Your Values and CareerYour Values and Career

Career Counseling Lecture SeriesCareer Counseling Lecture SeriesByBy

Syed Asghar HusainSyed Asghar Husainsasgharhusain@gmail.comsasgharhusain@gmail.com

Do you like what you are Do you like what you are Good at?Good at?

-One of the greatest misfortunes in life is to be One of the greatest misfortunes in life is to be good at something you don’t like.good at something you don’t like.-You may be proficient in mathematics, but You may be proficient in mathematics, but you may hate it.you may hate it.-You may be a competent HR or Service You may be a competent HR or Service Manager, busy interacting with people every Manager, busy interacting with people every minute of the day, but actually you love a life minute of the day, but actually you love a life of solitude and contemplation.of solitude and contemplation.

ValuesValues-It is important to distinguish between It is important to distinguish between what you are good at (skills, what you are good at (skills, proficiency, competence) and what you proficiency, competence) and what you like (values) and what you want to do like (values) and what you want to do in your life (interests)in your life (interests)-Exams, psychometric, IQ, EQ, Exams, psychometric, IQ, EQ, Aptitude tests etc will tell you what you Aptitude tests etc will tell you what you are good at.are good at.-Your values will tell you what you like.Your values will tell you what you like.

Orientation in lifeOrientation in life

-If you want to enjoy harmony in work-If you want to enjoy harmony in work-life balance, your choice of career life balance, your choice of career should revolve around your orientation should revolve around your orientation in life, which comprises four factors: -in life, which comprises four factors: --SkillsSkills-InterestsInterests-PersonalityPersonality-ValuesValues

Values, Interests, Personality Values, Interests, Personality and Skillsand Skills

-Values:Values:Things that are important to you, like achievements, Things that are important to you, like achievements, status, money, freedom, honesty. status, money, freedom, honesty. -Interests:Interests:What you enjoy doing, like reading, eating good food, What you enjoy doing, like reading, eating good food, movies, travel, hanging out with friends.movies, travel, hanging out with friends.-Personality:Personality:Your individual traits, motivational drives, Your individual traits, motivational drives, temperament, attitudes, physical attributes temperament, attitudes, physical attributes -Skills:Skills:Activities you are good at, proficiency, competence, Activities you are good at, proficiency, competence, expertise, acumen, talent. expertise, acumen, talent.

ValuesValues

-Values are core benefits which guide Values are core benefits which guide and motivate attitudes and behaviour.and motivate attitudes and behaviour.-When you value something you want it When you value something you want it or want it to happen.or want it to happen.-Values are relatively permanent Values are relatively permanent desires.desires.-Values are answers to the ‘why’ Values are answers to the ‘why’ question.question.

Values – Subjective ReactionsValues – Subjective Reactions

-Values are our subjective reactions to the Values are our subjective reactions to the world around us.world around us.-They guide and mould our options and They guide and mould our options and behaviour. Values are developed early in life behaviour. Values are developed early in life and are very resistant to change and are and are very resistant to change and are permanent in nature. permanent in nature. -Values develop out of our direct experiences Values develop out of our direct experiences with people who are important to us, with people who are important to us, particularly our parents, early teachers.particularly our parents, early teachers.-Values evolves within us not out of what Values evolves within us not out of what people tell us, but as a result how people people tell us, but as a result how people behave toward us and others.behave toward us and others.

Values are holistic in natureValues are holistic in nature

-There cannot be any ‘partial’ There cannot be any ‘partial’ values.values.-For example:For example:

You cannot be 50% honest (half-You cannot be 50% honest (half-honest) – either you are honest or honest) – either you are honest or not honest!not honest!

Discover your values!Discover your values!

-You keep asking ‘why’ questions You keep asking ‘why’ questions until you reach a point where you until you reach a point where you no longer want something for the no longer want something for the sake of something else.sake of something else.-At this point you have arrived at At this point you have arrived at your value.your value.

Discovering values!Discovering values!

-Why are you doing a particular Why are you doing a particular degree? (such as MBA, BBA)degree? (such as MBA, BBA)-To gain qualification.To gain qualification.-Why do you want to gain qualification?Why do you want to gain qualification?-To succeed in your careerTo succeed in your career-Why do you want to succeed in your Why do you want to succeed in your career?career?-To reach the topTo reach the top

Values - ‘why’ questionsValues - ‘why’ questions

-Why do you want to reach the top?Why do you want to reach the top?-To get powerTo get power-Why do you want power?Why do you want power?-To control peopleTo control people-Why do you want to control people?Why do you want to control people?-I want to control peopleI want to control people-Why?Why?

Values Discovered!!Values Discovered!!

-I like to control peopleI like to control people-Why?Why?-Just for the sake of it – I like Just for the sake of it – I like controlling peoplecontrolling people-Further why’s elicited similar Further why’s elicited similar responses related to controlresponses related to control-Control for the sake of controlling Control for the sake of controlling that’s when you discover your values!that’s when you discover your values!

Arriving at ValuesArriving at Values-I realized that control was one of his I realized that control was one of his values and maybe he was a future values and maybe he was a future megalomaniac or control freak in the megalomaniac or control freak in the making!making!-The same line of questioning of The same line of questioning of persons undergoing higher education persons undergoing higher education may reveal values like knowledge, may reveal values like knowledge, money, status, standard of living, money, status, standard of living, ambition, achievement, growth, ambition, achievement, growth, reputation, excellence, fame. reputation, excellence, fame.

Some more career valuesSome more career values

-Why are you doing IT?Why are you doing IT?-The ‘Scope’ in IT is bright.The ‘Scope’ in IT is bright.-‘‘Scope’?Scope’?-In IT you get the best paying jobs.In IT you get the best paying jobs.-Why do you want more money?Why do you want more money?-To have a higher standard of To have a higher standard of living.living.-Value: Standard of LivingValue: Standard of Living

Ask YourselfAsk Yourself

-Is a high salary important to you? Is a high salary important to you? [Money][Money]-Is it important for your work to involve Is it important for your work to involve with people? [Social]with people? [Social]-Is it important to your work to make a Is it important to your work to make a contribution to society? [Altruistic]contribution to society? [Altruistic]-Is having a prestigious job important to Is having a prestigious job important to you? [Status]you? [Status]-Quality of Life or Standard of Life?Quality of Life or Standard of Life?

Ask YourselfAsk Yourself

-Do you want to get married?Do you want to get married?-Why?Why?-Keep on asking why? Why? Why?...till Keep on asking why? Why? Why?...till you discover your value.you discover your value.-Love, Companionship, Security, Love, Companionship, Security, Conformance [Because everyone gets Conformance [Because everyone gets married], Compliance [I obey my married], Compliance [I obey my parents]parents]

Mismatch in ValuesMismatch in Values

-It is most important for you to find It is most important for you to find out your own values (by the ‘why’ out your own values (by the ‘why’ method) to avoid ‘value-mismatch’method) to avoid ‘value-mismatch’-Value-mismatch is at the root Value-mismatch is at the root cause of dilemmas in your life.cause of dilemmas in your life.-Even when you form a team you Even when you form a team you must lookout for signs of value- must lookout for signs of value- mismatch. mismatch.

Conflict in ValuesConflict in Values-A conflict between your personal and A conflict between your personal and organizational values may result in organizational values may result in ethical dilemmas at the workplace, ethical dilemmas at the workplace, while values mismatch between two while values mismatch between two persons may sow discord and cause persons may sow discord and cause stress and turbulence in a relationship.stress and turbulence in a relationship.-Your values are possibly the most Your values are possibly the most important thing to consider when you’re important thing to consider when you’re choosing a workplace or a team choosing a workplace or a team member.member.

Values and CareersValues and Careers-If you don’t take your values into If you don’t take your values into account when planning your career, account when planning your career, there is a good chance you will dislike there is a good chance you will dislike your work and therefore not enjoy it.your work and therefore not enjoy it.

-For example, someone who needs to For example, someone who needs to have autonomy (freedom) in his work have autonomy (freedom) in his work would not be happy in a job where would not be happy in a job where every action is decided by someone every action is decided by someone else. else.

First know yourself. Then First know yourself. Then know others.know others.

-Please sit down in a quiet place all by Please sit down in a quiet place all by yourself, introspect, ask yourself the ‘why’ yourself, introspect, ask yourself the ‘why’ question and find out your own values.question and find out your own values.

-Try to ascertain others’ values (personal Try to ascertain others’ values (personal values and organizational values too!).values and organizational values too!).

-The extent of mutual harmony in your values The extent of mutual harmony in your values should determine your choice of workplace, should determine your choice of workplace, career, relationships, friends and partner.career, relationships, friends and partner.

APTITUDE and ATTITUDEAPTITUDE and ATTITUDE

-SKILLS [Proficiency, SKILLS [Proficiency, Competence, Intelligent, Talent] Competence, Intelligent, Talent] govern APTITUDE.govern APTITUDE.-VALUES, INTERESTS and VALUES, INTERESTS and PERSONALITY determine PERSONALITY determine ATTITUDE.ATTITUDE.

Workplace vs CareerWorkplace vs Career

-Distinguish between Distinguish between WORKPLACE and CAREER WORKPLACE and CAREER ATTRIBUTES [Type of work]ATTRIBUTES [Type of work]-Workplace – IT Firm XXXWorkplace – IT Firm XXX-Career – HR Manager, Software Career – HR Manager, Software Engineer, Project Manager, Engineer, Project Manager, Analyst, Quality Auditor, Analyst, Quality Auditor, Marketing, Business Marketing, Business Development, TeamDevelopment, Team

Values and Career OrientationValues and Career Orientation

-Your values are the most important Your values are the most important and critical aspect of your career and critical aspect of your career orientation.orientation.-If you want to enhance certain skills, If you want to enhance certain skills, you can work on it. Similarly, you can you can work on it. Similarly, you can change your interests, devoting time to change your interests, devoting time to those interests you would like to those interests you would like to create, acquire or strengthen, you can create, acquire or strengthen, you can develop your personality, but you develop your personality, but you cannot change your values.cannot change your values.

Values are permanentValues are permanent

-Skills can be learned, interest can Skills can be learned, interest can be developed, personality can be be developed, personality can be changed but values are intrinsic.changed but values are intrinsic.-It is very difficult to change your It is very difficult to change your core values.core values.-You may compromise your You may compromise your values, but you cannot change values, but you cannot change them.them.

Job SatisfactionJob Satisfaction

-If you choose a career that If you choose a career that enables you achieve success enables you achieve success facilitating optimal utilization of facilitating optimal utilization of your best skills, doing the kinds of your best skills, doing the kinds of work that relate to your favourite work that relate to your favourite interests, blending with your interests, blending with your personality, and in consonance personality, and in consonance with your core values, you will with your core values, you will derive total job satisfaction in life!derive total job satisfaction in life!