Welcome to Germ Career Incubator, a place to hang out and thoughtfully contemplate this idea of “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Take advantage of these tools, resources, advice, and fun activities to help you find your spark and ignite your career dreams!
Part One: The Soul Interview. Playing To Your Values.
In our goal-oriented world, we want to be the best at everything we do. This seems natural and makes a lot of sense until we consider how limiting that worldview can be. This emphasis on status and success can sometimes limit creativity and risk-taking if we stick to what we know, stick to what has worked in the past, and go with what’s “safe.”
By its very nature, our need to achieve can keep us stuck on a tired path when there’s another path — perhaps bumpy but exciting and soul-aligned — waiting just around the bend. If only we have the courage to imagine it there.
Let’s look at it this way: You being good with numbers doesn’t mean that you are meant to be an accountant. There’s nothing wrong with accounting; it’s a great profession! However, when you peek beyond the obvious options for yourself, what else is there? What other pieces of you are waiting to be expressed? How can you identify and play to those other strengths to help you make the most thoughtful decisions about your future career?
Grab a friend and take turns interviewing each other to uncover your “heart” strengths and find new inspiration! Remember that there are no wrong answers, so be open and honest. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Be sure to write your answers down in a way that you can refer to them later.
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Question 1
There are times when we feel really energized and positive about what we are doing. Think about some of your favorite experiences, and talk about a learning or work experience when you felt the most alive, excited, and engaged. Things to consider:
a. What made this experience so wonderful?
b. Who was significant in the experience?
c. Why were they important?
d. What is it about you that made the experience so great?
e. What were the most important factors in the experience that made it so interesting for you? (For example: the relationships, activities, location, and so on)
Question 2
What do you value deeply? Think about the aspects you value most about yourself, about the idea of work, and about the environments in which you learn or work.
a. What do you value the most about yourself as a human being?
b. When are you feeling the best about learning or working at something? What do you appreciate about the task itself?
c. What do you care about the most in a working environment? What makes you happy, satisfied, and comfortable?
d. What would you like a career to bring to your life?
Question 3
If you had 3 wishes for your career, what would they be? List your wishes in order of their priority:
Wish One:
Wish Two:
Wish Three:
The Break Down
1. Go through your answers or your interviewee’s answers and circle common words or themes that repeat. What common themes or ideas appear?
2. What surfaces as your top priorities?
3. What’s the best quote from the interview? Why?
4. Write a paragraph summary of the highlights of the interview.
5. What did you learn about yourself/interviewee from this exercise?
6. How can this type of reflection change the way you think of your strengths?
7. What one thing can you identify to move forward with and build upon that strength.
Use these new ideas to jump start planning for your dream job. Building on your values as well as your strengths will make your career all the more relevant and special to you! Questions? Post them here and stay tuned for part 2: The Elevator Speech!