Figure out where your career has been - step 1




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The first step in evaluating a new career is to take a close look at your past.




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Step 1 - Where have you been?

You take your first step toward your future by looking back at what you've done with your career.  No experience you've ever had, regardless of how it ended, has been a waste of time.  Everything you've done has taught you about yourself: what you're capable of doing, what you like, what you hate, and what you need.  The jobs you've held are no exceptions.  Now that you have a bit of distance from your last work experience, you can view your past job and prior positions from a new perspective.  Here's a starter list of questions you can ask to reveal key information.

  • What did I like best about my last job?  What did I like least?
  • What did I like best, and least, about the company?
  • What did I like best and least, about the people with whom I worked?
  • What did I like best, and least, about the people for whom I worked?
  • What were my most important and satisfying accomplishments?
  • How else might I have contributed to the company?
  • What skills, education, and training would I have needed to make these contributions?
  • What were my most significant failures?
  • What kind of positive feedback did I receive from others?
  • What kind of negative feedback did I receive?
  • What skills did I gain while I was employed in my last job?
  • In what other ways did I grow as a professional?
  • What was missing from my last job that I would seek in a new position?

Think about these questions, and ask them about all of the careers and jobs that you've had.  You can learn a lot about what you really want to do from your past.  Now click here to move on to step 2!

Click here to leave step 1 and return to career change main!

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