How to make sure you find the field you would enjoy working at and bringing out your career passion.

It starts with a self-assessment process that identifies what type of company you would like to work for, what type of work you want to do, what personal needs you have, and what type of people you want to work with.

I use a tool called Assessing and Deciding Your Fit™ that helps individuals identify and prioritize their personal preferences within four distinct categories: Organizational Fit, Work Fit, Personal Needs-Supplied Fit and Team/Group Fit.

Ask yourself:

  1. What do I want from an Organization? Consider culture, values, industries, products, size, and management practices.
  2. What do I want to do, what type of Work? Consider interests, knowledge, skills, abilities and strengths.
  3. What Personal Needs do I want met? Consider financial needs/wants, health/retirement benefits, continuing education/training, and life/work balance.
  4. What type of People do I want to work with? Consider personality characteristics, style and communication needs, group values and behaviors.

A good assessment tool will provide you with a list of careers to research. Align yourself with the right people and ask strategic questions, looking and listening for answers that match what you’ve discovered about yourself. Finding your fit, both when seeking a new job and growing in your career, is about matching your personal preferences, in all four self assessment categories, with what an employer has to offer.

— Cindy Edwards, Career Development Coach