Self-assessment: The first step is self-assessment. It’s important to take an inventory of what you like about your current job and what you dislike. This will help you identify career opportunities that suit your strengths and interests. What makes you pop out of bed on a Monday morning and feel really good about where you’re going? Where does money play into your priorities? What about your needs surrounding colleagues, teamwork, environment, and culture? Take a good look at your values, interests, personality, and skills (VIPS). These are just pieces of the puzzle. You have to find the common themes and threads—and they can change over time.
There are several wonderful tools available: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which is a personality assessment tool that tries to answer four specific questions about a person’s energy sources, information processing, decision making, and environment needs.
CareerLeader, which is an online self-assessment program for those interested in business but aren’t sure which specific industry to pursue. This is a wonderful, deep tool that relies heavily on those VIPS. This tool is open to the public.
My Career Story Workbook is a newer type of career development tool that looks at your life story as an assessment tool. This workbook includes questions about such details as your favorite movies, inspirational heroes, and favorite sayings to help you figure out what makes you tick from a “life story” perspective. It’s a great and less traditional way to get at some of this information.
Reimagining Stability:
Navigate instability by embracing happiness in the present, acknowledging the absence of guaranteed stability. Recognize the need to craft happiness amidst constant disruptions, fostering a new perspective on career and life.
You Are More Than Your Job: Redefining Identity
Dissociate identity from occupation—a paradigm shift advocated by experts. For managers and employees alike, this separation fosters flexibility, opening avenues for diverse skill utilization and role reallocation. More people are waking up to the knowledge that “no amount of hustle and grit is going to overcome structural inequality and the lack of growth in real wages.
Diversification & Adaptability: Thriving in Transition
Embrace diversification akin to a well-balanced portfolio. Flexibility in skill sets and career trajectories empowers adaptation amidst technological shifts, allowing managerial nimbleness and employee resilience.
Rebalancing for Well-rounded Careers: Embracing Fluidity
Acknowledging life’s chapters, rebalance your career priorities to align with evolving life stages. Encouraging a supportive environment that accommodates career pauses or reallocations fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty.
Adapting to this ever-evolving landscape requires a paradigm shift—a journey from rigidity to fluidity, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and resilient professional life.
