Determining Your Work Values
When you're planning your career, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is: "What do I want from my job - what are my work values?"
Although many people believe they work primarily to pay the bills, money cannot be the only deciding factor when choosing a job. You may be interested in a job with a high salary, but the long travelling time into work, long working hours, time spent away from home, or the fact that the company may be facing an uncertain future, may rule it out in favour of an alternative with a more modest income.
One important value to consider is the amount of time you want to devote to work. This isn't merely a matter of whether you want to work full time or part time, but about how fundamental you want your work to be in your life. Do you need to spend time caring for children or relatives? Do you want to be able to commit some of your time to a charity or other volunteer association? Would you like to have more time to spend with your family, or in taking part in a sport or hobby?
It is important to understand your work values fully, so that you can identify the kind of work that would meet your real priorities. The following table should help you to decide how important each value is to you:
| | | I want to work in an environment that: | The work will involve: | This indicates a value of: |
| ...provides good financial rewards and social status. | High salary, occupational and social standing, prestige. | Economic Status |
| ...encourages accomplishment and achievement. | Using my abilities; offering interest and challenge. | Challenge and Achievement |
| ...offers opportunities to direct and influence people. | Opportunities to lead, manage and influence. | Influence |
| ...gives me the opportunity to use my initiative. | Being in control of my own work. | Independence |
| ...offers me steady employment and security. | A comfortable work environment that is not stressful. | Security and Permanence |
| ...requires me to take personal and financial risks. | Creating something new, coping with uncertainty. | Enterprise and Risk |
| ...provides new and different experiences. | Meeting new people and many different projects. | Variety |
| ...benefits the community or provides a service to others. | Concern for the welfare of others. | Selflessness
and Service |
| ...treats people fairly. | Concern for fairness and equality of opportunity at work. | Fairness |
| ...has colleagues that are easy to get along with. | Friendly work environment. | Social |
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