Are You Ready to Change Careers?

Before jumping off the deep end into a new career because you are feeling overly restless in your current one, do a self-assessment to see where you are. In "Finding Happiness at Work" Kate Lorenz, a editor at CareerBuilder suggests completing a simple checklist derived from the work of   Dr. Steven Reiss, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University and author of "Who am I? The 16 Basic Desires that Motivate our Actions and Define our Personalities." Reiss's research suggests that "happiness and life-satisfaction stem not from experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain, but from a sense that our lives have meaning and fulfill a larger purpose." He calls this "value-based happiness."

Reiss then narrowed these down to sixteen "universal desires" that drive individual actions and behavior. Using these profiles one can roughly measure the "degree to which an individual values each of these desires and reveals his or her enduring life goals, psychological needs and personality traits" or in career speak, a "self-assessment."

The following quiz, taken from the Career Builder article is a simplified version of Reiss's questionnaire that includes over 100 questions.

Read the following statements about each basic desire. If they strongly describe you mark "+" if they somewhat describe you mark "0," and if they apply to you very little mark "-":

1. Curiosity.  I have a thirst for knowledge.

2. Acceptance.   I have a hard time coping with criticism.

3. Order.  It upsets me when things are out of place.

4. Physical Activity.  Physical fitness is very important to me.

5. Honor.  I am a highly principled and loyal person.

6. Power.  I often seek leadership roles.

7. Independence.  Self-reliance is essential to my happiness.

8. Social Contact.  I am known as a fun-loving person.

9. Family.  My children come first.

10. Status.  I am impressed by people who own expensive things.

11. Idealism.  Compared with most people, I am very concerned with social causes.

12. Vengeance.  It is very important to me to get even with those who insult or offend me.

13. Romance.  Compared with my peers, I spend much more time pursuing or having sex.

14. Eating.  I love to eat and often fantasize about food.

15. Saving.  I hate throwing things away.

16. Tranquility.  It scares me when my heart beats rapidly.

Now, look at your "plus" items.  These are your priorities, and you should have five or six of them. 

"Once you know your deepest values, one of the best ways to become happier is to find work that fulfills them," says Reiss. "For example, if you shun power or don't like to lead, you would be unhappy managing a large staff.

"If you have a high desire for acceptance, don't choose a job that exposes you to a lot of evaluation and criticism. If you prize order, look for a vocation that involves minimal ambiguity. If you're a curious person, find work that makes you think."

Reiss cites how a desire for status and competition drives many stockbrokers. He suggests that when evaluating a job, you understand the kinds of tasks you will be doing throughout the day, week and year. Compare those to your top desires to make sure what you will be doing each day will be a source of happiness.

But he cautions it's not just the work itself; ideally your value system should match that of the industry, the company and your boss, too. For example, Julie, who identified her highest desires as honor, social contact, eating, idealism and curiosity, loved her job as a sales associate for a major food manufacturer until she got a boss who routinely cut corners and urged her to lie to clients and superiors.

"To do well in a career and enjoy life, people need to be in a job and work environment that are compatible with their intrinsic desires," concludes Reiss. "By repeatedly doing those things that fulfill your values, there is no limit to how meaningful and happy your life can be."

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.