ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > November > 28 > Entry
What do you value in a job?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It is well-known that the primary reason people leave their jobs, whether by choice or by firing, is due to a misalignment in the values of that individual and the values of that organization. Depending on the degree of your misalignment, you might be able to hang in there for a few months, or even a few years, but if you’re not staying true to your values, you’re eventually going to crash and burn.
So what does that mean, anyway? Values. What do you value in a job?
A good way to begin to identify your work values is to think about what you enjoy doing or what you find important. To make it simple, people want to spend time doing things they value. The following examples will help you begin to identify what your work values are:
- If you value being with other people and socializing, you might not be happy in a job where you have little to no human contact.
- If you value being able to come home to your family at the end of the day, you may not be happy in a job where you will work a lot of overtime, or in a second shift position, or in a position that requires extensive travel.
- If you feel strongly about avoiding tobacco or alcohol, your values are not going to be very well aligned for working at a corporation that manufactures these kinds of products.
- If you’re an environmentalist, will you want to work for a company whose profits are tied to consuming natural resources?
- If you value being able to contribute creative ideas to a workplace, but your job requires you follow an inflexible routine, this is a misalignment in values.
- If you feel strongly about making a difference in people’s lives, and you don’t feel good about how your company profits from its customers, your values might not be aligned.
- If you find comfort in routine, your might not be a great fit for a hectic, unpredictable work environment.
The first step in making a career change is understanding what you value and find fulfilling in a career. Do you enjoy completing a project? Finding new solutions to a problem? Helping someone with their concerns?
The important thing to remember is that values are not really a matter of right or wrong. It’s a matter of how you prefer to spend your time. Your values can actually change as you progress through your career. What was fulfilling in your 20s might not be the best fit for you in your 40s.
Understanding your values will help you to make better career choices throughout your lifetime.
Permalink | |
