01. Self-Reflection: Design Your Blueprint for Success
Design Your Blueprint for Success
When seeking a new job, oftentimes our first instinct is to apply for any job that looks vaguely interesting, and to figure out the rest of the details as we go along. Most of the time, we end up feeling as though we’re just throwing our applications out there with little-to-no positive response to show for it.
There's a better way to do this.
At Udacity, we recommend you take a proactive approach to the job search process. By first building your self-confidence and clearly identifying your needs and wants, you’ll be in a better position to seek out jobs that will actually make a lasting impact on your future. You'll know what you want - and what you don't want - in a job. You can also better visualize your path to that job and make immediate plans. For example, perhaps your next job first requires more skills that you don’t yet have, and thus requires a few months of learning and practice.
A career-oriented self-reflection helps you make sure you're on the right track. The self-reflection builds your blueprint for success.
Below is an exercise to help you reflect and think about your blueprint. At first, you may be surprised by how much you write! Seeing your professional wants and needs written down can provide clarity or new insights that you weren’t aware of before. This self-reflection has been designed to get to the heart of what you want out of your career.
Maybe you’ve already decided what your dream job is, or maybe you don’t have the slightest clue. Regardless of where you are on this spectrum, you must first design your own blueprint for success and professional fulfillment . Use the exercise below to guide your self-reflection.
Note : Don't worry about getting the correct answer. Treat this exercise as an opportunity to begin thinking about your personal and professional needs and desires.
You can always copy your notes from this exercise into a new document and continue working on it! For now, let's get started!
Reflect
QUESTION:
Why did you choose to pursue a new career?
ANSWER:
Take a moment to reflect on why you've chosen this path to help define your professional objectives.
Reflect
QUESTION:
What questions do you currently have about the tech industry?
ANSWER:
The questions you have hint at your curiosity , a valued characteristic for working in the tech industry, regardless of your role.
Reflect
QUESTION:
What skills do you want to improve or develop?
ANSWER:
You likely have goals to learn more technical skills, but don't forget to practice behavioral skills also. Communication, collaboration and teamwork, and project and time management are just as valuable.
Reflect
QUESTION:
What are 2-3 personal values that matter to you above all? For example, a common one is "to help people."
ANSWER:
This is a very open-ended question! Relate what you wrote to what you want out of your next job. Perhaps you wrote "freedom to explore." Does that translate to flexible work hours and a remote job? Perhaps you wrote "to contribute to something valuable." That might mean you want to contribute to a team, or that you want to find a company with a social impact mission.
Reflect
QUESTION:
What are your top preferences for a compatible work environment (geographic location, company size, employment type, etc)? The list can be as long as you'd like!
ANSWER:
Use the information you've entered here to guide your next steps. If you're pretty set on working in an area, for example, you can focus your career exploration research on understanding the job market of that area.