What’s important to you?

In my last entry, I talked about how important it can be for a job searcher to think about his/her values, interests, and skills. Today I want to talk more about the first: values.
The term values refers broadly to those things which are intrinsically important to us. In the context of career choices and job-searches, values play a vital role in helping us decide what we want out of a career.
Values encompass numerous aspects of careers and jobs; for instance, where do you want to live? At the end of the day, what do you want to have accomplished? What role does your job/career play in your life? What kind of lifestyle do you want to live? What does comfort mean to you?
Indulge me for the next few minutes. Sit back, relax, and try to picture what you want your life to be in one, five, or ten years. Your alarm goes off in the morning; what time is it? Are you living in a house? Apartment? Other living space? With whom, if anyone, do you share your space? What do you see when you look out the window? Trees? A downtown cityscape? You take a shower and go to get dressed – or do you? What clothes are you putting on for the day? You get ready to go to work; how do you get there? Walk? Take public transportation? Drive a car? Stay in your own home/apartment/living space? When you get to work, who do you see? Who greets you? Do you have a desk? A cubicle? An office? Fast-forward to the end of the day; when do you go home? How do you know when you’re done with work? What have you accomplished?
Values are a good predictor of career satisfaction; if you’re doing something that fulfills your values, at the end of the day you will likely be satisfied. If it’s important for you to make a lot of money, but you get stuck in low-paying job, you’ll probably be frustrated at the end of the day. Likewise, if it’s important for you to contribute to society by working with individuals with disabilities, but you work for an organization whose sole evaluation criteria is how much money you bring in, you’ll probably be unhappy unless you find another way to fulfill your values.
Consider the following questions as you think about careers and jobs:
What role do I want work to play in my life?
Do I want my career to be my identity? Do I want a clean separation between work and the rest of my life?
How do I want to balance work and my family life? My social life?
What do I want to be known for?
How much money do I need to feel comfortable?
What does security mean to me?