Workplace preferences and values
Identify the qualities in your work life that are important to you.
Studies show that people who work in a career that matches their values and preferences stay in a job longer and have a better quality of life. That's a win for both employees and employers.
Try the techniques below to identify the work-related values and preferences that motivate you.
Workplace values
Having been in the military, you may be used to a workplace with a structured environment and the values of your Service branch. Since your work-related values can greatly influence your job satisfaction, look for a match between your own values and those of the company and position you pursue.
Try out CareerOneStop's Work Values Matcher to prioritize your key values and identify civilian careers and workplaces that fit your values.
Or print your preferred version of this Work Values checklist to identify your values:
Work preferences
The following questions will help you identify your work preferences. Read each question to identify the answer that best describes your preference.
- I enjoy working with:
- data (information, ideas, words, numbers)
- people
- things (machines, equipment, animals)
- I prefer working:
- indoors
- outdoors
- some inside and some outside
- I want to work for a company:
- with fewer than 100 employees
- with 100 to 500 employees
- with 500 or more employees
- I would like to work in a:
- large city
- medium size city
- town or suburban area
- small town or rural area
- I am interested in a job that involves:
- a lot of travel
- some travel
- no travel
- Which of your past jobs did you like least? Why?
- Which of your past jobs did you like best? Why?
- What work would you do if you could choose any job you wanted?