Career Cnfidence by Kevin Gaw In additin t the requisite skills, experiences, and rganizatinal match being sught fr a psitin fr which a candidate is applying, mst emplyers screen fr what I call career cnfidence. Career cnfidence is nt self-cnfidence, nr is it self-assurance f ne s capabilities that they can d the jb. (Insider tip: An instant interview red flag is when a candidate cmes ff as entitled, verly cnfident, r egtistic.) Rather, career cnfidence invlves passin, purpse, and a realistic career plan. Emplyers want t knw if yu care abut the psitin and the rganizatin t which yu are applying, if yu will find meaning and directin in the wrk, and if yu have carefully thught abut hw the pprtunity fits nt yur career path. They want t knw if yu think the pprtunity is a match with yur values and if yu think yu will grw in the psitin. Bringing new emplyees nbard is an expensive prcess, and emplyers want t make gd hiring decisins. And, yu want t be hired by the right peple fr the pprtunity that matches yu. Passin and Purpse This phrase is tssed arund a lt. Is it imprtant? Des it really mean anything? Indeed! Withut passin and purpse in what yu d, there is n meaning. And withut meaning, what s the pint f a career plan? Yu d want t enjy yur wrk, yes? Yu d want t gain satisfactin frm yur effrt, yes? Yu d want t feel like yu are cntributing and making a difference, yes? We have all met individuals wh are full f passin and purpse; they stand ut because they are easy t recgnize they re happy, engaged, energetic, and in the flw. They have a zest fr living and fr engaging in their daily wrk. They have a visin fr their future and they express a very real sense f purpse. T actualize their career plans, t express themselves, they knw hw and when, what and where, and (this is essential), why. What Is Passin? Cnsider the fllwing ultra-brief descriptrs. It is: An intense, deep, and emtinally cmpelling feeling r desire;
A devtin that permeates everything; and/r A bundless enthusiasm that cnsumes yu. Mst f us discver and experience passin during ur academic studies, ften during unique classes that get us excited abut sme aspect f the curse cntent. We als experience passin when we discern and discuss new ideas that make sense t us and fill us with excitement and energy. Recgnize this? Passin is that exciting internal energy that ignites ur intellect, ur emtins, and ur sense f purpse. Often passin is defined in three prgressive levels: interests, desires, and sacrifice. Interest-level passins are cmmnly ptins that attract yur interest and yur curisities, but they are nt essential and yu culd pass them up; they are simply interests. Desire-level passins are interests and curisities yu culd and d pursue and explre, given time and resurces. Yu might explre these, but yu may decide t put sme n hld, because yu have ther, mre pressing, passins. The third and highest level is characterized by sacrifice. Yu are willing t put many imprtant things aside t express these passins. Students passinate abut medicine and helping thers will make their medical studies their cre pririty, putting all else aside. Cmputer science students passinate abut cde will stay up late every night tackling cding prblems. Engineering students passinate abut the discipline engage with thse insanely challenging and lng wrk prblems with relish. Passinate writing students write and re-write their stries, seeking the best way t express themselves and their characters. Perfrming arts students spend several mnths perfecting their rles, just fr a three-night run. All f these students and the list ges n and n willingly give up r put aside many f their interests and desires t achieve their ultimate passins. These are the future leaders in their prfessins because they dive deep int their passins and have purpse. What Is Purpse? It answers the Why is this imprtant t me? questin; and It is the meaningful gal t which yu aspire, the gal that is awakened when yu experience passin. The crazy part f purpse is that it is elusive t many f us because it is hidden by external messages abut what success might mean.
Fr example, many f us have been taught t value a high incme ver purpse as the marker f success, and in ding s, we sacrifice urselves, ur families, ur friends, and ur cmmunities t an external measure, ne we really d nt cntrl. Did yu knw that research studies have shwn happiness is psitively crrelated with salaries between $50K and $75K, and anything higher starts t erde that happiness? Yet many f us are still fled by the mney. Remember that very true saying: Mney desn t buy yu lve. Similarly, many f us have been taught t value certain prfessins ver thers, believing thse prfessins are better and deliver a mre fulfilling life. But what s this? Mst peple change their careers several times ver the curse f their wrking lives; they are seeking an imprvement when they make thse changes. Have yu ever experienced parental r family r cmmunity pressure t becme XYZ when in yur heart, yu have always wanted t be ABC? Students in such situatins knw this predicament well. Pairing passin and purpse is essential fr persnal success, persnal happiness, and finding the right career path that belngs t yu. Passin + Purpse + Career Plan = Career Cnfidence By explring and cmbining passin, purpse, and yur career plan, yu have created a pwerful cmbinatin f career planning that make up career cnfidence. Nt nly d yu knw what yu want and hw t achieve it, yu als knw the fundamental reasns why yu want t achieve it. Career cnfidence gives yu the ability t adjust and tinker with yur aspiratins as yu mve frward with life. This is a great place t be when it cmes t navigating yur career adventure. What s Yur Career Cnfidence? 9. I dn t feel cnfident with my career decisins and/r career plans. I feel lst and need help in deciding what t d with my majr and my career. 10. I feel slightly cnfident f my career decisins and/r career plans. I feel cnfused between several ptins, and I need help in deciding what t d with my majr and my career. 11. I feel cnfident f my career decisins and career plans. I knw what I want t d, but I have questins abut hw t make it all happen. I culd use sme help. 12. I feel very cnfident f my career decisins and career plans. I knw what I want t d and hw t make it all happen. I may need sme assistance with sme skills t help me ut. 13. I feel extremely cnfident f my career decisins and career plans. I knw what I want t d and hw t make it all happen. At this time, I dn t feel like I need any assistance.
The Career Plan The career plan is a dynamic tl, designed t fit yur passins and purpse. It des nt lck yu int a specific path but instead helps yu map ut pssible career paths and ptins. Here is the basic career plan: G ahead and make realistic and hnest respnse ntes t the questins belw. Be sure t avid thse external messages and instead, rely n yur internal cmpass. What? If external expectatins and pressure abut yur career are remved, and time and resurces are nt an issue, what d yu see yurself ding after cllege, r after graduate schl? What sunds and feels exciting and makes sense t yu? What d yu aspire tward? When? In thinking abut the abve, what s the basic timeline t achieve yur career gal? (Example: T becme a licensed psychlgist, ne must cmplete an undergraduate degree, advanced degree typically a Ph.D. a pst-dctral supervised clinical experience, and sit fr tw state-level prfessinal exams, all taking 10+ years.) Hw? What are the steps t achieve yur career gal and hw are they sequenced? What things d yu want r will yu need t d befre achieving the gal? Des this career gal require internships? Des it require undergraduate and/r graduate research experience? Des this gal require an advanced graduate degree? (Example: An aspiring schl teacher will need t be admitted int a teaching prgram, t cmplete student teaching, pass certificatin exams, and establish cnnectins in schl districts t find emplyment.) Where? There are many ways and places t express yur aspiratins. Where d yu see yurself when yu achieve yur career gal? (Example: Engineers can wrk in crpratins, gvernment agencies, nnprfits, private practice, and s frth.) Wh? Why des this career fit int yur career identity and wh yu are? Why des it match yur passin and yur purpse? (Examples: Scial wrker finds significant satisfactin and meaning in helping thers in need. Medical researcher experiences deep excitement explring and answering health questins that will benefit humanity. Pastr hlds deep meaning in supprting thers with their spiritual and cmmunity lives. Musician expresses the cnnectin with self and the envirnment when creating and playing music.
Law enfrcement fficer experiences purpse in being part f the cmmunity and as a persn wh supprts the structure. Curtesy f the Natinal Assciatin f Clleges and Emplyers.