How to Know Your Values and Purpose and Why it Matters in Job Searches

When you are looking to move jobs, it is important that you understand what the organisation’s values and mission are and how they tally with yours.

If you are looking to change jobs, it is good to be prepared for any changes that may have occurred since you last needed to find a new role. Certain aspects of business language and the ways people do business or the words they use to speak about it may no longer be the same.

There was a big discussion not so long ago when the Labour party spoke about its pillars and missions. Journalists said ordinary people wouldn’t understand these, but they are commonplace in the corporate world. Every organisation has them. So what are they and why do they matter?

Pillars and Missions

Pillars are basically an organisation’s core values, the values that it uses to define its brand, strategy and operations. These are considered crucial for its success and growth.

Missions, meanwhile, are about purpose. Values and mission matter in today’s ultra-competitive and fast-changing world where knowing what you stand for dictates how you promote yourself on social media. Selling is no longer about simply showing a product. It is about telling a story that speaks to the customers you have and those you want to attract.

When they recruit companies are looking to find someone who matches their values and sense of purpose. A good ‘fit’ is often the word used. That means you need to do your research and ensure you understand what the organisation’s values and mission are and that you have concrete examples to hand at every stage of the recruitment process about how they tally with yours.

So how do you understand what your values and purpose are and find a job that corresponds to them?

How to Find Your Values and Purpose

American businessman Roy E Disney said: “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”

Your values not only guide your decisions; they shape your goals and influence how you relate to others. They relate to the times in your life when you felt truly happy, proud or fulfilled. For example, if you felt most alive when helping others, values like kindness or service may be important to you.

Another way to identify your values is to think about who you admire and why. The qualities you respect in others can point to your own core values. For example, if you look up to someone for their honesty or courage, these may be values that resonate with you.

Consider, too, the activities or causes that you are passionate about. What do you spend your time doing when you’re not forced to do them? Your passions often reflect your values.

Pay attention to how you feel when something aligns with or goes against your ideas of what’s right or good and what’s wrong or bad. If you feel strongly about fairness or freedom, you’re likely to place a high value on those concepts. Conversely, moments of frustration or discomfort can signal areas where your values are being compromised.

Think about your long-term desires as they often reveal your fundamental values. If you want to travel and explore new cultures, for instance, it might indicate a value for curiosity or adventure.

Once you have a list, rank them in order of importance and start consciously integrating them into your daily actions. Notice how your choices feel when they align with your values versus when they don’t. This ongoing feedback will help you refine your understanding of what truly matters to you and that brings you to your purpose.

Finding your values and purpose is about self-discovery and that takes time and reflection. When you clearly understand them, you can make choices that are more authentic to you and fulfilling.