Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Choosing a Career

Beyond Ready is Horizon Point’s line of resources for students preparing for college and/or career. This category archive specifically features blogs about Choosing a Career.

  • Coaching Moment: Ikigai for Career Development

    Coaching Moment: Ikigai for Career Development

    What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we’ve all heard (and probably asked) a hundred times. The truth is, career development is less about picking one answer and more about figuring out what makes life meaningful.

    In our latest Coaching Moment video, Taylor shares how we introduce educators in Alabama to the idea of Ikigai—a Japanese word that simply means “reason for being.” Think of it as the place where passion, skill, purpose, and paycheck overlap. Or, in other words, the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning.

    Here’s how the activity works:

    • Write down what you love.

    • List what the world needs.

    • Think about what you’re good at.

    • Add what you can get paid for.

    Once you’ve got three or so ideas in each box, start looking for themes. That’s where the magic happens.

    And it’s not just a fun exercise. Researchers have found that people with a strong sense of ikigai enjoy better health, lower stress, and even longer lives. Other studies show that lifestyle and community support play a big role in shaping our sense of purpose too.

    Universities are paying attention as well. Johns Hopkins encourages students to use ikigai to line up passion with career choices. And Harvard Macy Institute points out how reflecting on ikigai can help educators reconnect with meaning in their work.

    So next time you (or someone you’re coaching) feels stuck on career decisions, pull out a sheet of paper and try the ikigai exercise. You might be surprised at what you uncover.

    👉 Watch the Coaching Moment video to see Taylor walk through the activity and discover your own reason for being.

  • Back to School: Assessments are Beneficial for Each Phase of Life

    Back to School: Assessments are Beneficial for Each Phase of Life

    It’s that time again, back to school, back to campus, back to the busyness of fall! As we move to a new season of the year, many of us are also moving to a new phase of life. Assessments can be beneficial at all stages. Here are a few we recommend.

    Beginning Middle School: 

    Now’s the time for exploration! Middle schoolers typically have access to assessments at school that allows for exploration. Here are a couple of others we recommend:

    What’s Your Learning Style?

    Your Free Career Test

    Career Spotlight videos on YouTube are also great for this age group!

    Beginning High School/Starting College:

    Any Holland-based assessment is ideal for this stage. Holland assessments are interest-based & tie into personality also. At Horizon Point, we utilize the STRONG Interest Inventory. Another assessment we recommend (that is free) is My Next Move. It is a short assessment & a great starting point for finding out about interests and potential career fields.

    Informational interviews and/or job shadows are also great for this stage!

    Mid-Career Change:

    16 Personalities – This assessment is also free & provides your MBTI (personality type). I don’t typically recommend personality assessments for high schoolers since personality can change a bit as we move into adulthood. This assessment offers insight into personality, ideal work environments & more.

    Did you know we offer assessments & training packages at Horizon Point? Contact us today to learn more  – info@horizonpointconsulting.com or tbs@horizonpointconsulting.com.

  • What does Pixar’s Soul have to do with your Job Search?

    What does Pixar’s Soul have to do with your Job Search?

    Over the Christmas break, my family and I watched Soul, a Disney Pixar film. It was an interesting little movie. But what does Pixar’s Soul have to do with your job search? 

    “Pixar’s “Soul” is about a jazz pianist who has a near-death experience and gets stuck in the afterlife, contemplating his choices and regretting the existence that he mostly took for granted.”  – RobertEbert.com (Check out the full review here: Soul Movie Review)

    In the movie, the main character, Joe, helps Number 22 find her spark! Other career buzz words like passion and flow were found throughout the show. 

    As I watched the movie, I immediately correlated what was happening to real life, specifically a job search. Just like 22, there are so many people who can’t find their spark & drift through their adult lives unfulfilled, feeling as though something is missing in their “work” life.

    So, what does Pixar’s Soul have to do with your job search? Here are three key takeaways:

    1. Explore different paths – take assessments, job shadow, conduct informational interviews, utilize websites like O*Net to find out more about careers.
    2. Enjoy life as you search for your spark. Don’t be so laser-focused on a job search that you don’t enjoy the other parts of life that make you happy! Spend time with family and friends, enjoy hobbies like biking or scrapbooking, listen to inspiring podcasts, or read books on your favorite topics.
    3. Don’t give up! Eventually, you will find just the right career fit. In the meantime, volunteer, work part-time jobs to try different career fields, or take classes that interest you.

    We offer career coaching packages at Horizon Point Consulting, Inc. If you could benefit from an assessment & coaching session to help with finding your spark, contact us!

  • Career Change – Is it for you?

    Career Change – Is it for you?

    Have you been declared “non-essential” during the pandemic? Maybe you’re in a role that is or has been eliminated or just ready to try something new? Where do you begin?

    First, a career assessment is a great place to start. My Next Move is a free one that can be completed online or we can help you with an in-depth assessment that examines your personality and desired skills and abilities.

    Another great resource for making a career change is the internet. You can search for “in-demand” careers online. ONET is another great tool for researching careers along with salaries and provides career exploration tools.

    Regardless of what career you currently have, if you are itching to make a change, examine the following as you begin:

    What is missing from what I do now that I want to be able to do on a regular basis? What skills do I need to use on a regular basis to bring satisfaction?

    What is it that I do now that I want to continue to be able to do? What skills that I want to continue to use are transferrable to other careers?

    What type of environment do I enjoy working in?

    What careers match the skills and abilities I want to use and are also in line with my work values? MatchFIT provides a framework for you to learn and understand what your workplace cultural preferences are, how to interpret and apply these preferences to your job search, and how to highlight and build on them for your own personal and professional development.

    Research shows that better person-organization fit leads to employees who are more satisfied, engaged, successful, and achieve greater results for their organizations.

    Finally, why not do a trial run before jumping into a new career? Job shadowing is a great way to try out a new career (or two) before you make a change. Read 4 Tips for an Awesome Job Shadow or Informational Interview before your first one. 4 Great Benefits of Job Shadowing for Grown-Ups offers more benefits of job shadowing for career changers.

     

  • Secrets of the Job Search for Recent Graduates

    Secrets of the Job Search for Recent Graduates

    This time of year is always crazy busy with upcoming graduation and new beginnings for recent grads. Job search is on the top of their lists. I often get inquiries about resumes, cover letters & job search strategies in the spring. So, I thought a blog post addressing secrets for the job search would be timely.

    But first, I want to share a quick story. A couple of months ago, I worked with a client who was approaching college graduation. She was a treat to work with; she had a wonderful attitude, great education background as well as impressive internship and work experience, which made my job super easy. We focused on 3 things: resume, LinkedIn and catering both to the specific job she was interested in. Within a week of focusing on these 3 things, she had a job interview with her employer of choice, and within 2 weeks, she received a job offer.

    Obviously, it doesn’t always work that way. I’ve worked with several others who weren’t fortunate enough to quickly obtain their top job choice. If you are in that boat, here are 3 secrets for the job search:

    1. Networking. Network like it’s your job! Essentially, networking should be your job until you have one. College career centers are a great starting point and have a plethora of knowledge and tips. You should also focus on networking online – especially via LinkedIn. With the tight job market, employers are always searching for candidates (including passive ones) on LinkedIn. Check out: How to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile as a Recent College Grad to help you get started.

    2. Develop a master resume. You should always have a good master resume and work to cater your resume for each job you are applying for. Jobscan.co is a great tool for determining how close of a match you are to a job opening. Check out Can you really triple your interviews with Jobscan?  to find out more about Jobscan.

    3. Research your target companies. This is important in all stages of the job search including determining your ideal employer(s), preparing for an interview and preparing for your first day after landing the job. Glassdoor.com is a great tool to do this. You can even see an interview question from previous candidates.

    Are you ready for your job search? Read more job search articles from The Point Blog.