When we are looking for a job, we often experience stress due to uncertainty, the possibility of rejection and the prospect of being stranded. By analyzing job offers on LinkedIn and job sites, we try to tailor our resumes to the employer's description, demonstrating the competencies requested in the job description. However, in acting in this way, we must take into account our full potential as much as possible. After all, the next step may be an interview, and we need to demonstrate our personal strengths, illustrate our skills with examples from our experience, and ensure that the employer aligns with our goals.

Olha Petrova

In this article, I want to provide some recommendations on how, through deep coaching questions, we can better understand ourselves, assess our potential, and make our interactions with potential employers more conscious and, most importantly, aligned with our future goals.

First, let's think about where we want to be in the future of our career. To do this, answer the following questions:

Question #1. What will be the best career outcome for me in 5 years?

Provide a detailed answer, don't limit yourself to short sentences. Try to paint a picture of your ideal future in as much detail as possible, think about your environment, what you do, what inspires you, your achievements, and your income level. What value do you bring to the world around you? This description should inspire you. When we understand where we want to go, it's easier to choose the right steps and avoid mistakes.

Start a special notebook for these entries; don't rely solely on memory and imagination. These notes can be a support for you in difficult times and a new inspiration to move forward.

After the vision of your desired professional perspective is ready, let's work on your talents. Imagine that you have a very close friend. Someone who has known you since childhood, loves and values you very much. Someone who admires you as a person. Let's ask this reliable friend Question #2:

Question No. 2. What skills and talents do I have?

As you answer this question, look at yourself through your friend's eyes. This is very important because we often fear praising ourselves and don't fully realize our strengths. But from the outside, things are often clearer. Try to list as many of your abilities as possible, even those not related to the professional sphere. After all, our hobbies often help develop our personal qualities. For example, engaging in sports develops willpower and the ability to overcome difficulties. Engaging in sewing or embroidery trains our attention to detail and completing tasks, and if our hobby is cooking, we can confidently talk about developing our creative abilities. If you played in the theater in your youth, this experience likely rid you of the fear of public speaking.

Look at the list of your talents. What a talented and unique person you are! Think about which of these points you could also bring into your future professional realization. Mark them with markers and consider them when preparing your resume and going through interviews.

Question #3. What criteria should my job meet?

We all want to find our dream job. But sometimes we have to compromise, accepting options that are not ideal for us. To understand what is very important for you and in which areas you can compromise when considering offers from employers, write down at least 8 criteria.

For example:

1. International company
2. Remote work option
3. Functional responsibilities
4. Opportunity for development
5. ...

Formulate your criteria and place a scale from 1 to 10 next to each of them.

Now you can analyze the job description not only from the employer's perspective and your 'fit,' but also in terms of how well the position aligns with important factors for you. It's obvious that if we make a serious compromise, we will inevitably face stress and find it difficult to be happy in such a job.

Additionally, you can clarify aspects that interest you during the interview to ensure the correctness of your decision in the future.

Moreover, this list of criteria can help you choose between different companies or positions. Simply mark on a scale of 1 to 10 the rating of each criterion, and then sum up the points that the potential employer receives for each criterion.

For example:

1. International company 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (the company is international, but I would prefer a larger scale)
2. Convenient transportation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (location is convenient, less than a half-hour commute)
3. Functional responsibilities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (responsibilities slightly below my professional level)
4. Opportunity for development 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (the company declares opportunities for training and development within my future position)
5. ...

By summing up the score for each criterion, we obtain an overall assessment of our career opportunity. This way, we will choose not only based on emotions (like/dislike) but also considering rational and valuable factors for us.

For each of us, a job is not only an opportunity to provide for our own life and the life of our family; it's an opportunity to unleash our potential, connect with others, and bring value to the world. That's why it's so important to approach the job search comprehensively: create a vision of the future, assess our talents, and ensure that our work aligns with our values.

I hope these simple exercises will be useful for you and help you make the best career choice. Sincerely wishing you success in your job search and enjoyment in your fulfillment.

About Olha Petrova

Passionate Learning and Development Specialist with over two decades of experience shaping professional growth. My expertise spans professional training, coaching, facilitation and personal assessment. I help organizations increase staff efficiency and team collaboration. Let's connect and explore new horizons together.