Today’s tool is the Career Wheel. Similar to the Wheel of Life, it encourages reflection on different aspects of your career and asks you to assign a satisfaction score. The wheel addresses mission & purpose, sense of belonging, physical environment, autonomy, salary & benefits, professional growth, commute and opportunity to use skills and strengths. These factors typically contribute to your engagement and happiness at work. When reflecting on these different areas of your career satisfaction you’ll most likely also consider their importance. For instance, if you are in a graduate program while working full-time you may not be looking for professional growth in your job right now because you are growing so much as a result of your coursework. As with other tools, if a component of your career that is important to you isn’t represented add it in.
I suggest the Career Wheel for many of my coaching clients, many of whom are focused on gaining clarity on what they want from their career. While the Great Resignation has received a lot of attention, we are also going through a novel period of immense contemplation and reflection. Clients are asking themselves: how does my current position and organization align with my values? Am I going to pursue the expected path or choose something different? How will I prepare for the next phase of my professional journey? In coaching sessions, the Career Wheel can be a great starting point to focus these discussions and get clear on core values, motivations, saboteurs, priorities and how to leverage new self-knowledge into a fulfilling opportunity.
If you try out the Career Wheel and want to dig into it more, schedule an exploration session to learn how coaching may help you gain the clarity and direction you are looking for.
Let me know what you think of the Career Wheel! You can email me at drkimburns@gmail.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
