Regardless of your specialty - from organizational development and labor relations to benefits and training - as an HR professional, your primary concern is workplace satisfaction. However, you may be overlooking an even more important aspect of your job - your career satisfaction. If you are looking to make a career change, are already in the midst of a job search or would simply like to find new motivation in your current position, it is important to identify your ideal work preferences.

In order to help you pinpoint the most complete and accurate description of your ideal work situation, here are some aspects of your career and work preferences to consider:

• Competencies and skills you´d like to use. Do you feel challenged in your current position? If not, identify additional areas of interest and what competencies and skills you need to pursue them.
• Preferred work environment. Where you work and the conditions you work under are central in optimizing your job satisfaction. Identify what atmosphere is most likely to help you feel comfortable on a daily basis.
• Income and benefits requirements. It is important to feel properly compensated and appreciated for your contribution to the company. Identify a range of income and benefit offerings you feel are aligned with your competencies and personal and professional needs. There are several resources available that can help you find out how others in similar job situations are compensated in your geographic location, such as industry associations, online research tools, etc.
• Identify tangible aspects. Examples of tangible aspects include position responsibilities, reporting relationships, organizational size and industry. You´ll be able to identify some of these aspects before a job interview. However, you may need to specifically reference other aspects (such as reporting relationships and position responsibilities) during your conversations with the prospective employer.
• Identify intangible aspects. Unlike tangible aspects, intangible aspects are not directly observable and require more research. Examples include an organization´s culture and managerial style, as well as the quality and professionalism of its current employees. You may want to ask current or past employees, vendors or customers about the culture of the company in order to gauge these intangible aspects.

Once you´ve defined your ideal work situation, you can test it against current job market realities. For example, a desire to double your salary is probably not very realistic. However, it is realistic to want to work for an organization that has a reputation for promoting within. By identifying your work preferences, you will find it easier to:

• Set goals and define career objectives
• Determine additional information you will need to gather about potential career options
• Identify your competitive edge in the marketplace
• Target your job search
• Evaluate job offers

Even if you´re not ready to leave your current role, a periodic review of your situation can help you take steps to enhance your professional fulfillment now, while broadening your options in the future.

About John Miller and DBM
John Miller is a Senior Vice President for DBM.