Too often, people end up in a career that they dislike because they heard that it paid well or perhaps their parents encouraged them to pursue a financially “safe” occupation such as accounting, law or medicine. In other cases, individuals decided to follow same profession as their parents. Some people say that they have too much debt or a lifestyle to maintain while others say that they just simply rely on their steady paycheck. Another question for you to you ponder is, “If I had one year to live and I could have any job, what would I do?” Many times, we already know answer to this question. However, we tend to ignore our passions and dreams because we put limitations on ourselves. We think things like, “I won’t get paid as much” or “It will take me forever to begin my own business.”

After you have discovered your deepest dreams, make a list of resources and skills that you must possess in order to perform your new job and create an action plan. Recognize that individuals only need to commit one hour, everyday. This one hour will give you strength to keep occupation that you hate while you work towards attaining a career that you love.

Studies show a direct link between a person's personality and his career. Indeed, if you are an extrovert person, you would do well in roles such as sales, marketing, public relations. But an introvert person would be better off in roles that do not require public dealing.

To know your personality in detail and its implications on your career, appear at personality tests such as Myers Briggs Test Instrument (MBTI).

(c) Values

Values are what you consider important and valuable. Values differ from person to person and can range from things like money, prestige and power to more subtle things like respect, harmony and independence.

Your values hint towards kind of work that will suit you. For example, if you value "achievement, "you would do well in roles that regularly throw challenges at you. Someone else, however, may value "helping others" and, therefore, would do well in occupations that provide an opportunity to serve others.

To know your values, ask yourself what is important to you, make a list and prioritize items. You can also use value inventories on Internet to identify your values.

(d) Interests

Should work be interesting? Yes, for an important reason: If your work arouses your interest, you are going to do well. History shows that great achievers always pursued what fascinated them. Akio Morita shunned option of joining family business of sake brewing to pursue what he was interested in: an electronics start-up. And he created Sony.

Doing work that interests you can have a lasting impact on your career. To uncover your interests, find out what fascinates you and draws your attention.

Knowing your strengths, personality, values and interests is like having a compass with its needle pointing towards right direction for your career.

Atul Mathur © 2004. All Rights Reserved.