People representing from all stages of careers have said to me – “I don’t know what I want to do” or “I don’t really have an ideal or dream career.” This is often followed with “I am certain that it is NOT what I am doing now.” Does this sound familiar? Many people have an easier time articulating what they don’t like, compared to what they do when it comes to work-related activities. I can respect this. Most of us haven’t allowed ourselves the ability to dream about a career since we were kids and doing so now seems juvenile or out-of-touch with reality.

Let’s try a different approach to help you find your dream career: consider some questions that may shed light on your ideal career acts from the perspective of the way you like to work.

1. Knowledge Recall. Do you have a great memory and like to gain and recall information? Or, do prefer tasks that do not require the recall of knowledge?
2. Knowledge Acquisition and Problem-Solving. Do you like to problem-solve, creating new knowledge and understanding what was not previously known? Or, do you prefer tasks with known solutions or procedures?
3. Task Duration. Do you like short-term tasks, those that change rapidly? Or, do you like long-term projects, ones you can focus on – or get lost in -- for hours or days?
4. Predictability and Structure. Do you like the repetition and the comfort of knowing what is coming next along with the satisfaction of seeing things completed? Or, do you like when tasks change rapidly forcing you to be in the moment?
5. Group Work. Do you like working in a group, where many share knowledge and input for an outcome or join collectively in the creative process? Or, do you like to work alone, getting lost in your own thoughts and creative energies?
6. Service Orientation. Do you like to help others, providing service, or making people feel better? Or, do you like to work in ways which do not involve client interaction?
7. Physical Movement. Do you like to be in motion, either using your physical strength or moving from place to place?

Chances are good that you were able to answer many of these questions. Now, think about your current job or any past job and re-analyze what you did – and did not like – about those jobs. Select a few occupations that seem interesting and ask yourself whether these align with your answers of how you like to work. Next, you can explore these possibilities to see whether these career options are right for you.

Self-knowledge of the way we like to work is critical for finding our ideal career acts.

To help you gain this insight, I’ve designed an interactive career tool to brainstorm your ideal career. The tool is short and it is free. Your responses are not retained in any form. Please share tool with your friends or family members who are struggling to find their ideal career or interested in exploring a new career change. It is important for everyone to have the opportunity to reflect on what might be possible in his or her career.

Thanks for reading,

Paula