Why is it important to identify your values?

When considering a career or job change, it often feels like a huge task with little direction. Many go looking to solve a problem or improve a certain part of their previous job, but may need to make sure it aligns with their values first. Phil and Jenna discuss how knowing your values can lead to your ideal position more than searching for the perfect job.

Phil:  Alright Jenna, we're talking about finding the next step in your career.  Why is it important to identify your values?

Jenna:  So it's definitely important to identify your values first, because a lot of times for especially new grads or even people when they're like, okay, I want something different, they just start going in 14 different directions and trying this and trying that.  Maybe I'll do this and maybe I'll do that.  But if you are like ready to make a change . . . so if we're ready to try to figure out what we want next, maybe it's at the same job you're at, maybe it's at a new job.  But if you're trying to figure out what you're going to put a lot of time and energy into, you want to make sure that it aligns with what you want out of life, right? So if you're a person that’s like, I love sports, it would be awesome to work in professional sports. That's what I want to do, but your highest value is "life balance" or time with family, you going after professional sports may conflict with some of your highest values. So figuring out what that is before you take your next step is going to ensure that that next step is appropriate and actually what you want. Not something that in theory you want, but like once you get it, it's actually going to fulfill what you want it to be.  What would you say?

Phil:  You know, I would say it really does give you that guidance. I think people mainly know what they don't want. I'm dissatisfied right now. I want more.  And I see these other things that are cool, like everybody looks at like what we do in sports and things like that.  And it's like, I would love to do that.  And it's just like, okay, yes, it is cool and I love it.  But is it for you and under what circumstances?  And that's what your values really, really hit at.