Identifying Your Values
MES Foundation Staff
When you think about your ideal career, what job values are important to you? Are you interested in a career that offers prestige, excitement and travel? Or are you more interested in stability, sharing expertise and being a leader? If you have a clear understanding of your personal values while you pursue a career, you're more likely to find the right fit.
Here's
an exercise to help you identify your job values. Read each of the following
words and rate them from 1-5. Five (5) is most important and one (1) is least
important. When finished, take the words you rated with a 5 and list them
together. These core values give you an understanding of which job values are
MOST important to you. You can use this information as a guideline when researching
companies or asking
questions to help you with your career decisions.
|
VALUE |
RATING
(1-5) |
|
Recognition:
Notice received for achievements, work tasks, academic achievements,
community service, etc. |
________________ |
|
Prestige:
Being viewed by others with honor. |
________________ |
|
Security:
Being assured of job stability. |
________________ |
|
Stability:
Unchanging, predictable. |
________________ |
|
Intellectual
Challenge: Conquering challenges
through the use of mental capacity. |
________________ |
|
Physical Challenge:
Conquering challenges through the use of physical capacity. |
________________ |
|
Self-managed Time:
Being able to allocate personal time for such things as relationships and
leisure. |
________________ |
|
|
________________ |
|
Lifestyle Balance:
Having all aspects of one's life be equal or in proportion (spirit, mind,
and body, etc.) |
________________ |
|
Flexibility:
Enjoy change, can adapt easily. |
________________ |
|
Service to Others:
Contributing to the well-being of others. |
________________ |
|
Creativity:
The ability to make something that has not previously existed; being able
to identify new approaches. |
________________ |
|
Leadership:
The capacity to guide others. |
________________ |
|
Variety:
Being free from routine. |
________________ |
|
Excitement:
To go beyond the comfort level of others. |
________________ |
|
Risk:
Willingness to forego security to achieve a desired goal. |
________________ |
|
Expertise:
Having the ability to do activities, or have knowledge beyond that of
others. |
________________ |
|
Honesty:
Telling the truth and expecting the same behavior from others. |
________________ |
|
Personal Code of
Ethics: A set standard of
guiding principles that you live by. |
________________ |
|
Personal Growth:
Continual self-exploration in all areas of your life. |
________________ |