For a long time, I felt like I had made some wrong career choices and I was stuck. Then, on May 9th, 2014, I said "adios" to my stressful day job, left for maternity leave and never went back. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. Up until that point, I was stuck in my job and knew that I had so much more to offer. For years I dreamed of the "one day" when I would know what I wanted to do next and I would stop standing still. Well..that day had finally come!
When you are struggling with discouragement and being overworked or bored, I completely understand how far off your dream career can feel. I want you to know that it really isn't that far away. You have career choices.
If I can do it there really is no reason that you can't do it too. That's why I am so excited to give you just the very first steps you need to make your dream career or a reality. I realized I was in charge of my destiny, just like you are too! Don't settle!
Here are three ways you can narrow down your career choices and determine the right career fit for you:
1) Friendly Feedback
Oftentimes, we aren't even aware of what strengths come so naturally to us. That's I recommend going outside of your own brain to get some friendly feedback before you change jobs. It's time to interview your friends, family, colleagues and relatives. Gather as much information as you possibly can and thank them for their time and input. You can do this in-person, by phone or by email. Then, see what common themes appear.
So the 3 things you want to ask are
-What do you think is my greatest strength?
-What do you see as my special talent, ability or gift?
-What do I do naturally or effortlessly that is special?
Make sure they know that they have permission to be candid with you. Also, don't be defensive or upset when presented with feedback. And say thank you no matter what you feel.
The most important thing is to try to get common themes. Don't worry about the negative stuff as much as the information about your strengths that you get over and over again.
2) Purpose and Mission
You cannot move forward with your job search without nailing your mission and purpose. You want to make a difference in the world and you're not going to make that difference if you don't know what your mission is.
You won't reach your full potential and you won't do the job you were born to do. You will always be wondering if this is the right career fit for you, if you aren't sure what your mission and purpose is. You won't find work that matches your values, which are those things that matter most to you.
So here are some questions to ask yourself to determine your purpose:
-What activities do you do and lose track of time?
-What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
-What makes you feel excited about life?
-What do people typically ask you for help in?
-If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
-What would you do if you only had one year to live?
-What has you bouncing out of bed in the morning, eager to start your day?
Then, it's important to create your mission statement.
Everyone needs a mission statement. We only get one life. Don't let someone else mold it for you. Even if it is just a few words on a post-it note, you need something to help you focus in on what is most important to you.
You know in your heart what is most important to you. In fact, your mission and values are expressed everyday but how you live - you just might not realize it.
To create your own mission statement, go to http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/ and answer the 10 questions.
3) Motivations and Values
The next factor to career satisfaction in your ideal career is your motivations which can also sometimes be called values. Motivations are the rewards each of us needs. Some examples of motivations are flexibility, autonomy and intellectual challenge. Motivations are really important to be aware of to make sure you are aligned in a job correctly and it is also important to remember that your motivations can change based on your current life situation. For example, if you are a new working mom you might have different motivations and want more flexibility than when you are a recent college graduate and you wanted challenge and teamwork.
When you are determining what your values are during your, here are a couple I will list.
-Achievement/accomplishment: producing results that are significant, completing tasks and projects successfully
-Advancement: consistently moving ahead to new and progressive opportunities
-Autonomy: ability to choose own projects, set own pace, schedule and work habits and minimal supervision of your effort
-Balance: spending equivalent time and effort on tasks, work and overall life
-Belonging to a group: having a sense of being a contributing member of a group
-Challenge: involvement with stimulating or demanding tasks or projects
-Competition: engaging in activities where results are measured frequently and compared with others'
-Creativity: making, inventing or producing innovative, imaginative or original things or ideas
See a full list of values .
What career are you going to go after now that you have narrowed down your career choices? Share in the comments below!
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About the Author
Anna is the founder of Classy Career Girl, named by Forbes as one of the top 35 most influential career sites of 2014. She helps millions of women design and launch their dream careers, businesses and lives through her website, online courses and social media channels.
