There are a variety of beliefs about careers and expectations of how they should evolve. The trouble is that we often take our assumptions for granted, without examining them. Whenever you are considering the next steps in your career, it is a good idea to check that you are aware of the assumptions guiding your choices. Even though certain career paths and accomplishments are valued or praised in your culture, they may not be the right path for you.
One way to assess your expectations is to consider your overall orientation towards work. Do you want a job, a career or a calling?
This classification, originally proposed by professor Amy Wrezniewski (Yale School of Management), is a simple but useful tool to help you determine what kind of career paths you may want to explore. However, as later research has shown, these orientations are not disctinct and they can change over time.
What is currently your primary work orientation?
Another way to examine your career expectations is to consider the role of narratives.
Master narratives are culturally shared stories that shape how we understand, value and guide our career paths. We adopt these stories from our culture and the groups we belong to: family, organizations, education, gender, ethnicity, occupation etc. Normally we are not aware of living by such narratives because we have internalized them to the point of thinking they are the reality. Yet, there are always alternative narratives and ways of seeing your career.
Whatever the narrative you are living by, it shapes your understanding of what a good career is made of and the steps you need to take to get there.
Think about your past career path and the choices you have made and consider the following questions:
Design a Meaningful Career online course is crafted to help you navigate the complexities of modern career dynamics. Through a blend of creative thinking and practical strategies, you’ll learn how to build a career path that resonates with your personal values and goals.
