Identifying Your Values To Make Successful Career Transitions

Identifying our values is a critical part of making intentional decisions. Try this worksheet if you're feeling like you need some clarity around what is most important to you.

AOriginally published by Katherine (Kit) Prendergast, Career Connections of Sierra Nevada

The following list of 36 values (listed alphabetically) gives you an opportunity to identify which values are truly important to you at this time in your life

First, check off all the values that are important to you - check off as many as you want.  Be careful not to check off a value just because you think it “should” be important to you.  

• Achievement/Accomplishment: achieving tasks/goals successfully
• Advancement: consistently moving ahead to new opportunities
• Autonomy: choosing own projects, setting own pace, minimal supervision
• Belonging to a Group: being identified with a close-knit group working toward mutual goals (family, community or work related)
• Building Something: creating or establishing a thing or idea
• Challenge: involvement with stimulating or demanding tasks/projects
• Competition: participating in activities that are measurable  
• Community Involvement: contributing regularly to local, national or international well-being
• Creativity: making, inventing or producing innovative things or ideas

 

• Entrepreneurship: organizing & starting a new business or enterprise
• Equality: having the same value or status as others
• Excitement: engaging in continual change and variety
• Fame: public visibility, being widely recognized and renowned
• Family: time & energy for children, spouse, parents & relatives
• Financial Security: pay/benefits that are satisfactory and predictable
• Friendships: frequent and caring relationships outside the family
• Fun: experiencing pleasure, enjoyment and delight

 

• Happiness: feeling pleasure, contentment, well-being and joy
• Harmony: sense of inner calm and tranquility
• Health: positive physical and emotional health
• Independence: being self-reliant, freedom from control of others
• Integrity: adherence to personal code of ethics
• Leadership: guiding, motivating or directing others
• Learning: continuous drive to acquire knowledge and new skills
• Leisure: pursuing non-work related activities
• Physical Activity: active in regular physical work/challenges
• Recognition: being positively acknowledged by others
• Respect: being treated with consideration and fairness
• Risk-Taking: willingness to push oneself to face challenges/demands
• Security/Stability: predictability of routine, roles, life style
• Self-Expression: ability to communicate personal ideas & feelings
• Service to Others: giving assistance, support and aid to others
• Spirituality: having a spiritual belief that influences one’s life work
• Status: possessing a prestigious job title or position
• Wealth: having significant financial resources and possessions
• Work/Life Balance:  a positive balance of time and energy

Are there other values that are important to you but not on this list?  If so, write them down using your own words.

• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________

Second, sort the values that you have checked off into the following three categories.  Write the # next to the chosen value.  A good way to do this is to remember a time in your life when you were the happiest and then ask yourself, “Was this value being fulfilled during this time in my life?”  


#1s Must Have in My Work/Personal Life
#2s Nice to Have But Not Necessary
#3s Can Live Without 


Third, take your list of “Must Haves” and write them in priority order with the most important one first.  Try to limit your number to a maximum of six.  


1.   ___________________________________
2.  ___________________________________
3.  ___________________________________
4.  ___________________________________
5.  ___________________________________
6.  ___________________________________


Now you are ready to integrate these “Must Have” values into your career planning. You may want to modify your list as you move through the process which is fine. By incorporating your values into your planning you will be ensuring that you will be working at your very best and be the happiest. Enjoy!