Now that you’ve completed an assessment and learned which jobs fit your personality, it’s time to begin targeting jobs and companies that align best with your core values, skills, and goals. 

Creating a personal mission and vision statement makes it easier to navigate industries and positions on your search while staying true to your goals. You should avoid thinking that mission and vision statements are silly or just fluff. In reality, they’re the single most important part of your job search.

You cannot hope to find your mission in life if you don’t know what really matters to you. Working through the process to identify your vision can help you better understand yourself and your opportunities. 

Follow the steps below to make your statement.

 

  • Identify Your Proudest Moments and Achievements

 

Develop a list of around seven successes that mean the most to you right now and write them down. These don’t have to be solely career-based.

Looking at your list, identify common themes:

  • Were these successes accomplished as part of a group or individually? 
  • Did you use a certain skill in these successes? Were successes assigned to you or self-started?

Identifying these themes creates self-awareness of natural capabilities and shows the type of achievements that mean the most to you.

  

 

  • Establish Core Values

 

List every single core value that you are proud of or want to exemplify. Once you can’t think of any more, rank your top five and write why they mean the most to you.

 

  • Your Contributions

 

Envision your ideal scenarios of how you can contribute and participate in each of these areas:

 

World

Example: Leave a lasting, positive impact on people’s lives and the planet.

Family

Example: To be a member who can always be depended on to uphold traditions and commit to quality time.

Friends

Example: To be loyal, caring, and invested in maintaining relationships.

Work

Example: Always committed to being the best team player possible.

DECEMBER 2019

 

  • Identify and Specify Goals

 

Here is where your mission and vision statements combine as you bring your short and long-term goals together on your life roadmap.

Ø Short term mission (1-3yrs): Seek employment with an organization that

shares my values and allows me to use my skill set.

Ø Long term vision (3+ yrs.): Achieve success for my company and myself as I

build a long-term plan for professional and personal prosperity.

 

  • Let the Words Flow

 

After working through Steps One-Four, you’ve completed an honest inventory and are in the right head-space to write your statement. Try and keep it to around 50 words and remember to try not to put pressure on yourself. Your mission statement grows with you and your career-it isn’t permanent.