Find Success & Fulfillment: Your Core Values and Job Role
Often, we leap at the first opportunity that puts us in a better financial position. Whether it’s because of everyday living expenses, student loans or financial freedom, our first instinct when it comes to finding a job is to look at the money.
However, money is not the end all be all. In any job search, you must take a moment to stop and understand what you want out of life and your career, so you can find a place where you are happy both personally and professionally.
We talk to eye care professionals every day, constantly evaluating and exploring what it is that would make them happy when it comes to their job roles and beyond. Discussing and determining these factors that would make you feel successful and fulfilled is how we are able to place you with an employer whose work culture matches your personal needs and core values.
Your commitment to a successful, financially well-off career is admirable, but you should first know a few key things as you proceed to grow in your career.
What are your core values?
Put simply, your core values are the things that you hold to be of the greatest importance and of the highest priority in your life. They are different for everyone, but these values subconsciously drive everything you do.
Common values include compassion, commitment to learning, decisiveness, faith, family, honesty, patience, personal freedom, respect, responsibility and more.
Try this exercise. Take some time and write down everything that is most important to you, whether it is people, feelings, activities or qualities. After you have your list, ask yourself why it is important to you.
What is your primary goal in life?
When you focus on your life’s primary goal, ask yourself what your aim is. What do you hope to achieve both professionally and personally? Your life’s mission statement is how you carry out your core values within your daily life. It is a part of how you play, govern values, who you really are and what you desire to get out of life.
Once you understand what your goals in life are, you achieve a clear idea of where you want to end up.
Try this exercise. Jot down some ideas of what your mission in life is. It can be a simple statement or a full page. Your primary goal should serve to inspire you throughout your everyday life.
What are your roles?
Understanding your responsibilities and your relationships is important when it comes to the people you work with on a regular basis. As an employee, you want to come to work for more than just a paycheck. In fact, 63 percent of people chose their jobs based on flexibility, work-life balance and human connection than higher pay.
Your role goes simply beyond the responsibilities you have at work. Consider the roles you might have at home or in your daily activities, organization or hobbies. Are you a caretaker? A coach? A parent? Spouse? An organizer or volunteer? Does this role make you feel fulfilled outside of work? And, if so, how can you transfer that feeling to your daily work life?
Try this exercise. Write down all the roles you have in your daily activities and the responsibilities that come with them. Next, prioritize your roles and determine which are most important to you. This exercise will help you understand how and where you devote your time and energy if a conflict occurs, such as work vs. family.
Lastly, evaluate your performance in each role. If you are doing a wonderful job, think about why you are doing it so well. If you are performing poorly, ask yourself what changes need to be made and how it makes you feel.
Now what?
The purpose of these exercises is to understand what matters the most to you in order to find success and fulfillment. Understanding who you are, what matters to you and where you are headed allows you to set achievable goals to create the life you want.
At imatters, we let you take control of your own happiness. As the nation’s largest database of eye care professionals, we have the tools and network ready to assist you. If you need help searching for a position that makes you feel fulfilled and successful, reach out to us today to get started.