Step 2: Developing your personal career profile

Do you have a clear understanding of what makes you special (your likes, dislikes, needs, future goals, skills etc.)? What are you good at? Research shows that people who use their main strengths experience more satisfaction at work and are more successful. So, the question is: Which are your top skills, talents and accomplishments? What are your greatest successes (degrees, internships, professional experience, volunteer work, hobbies, interests, private life…) inside and outside the classroom? What do you have to offer?  Free personality tests might offer additional clues. If in doubt about what your key talents are, you may also ask your friends! They might give you some important clues. And remember: be the real you, because everyone else is already taken! 

Where would you like to go? What are your fields of fascination? What are the top five skills you would actually like to use in a future job? What are your ideal working conditions? Where do you want to live and work? In Brussels, Berlin, Bremen, or Buxtehude?  What kind of people do you want to work for? With whom? Employed, self-employed, as a free-lancer or researcher? Go for it! 

What would be meaningful work for you? What is your philosophy of life? Can you identify your work values? For example, material benefits, security, being creative or supporting others? What do you want to achieve with your work in the long run? What do you really care about? Can you develop a vision of how your life will be?  What is your goal? Take the time to analyze yourself. It is worth it! 

What could be a place where you are challenged and passionate about what you are doing? What would be a possible career based on your values, interests, and personality? Who could profit from you? What are possible target groups? To become more concrete, what are the names of jobs or careers that would give you a chance to use your most enjoyable skills, in a field that is based on your favourite subjects? What kind of organizations would and/ or do employ people in these careers? Let your ideas flow and get feedback from friends and family.  

Get feedback from the outside word and test your ideas: Do you have good information about these careers? Did you talk to people who work in your favorite fields? How are their typical working days, working hours, wages, job requirements and prospects? Ask for advice, realistically assess your abilities, and get as much information as you can about your field(s) of interest. Does this match your talents, skills and hopes?  Leave the house and do informational interviews. Explore! 

Once you have identified interesting careers, which action do you need to take to move you toward the future? Which would be necessary steps to take you there? Or, as Mark Twain said: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks  into small manageable tasks , and then  starting on the first one.” Which actions are required? Which would be the next smallest step? It is hard to predict where life will take you, but for most of us a bit of planning might do wonders. It helps us to get going! So, what could be short and medium term goals to achieving your long term goals? And, can you review and adapt your plan? Is it flexible?  

Where can you find support? Emotional and possibly financial? And how could you reward yourself? Also, how can you deal with obstacles on the way? Which strategies could be helpful?