I was asked, “How do you figure out what career path is right for you?”  After 20+ years as a Human Resources professional, I notice many overlook their interests and needs when seeking a career.  Compensation becomes the focal point when we need to pay student loans, or make sure we can afford college for the kids. While mapping out one’s career path, we examine strengths, but interests and needs may not get sufficient attention. Interests and Needs are two personality elements that contribute to one’s career path decisions and ultimately, job satisfaction. 

Freshman year in college I wanted to be a singer, newscaster and Human Resources Generalist at the same time! I was certain the perfect job existed where I could sing, broadcast hard-hitting journalism for ABC News, and be an HR executive for a global company.  Soon the reality set in that finding this job posting would be near impossible, and eventually I would have to decide on a direction and keep my fingers crossed; I could be happy about the decision. 

Years ago, I learned about Careertyping, and have used it a couple of times when refining the road-map for my career path.  Careertyping is an online assessment that examines your behavioral traits and occupational interests and identifies industries and potential positions that leverage your strengths, interests, and needs.     

Interests – Activities that energize that light the passion in your career

It is ingrained in us as an early age that not everything in life will be fun.  While pursuing our majors in college, there are times we take courses that are considered boring. For this reason, it is easy to overlook our interests once the commitment to a major or career track has been decided.  Interests are what keep us stimulated and as multi-faceted humans, interests and priorities may change as one evolves.  Careertyping gauges interests based on activities and professions and the ability to categorize these interests presents more options. 

In the figure below, I shared my top four interests. Human Resources was my chosen career path, and these interests are used regularly.

Auditory - Appreciation for music

My role as a Human Resources Generalist is similar to a conductor for an orchestra. Like a conductor, I guide and lead a performance of sorts. In order to identify and implement actionable solutions to matters that impact a manager’s employees, it requires me to listen to what I’m told, and more so for what remains unsaid. I collaborate with specialists and bring them in at the appropriate time while maintain the tempo that is fluid for my clients and the least disruptive option for the business. My off-key singing is limited to the shower.

Visual - Appreciation for art

This part of my job makes me the happiest! There is nothing more exciting than finding a solution allows managers and their staff to be more effective in their jobs and contribute to the organization’s goals while maintaining a high level of engagement. This is the part that allows me to get creative. This shows up in my interest in creating different ways to deliver these solutions. Once I collaborated with Learning & Development colleagues to create a training program that specifically addressed the changes in the business, which impacted the way employees worked, and the skills needed in the “new world”

Persuasive - Persuading, motivating, selling

I do not like to sell anything, and the thought of this is intimidating. In my Human Resources positions, I’ve had to influence clients to consider new approaches to improve engagement and retention. Gone are the days that an employee will remain with a company for their entire career. Motivating leaders to make the subtle changes that improve their employee’s experiences and positively impact the result is a win for everyone.

Literary - Appreciation for language

My appreciation for languages has been a constant theme in my personal and professional life. My job has given me the opportunity to support a global client group, which means my clients are outside the United States. Therefore, English is not the first language for some of my clients. Although business is conducted in English, I am able to connect on another level when we speak in their native language. I’m no linguist, but can fumble my way through French. With my personal travels, my affinity for languages allows me to have meaningful interactions with strangers, and some have become friends. This is probably why Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are important to me and the not only because it is good dollars and sense, but I play a role in helping others understand how employer’s actions or lack thereof foster a culture of exclusivity. Not the journalism I envisioned year ago, but I get the opportunity to drive and facilitate change that impact employees and their experiences in the workplace.

If I were to leave the field of Human Resources, I would seek a career that enabled me to leverage these interests. When determining one’s career path, it is necessary to have more than one route to reach the destination.  We nurture interests in other areas of our lives and investing in our career direction can increase career satisfaction.

Needs – Expectations and preferences for the people and environment in which you work

Needs are frequently considered in our personal relationships, but it is equally important in one’s career.  When assessing needs, we should consider what is required for us to thrive.  Company and team culture have a direct impact on the opportunities provided and how one experiences the company.  Careertyping highlights the environments in which we thrive, and the behaviors we exhibit when uncomfortable or stressed.  As a job seeker, whether looking internally or externally, assessing the cultural fit is critical and unique to an individual.  Below are my top interests in the order of importance.

Money, career growth, title, location, and a connection with the hiring manager are considerations when assessing career opportunities.  Emphasis on satisfying our interests and needs in addition to leveraging our strengths will set you up for success because you will be better positioned to explore all options. 

Robin Sharma, a Canadian author and leadership expert once said, “Investing in yourself is the best decision you will ever make.  It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of all those around you.”  My investment was the equivalent of watching a 30-minutes sitcom on TV and the cost of dinner with a couple delicious cocktails with friends.  What’s the minimum investment you will make to better understand how your needs and interests may be missing from your career path decisions?

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