VALUES

Identifying your personal values is an important part of a successful career plan. In this context, the word "value" refers to how you feel about the work itself and the contribution it makes to society. Most people who pursue work that is congruent with their values feel satisfied and successful in their careers.

Work values can be divided into two functional categories. INTRINSIC values are those that relate to a specific interest in the activities of the work itself, or to the benefits that the work contributes to society. EXTRINSIC values relate to the favourable conditions that accompany an occupational choice, such as physical setting, earning potential, and other external features. Most people, in order to feel truly satisfied with their work, must find some personal intrinsic value in it.

STEP ONE:
On the next page you will find a list of personal values that many people have identified as being important to them in their careers. To begin exploring your own personal work values, rate each value listed on that page using the following scale.  Feel free to add other values that you consider essential to your list.

 

STEP TWO:
When you have finished with the list, come back to this page and rank order the five values that you think are the most essential to you in the box below:

 

 

	Help Society	Do something which contributes to improving the world we live in
	Help Others	Be directly included in helping other people, either individually or in small groups
	Public Contact	Have a lot of day-to-day contact with the public
	Work with Others	Work as a team member toward common goals
	Work Alone	Do projects by myself, with limited contact with others
	Competition	Engage in activities which pit my abilities against others
	Make Decisions	Have the power to decide courses of action and policies
	Work Under Pressure	Work in situations where time pressure is prevalent
	Influence People	Be in a position to influence the attitudes or opinions of other people
	Knowledge	Engage in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding
	Work Mastery	Become an expert in whatever work I do
	Artistic Creativity	Engage in creative artistic expression
	General Creativity	Have the opportunity to create new programs, materials, or organizational structures
	Aesthetics	Participate in studying or appreciating the beauty of things, ideas, etc.
	Supervision	Have a job in which I am directly responsible for the work of others
	Change & Variety	Have work activities which frequently change
	Precision Work	Work in situations where attention to detail & accuracy are very important
	Stability	Have a work routine and job duties that are largely predictable
	Security	Be assured of keeping my job and receiving satisfactory compensation
	Recognition	Be publicly recognized for the high quality of my work
	Fast Pace	Work in circumstances where work must be done rapidly
	Excitement	Experience a high degree of (or frequent) excitement in the course of my work
	Adventure	Have work duties which require frequent risk-taking
	Financial Gain	Have a high likelihood of achieving very great monetary rewards for my work
	Physical Challenge	Do activities that use my physical capabilities
	Independence	Be able to determine the nature of my work without significant direction from others
	Moral Fulfillment	Feel that my work contributes to a set of moral standards which I feel are very important
	Community	Live where I can participate in community affairs
	Time Freedom	Be able to work according to my own schedule