“This can often happen in most cases because we are not aware of our career expectations.” We chase our career but never think about what our expectations are from our career.
So, what are career expectations and why are they important?
In simple words, career expectations are what you really expect from your career, what you want to achieve after making a career in a particular field apart from monetary gains. Career expectations are important because they are directly proportional to the degree of happiness you get from your work. It keeps you motivated and focussed and you know what your end goal is.
There are two main reasons why knowing your career expectations is of utmost importance.
“Let me tell you two scenarios to explain the essentiality of understanding your career expectations.”
While you are still a student, you are doing great at your studies, after your graduation there is a guarantee that you will get a lucrative job. You get placed in a great organization. You start working there but at the end of the day, you are not happy because your end goal is still not fulfilled.
What will you do in this case?
Maybe it’s too late to go back and change your career. So, where did you go wrong?
You did not figure out in the start what you want to achieve apart from a good salary package. Maybe you are not meant to work under someone and you never realise that your career expectation is “freedom”.
Maybe you are not meant for nine to five jobs and you value “entrepreneurship” career expectation more.
Hence, knowing what you expect from your career is much more important right before you enter the job market.
“Realising your career expectations will help you choose the right workplace environment which eventually leads to your overall work satisfaction and happiness in general.”
Now the second scenario example is; imagine you are appearing for your first job interview and the interviewer asks you about your career expectations and you are completely blank because you never really thought about it.
There are several things an employer may look for when asking what your job expectations are.
“It is crucial to answering questions about career expectations both directly and specifically.”
Answering this question using precise details ensures there is a clear understanding between you and the employer of both your and their expectations.
If the interviewer is asking about your job expectations, identify a specific scenario that shows how you can meet or exceed expectations. If the interviewer is asking what you expect from their organization, briefly explain why the factors you choose are important to you.
But for this, you first need to identify your career expectations.
Realizing career expectations and understanding their importance from the employer’s perspective can be tricky and confusing. Hence, you need to explore, recognize and acknowledge what are your career expectations. Then only you can put those forth during an interview or while looking out for a suitable job.
To find out and explore your career expectation, you can take our assessments here – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1n6NKTtPT5zGVH-H1JxCA3Ps2qJf3y6TKVzJlRQJBxLE/edit?no_redirect=true
Our assessment is designed to find out which career expectations are your priorities and which do not fall in that category. This will help you understand yourself with respect to –
1. What is really important to you when at work
2. What is your end goal of your career
3. Which work environment will be suitable for you to thrive in
We, at Stride Ahead, provide mentorship to students, beginners and professionals who want to achieve their dream career and attain work happiness. Do visit www.strideahead.in to know more about our mentorship programs and book your first free call with our mentors.
