Seeking out satisfaction – making the decision to progress and being clear on next steps

At MET Marketing, we’re passionate about helping you to move forward in your career. But, similarly, it’s important that you know what that next goal is and what you need to do in preparation to achieve it.

In our last blog we spoke about the importance of satisfaction in our everyday lives and at work and as such, we can help you consider what the right next step is for you, supporting you on the journey.

First and foremost, if you are thinking about taking the next step – why not develop your satisfaction plan?

The key to developing your satisfaction plan is to get to know yourself, it’s an uncomfortable process but it will set you up for future success. Consider the following;

• What makes you happy/unhappy in your current role?

Write down ten things that you enjoy and ten things you don’t enjoy about your current role. Then rank these as important or not too important. This could be things from team size, type of tasks, level or training, location or work or travel, the make-up of the team, type of business, personalities or salary.

Circle the things you most want or don’t want in your next move.

• What are your goals?

Consider what your short (12 months) medium (3 years) and long-term (5-10 years) – write down 1-2 goals for each period.

• What values drive you?

It’s always important to consider yourself and the personal value you hold. We all have key values that drive us – if you are a person that values a fun and vibrant lifestyle – working in a quiet and considered role might not suit you.

Write down 3-4 values that matter to you – what do you live by?  Now think about work – which of these are important at work? Write down how the next place you work could support these values – this could be about training or team structure.

• What are your expectations?

What are the key expectations you have for your next move? Rank “five job expectations” you have of your next role – considering what you like and don’t like, your values and your goals.  Check that these are realistic! if not amend these to be stretching but within reach. This might be about career advancement, salary levels, training, team structure, perks or more.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

If you know that it is progression that you want to make, you should undertake a strength and weakness analysis on yourself. By evaluating this you are one step ahead when the dreaded question crops up in an interview. However, by being clear on your strengths, you can determine if you are suitable for a role or define how you would add value to the recruiting organisation. Similarly, by exploring your weaknesses, you can identify room for improvement and put together a personal development plan to help you on your way.

• Review and summarise

Well done you now have a base to start considering what will deliver the most satisfaction to you in your next move. You have a clear view of yourself, what you want and what you can bring to your next role which will enable you to enter the application and more importantly the interview process confident of how to approach.

Throughout the Candidate Journey series, we’ll be exploring various issues facing job hunters such as how to write the perfect CV, interview tips and handling counter-offers.

If you want to know more about how MET Marketing can help you progress and find career satisfaction then contact the team at MET Marketing and we will work with you to make your next move the best yet.