You’re feeling stuck in a job that doesn’t fulfill you, unsure of how to navigate the path to your dream career. Knowing your true goals, passions and strengths is crucial to finding and establishing a career that fulfills you. If you’re not sure how to put this concept into practice, it might be time to schedule a free introductory call with a Crosworks career coach, who can guide you through career assessment. In the meantime, here are some helpful tips to frame your thinking. 

Self-Reflection

The key to intrinsically understanding your values, interests and strengths is to spend some time reflecting on your life experiences and how those experiences exemplify you. Journaling, meditation and getting feedback from a mentor are all great ways to improve your ability to self-reflect.

Define Your Goals

The top priority in setting career goals should be to base them on your values and passions. Create a personal definition of what success means to you. Is it to consistently collaborate with a team to rally behind big goals? Is it to contribute to a cause that’s bigger than yourself? Make these goals unique to you by basing them on your own self-reflection. Then, establish checkpoints that follow the SMART goal framework (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) to lead to the career that aligns with your definition of success.

Research and Exploration

This step is especially important if you’re venturing through a career change. Researching industries and companies that align with your values and definition of success is the first step in this process. Once you have a better idea of the industry and the type of job you’d like, look into specific positions that are open and study the job descriptions. Do you know anyone who has a similar role who can share insights with you about their day-to-day work, the rewards and the challenges?

While not impossible, it’s difficult to assess your career on your own. If you’d like a trusted, experienced partner – who has an unbiased perspective – consider meeting with a Crosworks career coach. Find out what’s involved and how they approach career assessment. The initial call is free and there’s no pressure to commit. It’s an easy first step.