve them.

When you plan your career around the values you want in your life you become more aligned with your career goals and are more likely to adhere to them.

Need some help getting clear on your values?  You can click here and use our template to help you define your values or click on the download button below.

“Thank you, Linda!! The best thing (of many) I gained from our conversation has been revisiting (and trusting) my core values. My hubby and I often struggle with big decisions and your suggestion to review our core values together have helped enormously. To be honest, it wasn’t a surprise to see where we align and where we differ, but it was really interesting to look at them in the context of why we find it so hard to make big decisions together. There was a little lightbulb moment! And while we haven’t quite figured out what that next decision is, we have discussed how we can balance sensible with fun so both our core values get met, whatever we decide – we’re both very much now into having our cake and eating it too!” Katie W. – Passionate Communicator at NFP organisation

2. Be crystal clear. See your vision of where you are headed.

It is important to have an idea of what your life will look like if you adhere to your values and move forward with ensuring they remain in place and your needs both personally and professionally are being met.

Put a timeframe in place and note down what you want life to look like in that time. For some, that is a 5-year picture but for others, it could be different. This quote by Bill Gates sums up perfectly how important setting values and goals are.

“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.” – Bill Gates 

3. Set the goal posts and aim high.

Break your vision down into smaller timeframes. For example, if your vision is a 5 year one, and then break it down to 1 year, 3 years, 5 years. Define what you foresee your life will look like in that time.

To achieve your personal goals, your career must support you, and to achieve your career goals, your personal life must have its needs met. Finding the balance that allows both to thrive will ensure you can achieve your goals and fulfil your vision of the life you foresee.

It is important to not only note down the goals but the path to achieving them. Do you need to learn new skills, find a mentor, or put personal supports in place? At each stage what will achieving your goals look like to you.

Create a task list of what you need to act upon to achieve your goals and keep updating the list as you get closer to your set goals and your timeframes to ensure you keep moving forward.

An excellent starting point for the process is Career Clarity, our online coaching program you can do from anywhere. By the end of the online program, you will feel clearer than ever before about what you want and what your next steps will be to achieve what success means to you. Here’s to your success!