What is Career discovery?
If you ask people how they choose their industry/job, most of them will say they just fell into it, without much thought. However, a few years down the line, once they have accumulated a certain amount of experience and success, many start looking for more enjoyment from their work (in addition to success). This is where career discovery comes in. It is based on a few very important principles:
- Every person has a unique set of characteristics and preferences (personality, interests, values, skills, past experiences, career goals/constraints), which change over time
- It is possible (and advisable) for people to find or create work that allows them to express their characteristics and preferences, in a realistic and financially viable way
- If such a work situation is realised, it will lead to optimal enjoyment and success at work
Career discovery is a process of extracting and identifying your personal characteristics and preferences, through systematic and thorough self reflection, complemented with tools such as psychometric assessments. This will help you proactively manage your career, which means a) knowing your ideal work situation (industry, company, role, work environment and so on), b) having a plan to attain it and c) achieving/maintaining optimal success and well-being, in that work situation.
The following elements make up your personal characteristics and preferences, which need to be uncovered in a career discovery exercise:
Ø Working conditions: What are your ideal work conditions
Ø Personality: What type of a person are you?
Ø Values: What matters the most to you?
Ø Interests: What motivates you?
Ø Skills: What are your transferable skills?
Ø Goals & Constraints: What are your goals and constraints for the future?
Source: Sandbox Advisors; CCI
