Now that graduation has come and gone for high school and college seniors the biggest question is, “Now What?’
I have been a career coach for nearly 20 years and have worked with many different age groups. The “Now What” isn’t just for graduating seniors. This question could apply to career changers, housewives re-entering the work force, those who have been laid off, or even retirees. For some, careers are a life-long journey or the chance to pursue something you’ve always dreamed of doing.
So where do you start to find your perfect niche’ that gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment? It all starts with knowing ourselves, which for a lot of us is hard to do.
Below are a few questions to get you started:
- When you were a child what was your favorite thing to do?
- What are three words your friends or family would use to describe your personality?
- Who are your favorite type people?
- Do you prefer to work with people/animals, data, things, or ideas?
- When you are at a bookstore, what subjects do you gravitate towards?
- How do you want to be remembered?
Why are these questions important? During the childhood stage of our lives we are our true selves that hasn’t been tainted by expectations. It’s when we are the most imaginative and the sky is the limit. Remembering your favorite pastimes will give you a glimpse of where your interests really are.
Most of us don’t really see what others see in us. Knowing how others see you will help you understand your personality flaws-in-all.
By stating your favorite types of people, you will recognize a compatible working environment vs. a non-compatible working environment. This is very important for the sake of your overall happiness. Also by knowing whether you prefer to work with people/animals, data, things, or ideas will show you where to apply your skills and interests.
Skills are something you can always learn to help you succeed in whatever you choose. But if the interest of what you are trying to learn is not there, you will always struggle and be unfulfilled. It is very important to be aware of what your interests really are and use your skills and natural abilities to serve your community or branch out to state or national level if you choose.
Fulfilling our potential is always up to us. Once you become more self-aware, the sky is the limit. We are all born with a purpose. When searching for that purpose, think about how you want to be remembered.
Below are a few questions to ask yourself that will help you reveal your unique niche’ to offer the world:
- What are your pet peeves? You could be an instrument of change.
- What motivates you: power, control, money, creativity, social concern, adventure, independence, knowledge, order, or security?
- What do you value? Passions often align with values.
- What unique skills do you have? What skills do you enjoy using?
- What do you enjoy doing so much that you lose track of time?
- What interest you? Think about your favorite hobbies or things you like to talk with your friends about.
Knowing your skills, interests, and values are the key to finding the right path that leads to success, but another factor to consider is your personality. Your personality is how you relate to the world around you. Knowing how you relate to your environment will increase your success in the pursuit of happiness because your endeavors will align with your skills and who you are as a person.
Your dream job lines up somewhere between what you are good at and what you are passionate about. Skills without passion will lead to burnout and unfulfillment. Think of something you would do for free. When a job doesn’t feel like work, you know you have found your perfect niche’. I call this a “Hobby Job”. Believe me, they do exist and life should be about more than just getting a paycheck. Living with purpose is living your best life.
Below is a web site with free personality testing and interest testing to help you get started. I have also included some free pdf printouts that will help put your thoughts in perspective and hopefully set some short and long term goals.
https://www.truity.com/page/personality-tests-and-career-quizzes
Feel free to share if you have found your niche’ and have that perfect “Hobby Job”.
One last question I am going to leave with you…
There is one thing that every person, business, or social group is motivated by in terms of spending money or spending time to achieve it. What is the one thing that almost everyone will strive to get?
I will answer this question on my next post. Until then…