One of the first steps you should take when beginning your career exploration and planning process is undergoing a thorough self-awareness process that looks at your preferences, what motivates you, and your past successes. As a Career Coach/Counsellor, one of my key approaches is to ask probing questions to uncover clues to your ‘best fit career’. The following are a sample of the questions I use. Take time, have fun, and be open-minded…
Generally…
1. My greatest strength, gift or talent is . . .
2. When I have spare time I love to…
3. What I want more of in my work life is . . .
4. What I want less of in my work life is . . .
From my work background and other life experiences…
5. What gives me the greatest feeling of satisfaction is…
6. I’ve felt the most competent when I was….
7. I get most passionate about what I’m doing when…
8. This is what the “job from hell” would look like for me…
9. This is what the “job from heaven” would look like for me… (tip: reverse of the job from hell)
10. When I consider the world, business and community around me, the ‘causes’ and ‘issues’ I feel most passionate about are…
About the future and my potential…
11. If I knew I could/would not fail at something new, then I would try/do/be a …
12. If I could do or be anything I would be a …. doing….
13. The most important legacy I could leave, or the most important contribution I could make to the world is…
14. My five (or more!) greatest success stories or times when I was highly motivated and engaged in my life/work/education/volunteering are…
Review your answers and see if you can pick out any ideas, patterns, or clues that may point to a new career that you would find satisfying.
Related to Clues to your Strengths & Passions:
