Written by: Linda Evans, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If you have come to a point in your career where you feel the need to make a change, this article will guide you through how to make more precise changes in order to increase your career and life satisfaction.
As a career coach, my primary goals are to help clients clarify what they want and what they are willing to do to achieve it.
Many clients simply feel stuck and dissatisfied but do not know what or how to change in their careers.
There are many factors to consider - Which do you want to change? Which do you not want to change?
Tasks
Strengths
What are your natural talents in which you excel at more than the average person?
Are you getting to use some of your strengths everyday? (i.e.good with hands, math wizard, charismatic public speaker, etc.)
Gallup’s research over decades has found that people who use their strengths everyday are 6 times more likely to be engaged in their jobs.
Passions
Are you doing something that you genuinely care about? (i.e. healing people, making something beautiful, planning events, etc.)
Do you feel any enthusiasm about your work?
Simon Sinek said, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.”
Autonomy
How much external structure would you like to be provided for you?
How much control do you have over how you spend your time and energy?
Variety
How many different things do you prefer to work on within a week or month? (i.e. few long term projects vs. many different smaller projects/tasks)
Do you feel bored or overwhelmed with the number of things you work on?
Creativity
How much do you enjoy creating new and different products, services, and processes?
How much creativity is required of you, and do you enjoy that?
Challenge
Some people enjoy settling into routine tasks, while others always want to be pushed beyond their comfort zone.
What level of difficulty do you prefer in your work?
Do you currently feel bored or overwhelmed at work?
Conditions
Security
How often do you feel threatened by the likelihood of being let go or replaced by automation?
Do you feel that you are able to remain at your job as long as you choose?
Safety
How often do you feel threatened by danger and harm of any kind (physical, emotional, sexual, etc.)?
How many times have you suffered occupational hazards at work?
Diversity
How comfortable do you feel being your authentic self?
Do you feel the need to censure or hide any of your core identities?
How much do you feel differences (yours and others) are respected within your work culture?
Recognition
How much do you value visibility and celebration by others for your work, internally and/or externally?
How motivated are you by the positive attention of others?
How often do you receive public rewards for your work?
Compensation
Pay
Is your compensation enough to meet your living needs, pay off debt, and save for the future?
Do you want a steady salary at a regular interval, or do you prefer for your payment to be directly proportionate to the time/energy you invest (i.e. commission & bonuses)?
Are there opportunities to earn/request higher pay over time?
Benefits
Are you satisfied with the number of sick/vacation days provided? Do you feel free to use them as you please?
Are you satisfied with the coverage provided for medical, dental, and/or vision insurance?
Are you satisfied with the retirement offers and level of employer contribution to your retirement fund?
Are there benefits you really want that you currently do not have? (i.e. loan forgiveness, tuition remission, mental health services, child care subsidy)
Perks
What else does your job offer besides money and benefits? (i.e. free meals, devices, recreational facilities, discounts, swag, trips)
Would you like more perks to make your work life easier or more pleasant?
Structure
Pace
Do you perform better under pressure imposed by external deadlines?
How rushed and stressed do you feel in your work?
Do you feel that you are able to satisfy all the deadlines in your work?
Schedule
Do you like to work the same hours on the same days each week?
Are you required to work during evenings, holidays, and weekends?
How well does your job schedule work with your personal life?
How much flexibility do you have in requesting a change in your work schedule as needed?
Location
Where do you do your most productive work - at home, in the office, or in a variety of places?
How much control do you have over where you work?
How much flexibility do you have in requesting a change in your work location as needed?
Growth
Advancement
How far do you want to progress in your organization or industry?
Do you feel like your quality of work and tenure are recognized and rewarded with promotions/raises?
Professional Development
How much time and resources does your organization invest in your learning of new skills, knowledge, and credentials?
Do you feel supported in staying up-to-date in your industry?
Leadership
Do you seek to obtain a management or supervisory role?
Are there opportunities to work up to a leadership role in your organization or industry?
People
Coworkers
Do you trust your coworkers to do their jobs?
How well do your strengths and skills complement each other?
How well do you enjoy being around your coworkers?
Gallup’s research continually shows that those who have a best friend at work are both more engaged and productive.
Managers
Do you admire and respect your direct supervisors?
Do you mostly agree with the major decisions of your organization’s executives?
Do you feel that you receive the supervision, feedback, and mentorship you need to do your best work?
Do you feel safe speaking up with feedback or requests without retaliation?
Clients
How much do you like, respect, and care about the people you serve?
Do you feel like you are able to serve and satisfy most of your clients?
Purpose
Impact
How big and wide of an impact to improve others’ lives would you like to make through your work?
Where, who, and how do you want to impact in a positive way?
Are you satisfied with your current level of impact?
Cause/mission
What issues in the world do you most care about?
How much do you want to address your most valued issues through your job? (i.e. clean water, sex trafficking, animal rights, religious freedom, etc.)
Family legacy
Do you have a certain trade or industry in which your family members have worked for generations?
How much do you value continuing the work your older family members have been in?
These categories and questions provide a useful framework for self-assessment of your career satisfaction, whether you are currently considering a big change or not.
Journaling would be more effective than simply answering these questions in your own mind. Discussing them with others you trust may bring even more insights.
If you want to work with a professional career coach, I would be honored and delighted to help!
Linda Evans, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Linda Evans is a strengths-based career coach and personal branding expert. In 2011, she founded her virtual career coaching business, Launched by Linda, LLC. Her full-time career has been in higher education since 2012, and she currently works in Career Services at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Linda has a B.A. in American Studies and minor in Ballroom Dance from Brigham Young University, and an M.A. in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University. She is also a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and has certificates in positive psychology and public speaking.
