Continuing a series of articles for finding career success, this article describes the role that personal values and beliefs play in a successful career. The series began with Keys to Career Success, an overview article describing the complete process for entering a successful career.
The successful career will involve you in work which is tightly integrated with whom you are. Work that is an extension of your core being is work that is satisfying, fulfilling, meaningful, and enjoyable. Work meeting these criteria is usually termed a vocation or calling and is a sure recipe for success.
If you're currently out of work in these economic times finding any paying employment may be your top priority. Taking time for self reflection, researching various occupations, and looking for a perfect match might seem a waste of precious time and energy. Unless your economic situation demands immediate employment, taking the time to understand more about yourself and occupations that are a strong match may pave the way for you to find the ultimate career success — a calling.
What Are Personal Values?
A value is a principle or quality intrinsically valuable or desirable to you. Your personal code of values is a set of characteristics or behaviors that are critically important to you — not something you want or would like to have, but something you literally need in your life to be happy.
Values are personal. They are your convictions, your beliefs, and your ethics rolled into one. Your personal code of values may be identical to your family's values. Or they may be dramatically different, evolving with your life's experiences and insights.
The Importance of Value Alignment in Career
You must live in accordance with your values and beliefs to be fulfilled and happy, to feel right about yourself. When placed in a position that conflicts with your values you'll feel dissatisfied and stressed, as if you're not being yourself.
Since your work is an integral part of your life, trying to be one person at work and an entirely different person at home will put you under extreme stress. That is why your work must allow you to behave in alignment with your values and beliefs in order to do your best — to succeed.
How to Factor in Values and Beliefs
For help on clarifying your values and beliefs, read Personal Values. With your values and beliefs in mind visualize your day-to-day activities when considering career options. Does the environment you're considering align closely with what you value?
For example, a person valuing teamwork and partnering may have a difficult time thriving in an organization favoring internal competition. An optimistic person will want to avoid organizations with a negative culture. Listen closely to how people talk to each other. Look at the signs people have at their workplaces. These can tell you much about how people think and the cultural norms of the organization.
Fulfilling Careers
When you find a career that allows you to fully integrate your values and beliefs in the daily work, you'll be able to do your very best and feel great about your work. This is career success.
Each article in this series is summarized and cross-linked in The Complete Process for Finding Career Success.
Jerry Lopper - IPPA member, business and engineering degrees. Jerry's passion for personal development shows in 5 books, hundreds of articles & ...
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