The Career Change Checklist

Do you feel unsatisfied with your job? Are you planning on a career change?

Let's face it. Before you blame your job, you need to know that your dissatisfaction is primarily because your job doesn't meet your core values in life. Or maybe it does, and you just failed to notice.

Here's a checklist for you to gauge your job satisfaction, and to check whether a possible career change may actually better the situation.

Go through the following criteria, and provide each of them an ideal grade (from 1 to 5), depending on how much you value it. Now, in the same list, find out how your current job scores against each of these points. Do the same with other potential job opportunities. You can now compare the results, and find out which career will suit your values and your lifestyle.

• Achievement 1 2 3 4 5

  (accomplishing important things)

• Aesthetics 1 2 3 4 5

  (attractive workspace)

• Affiliation 1 2 3 4 5

  (membership in organization as a source of pride)

• Alignment with boss 1 2 3 4 5

• Artistic creativity 1 2 3 4 5

• Autonomy & independence 1 2 3 4 5

  (most work self-determined, with limited direction from others)

• Change & variety

• Chaos

  (loosely defined environment; goals and priorities unclear)

• Community activity

• Commute

• Competition

• Creativity

• Dual careers

  (place also offers career opportunities for partner)

• Employee benefits

• Excitement

• Fast pace

• Friendships

• Glass ceiling

  (work environment offers all groups equal potential to work at highest levels)

• Global focus

  (potential to live/work abroad)

• Help others

• Impact society

• Influence people

• Intellectual status

• Knowledge

• Legacy

  (be remembered for specific achievement by those who follow after)

• Lifestyle integration

  (ability to balance family, career, and self-fulfillment)

• Location

• Loyalty

  (high level of reciprocal loyalty with organization)

• Make decisions

• Minimize stress

• Mobility

  (opportunity to relocate when appropriate)

• Moral affiliation

  (work with people of similar morals, values, and ethics)

• Moral fulfillment

  (environment that reflects your own moral standards)

• Multicultural affiliation

  (environment with people from broad range of ages, cultures, etc.)

• Physical challenge

• Power & authority

• Precision work

• Prestige

• Profit & gain

• Public contact

• Pure challenge

  (work which requires you to overcome impossible obstacles, difficult problems, etc.)

• Recognition

• Risk

• Security

• Self-realization

  (potential for you to realize your best talents)

• Stability

• Supervision

  (you have responsibility for planning and managing work done by others)

• Time freedom

• Travel

• Work alone

• Work under pressure

• Work with others

Good luck!