Career Design Process
REVERSE-ENGINEERING YOUR CAREER
Forget looking at job boards, descriptions and titles — internal or external. For now. Before you start looking for a new house, you make a list of “must haves” and “nice to haves.” Same with a new car. Treat your career plan or job search no differently. It has to start with YOU.
Get intentional about first carefully understanding what constitutes the three key elements of your idea role, at the intersection of which you’ll find the sweet spot: your ideal career. Not necessarily in this order…
FUNCTION
This is the what you do piece. The tasks and activities you’re responsible for completing, the role you play, the duties and responsibilities in the job description. Marry your unique MO — how you naturally do the things you do — with a role that needs those strengths to accomplish those tasks most efficiently and you have a match that allows you to do what you do best every day.
PASSION
The why you do what you do piece. What difference do you want to make? What impact? What would make you excited to get out of bed every morning to work on and invest 8+ hours a day?
I’m not talking about finding the cure for cancer or saving the whales here. Unless that’s your thing. I’m talking about what you feel is important… what is meaningful to you. When you can work toward making a difference in some area that you feel strongly about, you will apply what you do best every day to something that matters.
ENVIRONMENT
The where you do what you do piece. What does the “place” look like that will allow you to do your best work? Office? From your car? Outside? What is the culture/core values of the organization? Who are your colleagues (if any) and what are their attitudes, beliefs, work ethic? What are the ideal benefits and compensation?
From the physical space to the intangibles like values and benefits, outlining the characteristics of the right environment is just as important as what you do and why you do it.
Answer these questions and… *POOF*… you have designed your ideal career. Is it easy? If it were I would be out of a job as a career coach. Is the hard work worth it? I’m living proof as I have found that right combination for me. And my clients are happy.
You can be too. Promise.
LET THE SEARCH BEGIN
Only when you know what you want to look for do I recommend you actually being the search. MPOWER services also include:
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Professional Résumé & Cover Letter Develpment & Writing
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Job Search Strategies & Networking — on- and off-line
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Job Interview Preparation
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Salary Negotiation Planning & Practice
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Long-Term Career Management Strategies
