I shirk whenever I hear a client say “I will do anything!” when looking for a new job or opportunity.
Whilst I acknowledge there are people who may seek work out of desperation or necessity, the act of pursuing ‘any’ job is short-sighted and flawed.
Here’s why:
The job may not play to your strengths or preferred skills
The job may not provide the level of challenge you would like
You may disagree with the goals and aspirations of the organisation
The ethos of the organisation may be in conflict with your beliefs and ideals
Inevitably tension creeps in and the desire to ‘move on’ becomes stronger, or on the flip-side becomes suppressed. In becoming self-aware, we place attention on ourselves and our values; these are the ideals and beliefs that are important to a person.
Values influence all aspects of our lives, including work, family life and other everyday pursuits. Having an awareness of personal values can help a person reflect on what jobs or careers may suit them. Values can be fluid, and constantly dynamic. They are influenced by our experiences, upbringings, education, culture and beliefs. They can also be influenced by different stages of life.
What may have been valued years ago, may not be valued by a person today.
For example, in my early twenties I valued the idea of making a decent salary so I could afford to travel, buy clothes and CDs (yes, I had a CD budget!). The workplace was exciting because I could participate in social events each week, including after work drinks and sports games. I enjoyed taking direction from senior staff and wanted to be guided on what to do. I liked the idea of working for large corporates who had the ability to offer perks and visually appealing work spaces. Nice aesthetics made me feel I was working for a prestigious organisation, I mean, how cool would that be?
Flash forward to the current day and my values have definitely morphed and changed from that time. With greater financial and family responsibilities (mortgage, partner and a cat) I am frugal with my money and like to prioritise spending time with loved ones. With that, I err on the side of valuing
stability and I also appreciate having flexible hours during my work day. I thrive when I can learn at work, so ongoing study and projects have become a priority. I am less interested in corporate life, and prefer to work for organisations that contribute to the development of people and communities. The
idea of giving back is important and I enjoy the helping elements of my work. Naturally the education and community sectors have been a great cultural fit for me over the past 10 years.
Reflecting on your personal values is an important exercise to do – it can reveal a lot about the type of person you are and provides clues on the types of industries and jobs that may suit and support those values.
Useful links:
What are your work values:
Understand workplace values:
Reflection time:
Get a paper and pen, or open up an electronic document and brainstorm all the things that are important to you in work. Try and write down all the words that instantly come to mind (eg. flexible hours).
Go through your list and highlight the top items for you, say 3 to 5.
Pause, and take time to consider whether these things are being met in your current workplace, or if not in work, reflect on why these are important for you.
Consider what things are being maintained, or what may need to change. There is no right or wrong answer.
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