Mark your calendars! October 19th is National Evaluate Your Life Day. Didn't know there was such a thing? Me neither, I was looking for inspiration for my next blog post and googled off-beat holidays you can celebrate in October. This got me thinking… for some of us, our career makes up a significant aspect of our life and personal identity – so when was the last time you stepped back and reflected on how you really felt about your job, your professional development and levels of satisfaction?
Shifts in the job market mean the ‘traditional one career’ for life is a rarity. In fact, according to an article published on the Forbes website, the average worker now changes jobs every 4.4 years. Therefore, choosing and managing your career is increasingly about exploring a variety of options, evaluating your strengths, considering your values and personality. Of course these will evolve over time so there is some merit in stepping back on the 19th October and evaluating our careers.
Self-evaluation is challenging work! However there are some fantastic tools out there that can provide a helpful starting point.
- Windmills Interactive allows you to undertake a series of exercises which help you clarify the kind of life you want and how you can start working towards it.
- University of Bath students can take advantage of the Team Focus Personal and Career Development Reports which allow you understand your personality and work environments that you are best suited to.
You may also want to consider the following questions:
- If a miracle happened one evening and you awoke the next morning with your fantasy job waiting, what would it be?
- What is stopping you from pursuing your dream career? What is in the way?
- What do you value the most in the workplace?
Have a great weekend and do feel free to book an appointment with a Careers Adviser to continue your reflective journey!
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