10 Ways to Assess Your Career and Live Your Calling in 2023
While it is wise to get a check-up annually from your doctor, it can be equally important to do the same for your career. Doing so can lead to living your calling as a healthier, more joyful worker in your current job or a new one. Here are ten ways to assess your career and live your calling in 2023.
1. Assess your work.
How has the pandemic impacted your work? Have you been a part of the "great resignation" or the "quiet resignation"?
The "great resignation" began as a record number of people left their jobs during Covid.
Others have turned to "quiet resigning," where they show up at work but only go through the motions without engaging in their work. The phenomenon of quiet quitting has become prevalent in today's workforce, with many employees not engaged or passionate about their work. They do the job because of its pay and other benefits but are disengaged. This dismal attitude towards work is counter to what employers are looking for, which is staff who will go above and beyond and invest emotionally in their job. Without passion, dedication, and heart, a business cannot excel, and the person practicing "quiet resignation" will not enjoy their work.
If you are experiencing either of these types of resignation, you may need to assess your current job and discover work that fits who God has created you to be.
2. Create a gratitude list.
Moving into the new year can be an exciting time for some, but it may bring about thoughts of loss and challenge for others. It's important to remember both the positive and negative points of your work from this past year as you look ahead to what life holds in 2023.
Taking a few moments to write down your most noteworthy accomplishments at work, no matter how small, will recognize all you have achieved over the last year and provide a solid foundation of progress to build on in the coming year. Verbalizing these achievements -- to yourself, a trusted family member or friend, or even out loud-- is also a great way to remind yourself of God's many blessings. While it may feel strange at first, recognizing His hand in our lives helps us appreciate every moment, no matter how difficult, and makes it easier as we move forward with courage and optimism into what lies ahead.
3. In addition to your work-life reflection, complete the free online Career Checkup.
Making sure our career path is healthy is essential to success. It can be challenging to break away from the daily grind; taking the time to step back and reflect on how we are doing in our professional lives is vital to unlocking our potential. With that in mind, we recommend completing the free career fit checkup every year. This tool will assess your current position with a score and description that will help you identify what needs to change in your work. Don't let your career slip away without taking charge - get your career fit checkup now!
4. Assess your God-given design.
Assessing your design should be an annual event. Who am I? What is my God-given design? What do I enjoy doing, what do I value, what motivates me, and what brings me a sense of fulfillment and meaning? What gifts and abilities has God given me to use in this world? What needs, issues, and causes do I find compelling and desire to address in my work?
God has created you to be a unique individual with specific abilities and interests. His desire is for you to work out of your design; that is, find work that utilizes what you love to do. He wants you to experience the joy and satisfaction of doing the work He created you to do. In so doing, you glorify Him. To work out of your design, however, you must know what it is.
One of the most effective ways to discover and reassess your understanding of your design is through an assessment process which can include career tests, exercises, etc. You can do this through the Christian Career Center through professional career testing, using the Career Fit Test, and working through assessments in Live Your Calling: A Practical Guide to Finding and Fulfilling Your Mission in Life.
5. Expand your vision.
Most people have "tunnel vision," where they are aware of a limited number of jobs that fit who they are. If you are considering a job change, you can only choose from jobs you know. Resources that will expand your vision include the ONET and Occupational Outlook Handbook, which have descriptions for more than 1,000 jobs. This is an overwhelming number of jobs to explore! To make exploration more doable, you can use a personalized Holland code that will match your interests, skills, and personality to a smaller number of jobs. You can obtain your code by completing the Career Fit Test and/or by completing assessments in Live Your Calling: A Practical Guide to Finding and Fulfilling Your Mission in Life.
6. Consider "gig” jobs.
The term "gig" has evolved from its traditional definition of a musical performance engagement to any job or activity with a set duration. This work structure is gaining popularity in the current economy as more workers opt for alternative and often flexible working conditions. Common among gig workers are digital nomads, freelancers, independent contractors, project-based workers, and temporary or part-time hires. Each of these individuals enjoys the benefit of being able to craft their schedule, allowing them more control over their lifestyle and career development.
As the gig economy surges, to a large extent because of Covid, many employers are turning to "quiet hiring." This phenomenon occurs when businesses seek contract workers who can fulfill necessary tasks, allowing them to avoid the lengthy onboarding process associated with full-time employees. Although not formally employed, these workers still perform essential duties for their employers. You can find gig opportunities at sites such as Upwork.com and Freelancer.com.
7. Invest in yourself for career and life success.
Brian Tracy once said, "Here is a rule that will guarantee your success – and possibly make you rich: Invest 3 percent of your income back into yourself." Investing 3 percent of your income back into yourself is an easy way to guarantee your success and, potentially, make you rich.
Investing in yourself can cover everything from education or training to networking or self-care. In the long run, such investments will pay dividends as they can help keep your skills sharp while providing knowledge that enables you to stay relevant and attractive to employers. Investing in yourself can also help build self-confidence as you stay up to date on the latest skills needed by employers. If you want to be successful – and maybe even wealthy – investing in yourself is a must.
If you have new career goals, seek the training, development, and education needed for the job. Education can be formal or informal, depending on what your goals are. Spend time researching the options that will help you change careers and excel in new opportunities. Here is an excellent article on how to learn anything faster and better.
Associations can also be a part of your training and development. Many associations have websites that include resources for learning new skills. By Googling the name of the career field you are pursuing, followed by the word "association" (such as, “social work associations”), you should find some of the best associations to get involved with. Once you discover an association's website, explore if they have a local chapter where you could get involved. Associations may also have resources for growing in your career field.
8. Update your "big six" marketing materials.
The "big six" marketing tools will help you connect with employers, get interviews and ultimately receive job offers and promotions. These "big six" marketing tools will prepare you to conduct an effective job search and market yourself to your clients and customers. The "big six" marketing tools are:
- Targeted resume - According to The Ladders research, recruiters spend an average of "six seconds before they make the initial 'fit or no fit' decision" on candidates. Make sure your resume is updated and targeted for your career path.
- Targeted cover letter - According to a survey by the professional staffing service Robert Half, 91% of executives said cover letters are valuable when evaluating job candidates. Having your cover letter up to date will allow you to be ready to apply for any jobs of interest.
- LinkedIn profile - Also known as Resume 2.0, LinkedIn can be your online resume and a vital tool in your job search process. 94% of recruiters, according to top recruiting research company Jobvite, use LinkedIn to find qualified candidates. Tend to your LinkedIn profile by adding connections, being active in groups, and requesting endorsements.
- Strengths summary, a.k.a., "elevator pitch" - Many employers make decisions about job candidates within the first 30 seconds to two minutes of meeting them. One of the most strategic things you can do to make a good first impression is to develop a "commercial," about 30 seconds in length, about what you can do for an employer. Develop and practice using your strength summary as you network with those around you who can help you with your career advancement.
- Personal contact letter - William Frank, the author of 200 Letters For Job Hunters, says that "Fifty to seventy-five percent of good jobs come from friends and acquaintances—and from their friends and acquaintances—by word of mouth. The higher the level of the job, the more that rule applies. For example, at the senior executive and professional level, as many as 90 percent of good jobs come through personal friends." The personal contact letter is a cover letter that allows your friends and acquaintances to become involved in your job search. Develop a personal contact cover letter that you can use with friends and acquaintances.
- Direct employer contact letter - A direct employer contact letter taps into the hidden or unadvertised job market, which contains up to 85% of jobs. This type of cover letter is written to the hiring manager of a company for a job that has yet to be advertised and may not currently be available. Start to identify the companies in your area that you would be motivated to be a part of their team. Then send a letter along with your resume inquiring about opportunities for someone with your skills and experience.
ChristianCareerCenter.com offers resume writing and job search services. Also, the Career Fit Test is a low-cost option that provides help for developing your "big six" marketing tools.
9. Invest time to update your online brand.
Ninety percent of employers will google your name. What will they find? Do your LinkedIn profile, Facebook, and other online presence represent you well? Take action to polish your online presence to present your best professional self.
10. Match your challenge to the right amount of support.
Challenge within your work life needs to be balanced by support for growth in your career. Too much challenge and not enough support and you will probably be stressed and anxious. On the other side, you will probably be bored with low amounts of challenge with lots of support. Do you need to add more support or challenge, or both?
Your network can be one of your best support tools if you take the time to nurture it. Developing a network can be as simple as sending a colleague an article they may find helpful or asking a friend to go out for coffee. Do this with the mindset of not what is in it for you but what you can do for someone else. Zig Ziglar was known for saying, "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want."
These ten action steps can help you to have a healthy and rewarding career in 2023.
© Article copyright by Kevin Brennfleck and Kay Marie Brennfleck, ChristianCareerCenter.com, ChurchJobsOnline.com, ChristianJobFair.com, CareerFitTest.com and LiveYourCalling.com. All rights reserved. The above information is intended for personal use only. No commercial use of this information is authorized without written permission.