Career alignment is one of the foundational reasons I founded LYN. It’s the driving force behind my motivation to support people in taking ownership of their careers. Throughout my own career and life experiences, I came to realize that it is often what’s missing when clients express a lack of satisfaction with their current position or company.
But what exactly does it mean to align your career? And how do you know if your career is aligned or not?
Sometimes we find ourselves at a place in our career where we have a sense that something is missing, and we *know* we want to make a change – but we may not be able to articulate why.
But what exactly does it mean to align your career? And how do you know if your career is aligned or not?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you evaluate where you’re at in your own career.
Do your work priorities consistently seem to be competing with your life priorities?
We all have that struggle from time to time, but if every day feels like a tug-of-war between your deepest values in life and the work you do in your current role, that may be a sign that something needs to change.
Do you feel stifled or held back at work?
The thing about toxic work environments is that they can creep up subtly, and the negativity may be hard to recognize from the inside. If you feel like you’re being held back from what you could achieve and you’re not able to contribute your full value in your job, you need to ask yourself why. Is there a reason you are uncomfortable advocating for yourself in this position? Or are you being pushed aside or shut down why you assert your ideas or take initiative?
Do you feel unappreciated and undervalued?
For mission-driven people, this can easily go unchecked for a period of time, because we are so focused on the purpose of the work. This is a dangerous combination, because when we are investing significant time and energy into supporting the mission but are not receiving support from Senior Leadership, it leads to resentment and disillusionment.
Do you dread going to work (or logging into work) every day?
The truth is that all of us have aspects of our job that we put off as long as possible, because we just don’t enjoy them. But if too much of your time is spent doing tasks that drain your energy, or if you feel like you’re giving everything to the job and not getting any support or affirmation – it’s a problem.
Do you feel like your talent is being wasted on work that doesn’t mean anything?
Most of us want to make a difference in the world. We want to know that we are impacting people’s lives in a positive way. So, when we don’t see a connection between the job we spend most of our waking hours dedicated to and a purpose that *means* something to us – we feel unfulfilled and jaded.
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions – or to most of them – your career is probably not aligned with what you want most in life.
Most of us want to make a difference in the world. We want to know that we are impacting people’s lives in a positive way. So, when we don’t see a connection between the job we spend most of our waking hours dedicated to and a purpose that *means* something to us – we feel unfulfilled and jaded.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way!
Maybe you’re afraid you won’t be able to find a company that operates on similar values. Or you may question your ability to transition into a new industry or type of job, because you’ve never had professional experience in that sector.
Maybe you think the only way for you to impact the world is to take an extremely low paying job. Or you wonder if it’s too late to make career change.
I’m here to tell you that it is absolutely possible for you to transform your career to align with your priorities and values! It’s possible for you to find an organization that allows you to thrive in your skills and your purpose. It’s possible for you to make money doing work that matters.
It’s possible.
And I’m here to support you in learning how.