The Knowdell Career Values Card Sort is a straightforward online card sort tool to help prioritize what aspects of your career you value or those you could pursue. I did an assessment as part of my MBA program, among many others. My report indicates the following variables that are key to my work satisfaction, in order of importance.
- Advancement: Be able to get ahead rapidly, gaining opportunities for growth and seniority from work well-done.
- Environment: Work on tasks that have a positive effect on the natural environment.
- Challenging Problems: Engage continually with complex questions, demanding tasks, trouble-shooting and problem-solving as a core part of my job.
- Influence People: Be in a position to change attitudes or opinions of others.
- Time Freedom: Have responsibilities at which I can work according to my time schedule; no specific working hours required.
- High Earnings Anticipated: Be able to purchase essentials and the luxuries of life that I wish.
- Creativity: Create new ideas, programs, organized structures or anything else not following a format developed by others.
- Help Others: Be involved in helping people directly, either individually or in small groups.
The test indicates a second tier of variables as well, including Independence, Authority, Work-Life Balance, Family, Fun & Humor, Work with others, Creative Expression, Intellectual status, and others.
I’m using these values to evaluate potential opportunities, grading each on a scale from 3, 2, 1, 0, -1.