What Are Your Career Values?

Your values are the things that you believe are important in the way you live and work. They tell you about who you are and what is important to you. It is very important to be true to your own values and maintain your integrity. Values are also the expression of yourself. Knowing what you want out of your work is very important to your ultimate career success and knowing your values and how you value them is critical to finding your ultimate career satisfaction.

In your work, values are what give purpose to a job. The effort, commitment and motivation that a person brings to a job are usually in direct proportion to the values that they perceive in it. Your values will govern everything you do and are a very useful guideline for your professional development.

How to Identify Work Values

If you find it difficult to articulate your values, a good place to start is by thinking back to a time when you were younger. What were your earlier interests and passions?

Look at the values listed below. Make a note of the three values which are most like you and the two that are least like you.

INDEPENDENCE. Freedom to work alone, make your own decisions, plan your own work.
HELPING. Helping, advising or caring for others in face-to-face work situations.
RISK-TAKING. The sense of excitement, adventure and challenge that comes from taking risks, whether personal, physical or to an organisation.
VARIETY. Change and diversity in work content, personal contacts or location.
PRESTIGE. The status, recognition and importance of a job, either within your own organisation or that accorded by the general public.
LEADERSHIP. Work in close co-operation with others to achieve a common goal.
TEAM MEMBERSHIP. Working in close co-operation with others to achieve a common goal.
ADVANCEMENT. Promotion, career progression and upward mobility.
MATERIAL BENEFITS. The financial, or other material rewards ensure a comfortable lifestyle.
SECURITY. Stability of employment and assured salary.
ARTISTIC CREATIVITY. Engage in creative work in any art form.

Add any other values you feel you hold, that are not listed.

Knowing your Job Values will go a long way to helping you understand and take charge of your career and will guide you down a path of workplace satisfaction and enjoyment.

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Dominika Miernik

Dominika Miernik is an award-winning Career and Expat Coach with over 20 years of living and working abroad in countries like Poland, Italy, the UK and France. Over the past 10+ years, she has been helping expat and globally mobile women to create fulfilling careers and businesses around their international lives. She works with individuals and expat support organisations. And is a mentor for expat coaches.
Currently, she is enjoying a laptop lifestyle while travelling across Europe.

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