5 Questions to Think About Before Your Next Career Move | Self-Reflection for Nursing Professional Development

Self-Reflection is key to finding your next career move. Here are 5 questions to think about before your next career move.

Self-Reflection is important to help you know where you are going. Its the first step you need to take before making any new moves in your career.

Many times we get into jobs that do not fit our personality or don’t help us towards our goals. This leads to us being very miserable and frustrated with the job and with the world. It then spills over into our personal lives and all of a sudden we are the Debbie downer that no one wants to be around all because we are in the wrong place in our career.

Here are a few questions to ask during a self-reflection:

What do you believe?

Do you believe you have all the answers? Do you believe that you should have everything you ask for? Do you believe that as long as you have the credentials you should get the job? Do you believe you order your own steps or do you believe God orders your steps? What do you believe? These are the questions you need to ask in your first step of reflection. Asking these questions will help to provide you a foundation of where you currently are, where you need to go and how you get there.

2. What are your values/What do you value?

Psychology Today has an available list of values that most people claim. They include: Integrity, knowledge, optimism, authenticity, bravery, leadership, compassion, growth, etc. What are those characteristics you deem to be important in your life and in your career? Those things need to line up with the job and the company you choose to work with or that chooses you. If your values don’t line up with a job or company it can lead to moral distress which leads to stress, anxiety and a list of other things that can affect your mental health and physical health. Even if the money is good.

3. What are your goals in life?

Think about those things which you would love to do in your profession. Are there roles in your profession in which you have seen others operate and want to get there too? Do you want to make a difference? Do you want to lead others? Do you want to lead projects? All of these questions will help you understand your goals. Identifying your goals helps you recognize the types of jobs that will help you reach your goals. It also helps you identify what skills you want to build to reach your goals in your career.

4. What do you believe to be you’re calling?

Some people call it a passion, I say its a calling. Its that thing that you would do even if someone didn’t pay you. Its that thing that brings joy to your heart when you think about it or do it? Or you may be within your calling to help but what does the next level look like. My initial calling is to nursing. Later in my career I to think deeper than just nursing. What is it within nursing that brings me joy? Its mentoring and coaching other people, other nurse to live their best life in their profession. Its digging in to quality improvement to get the best results for our patients. It should prick your heart so much that it almost makes you want to cry. Even when you are not a cryer.

5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Its always important to know what you are good at and what you are not good at. This is to identify what jobs you would be best at and which ones maybe not so. I am a big picture thinker. I don’t like small details. However, I know that I need to align myself with those who do like details because they are always looking for the big picture thinker that would help keep them from being stagnant.

Its time out for having the job just for the sake of having a job unless you are struggling to find a job. Most of the professions at this time have plenty of job openings. You want to be in the best place for you and for the company. It will show in your interview. They will see your heart for the position and your place in the company. This is not a guarantee that you won’t have hard days. However, it is an assurance that where you are is where God has placed you. Reflecting on what you believe, your values, your goals, your calling, strengths and weaknesses helps you to see the good in what you do and leads to a fresh perspective.

Feeling the struggle in your career growth &
don’t know where to start?

This Nursing Growth Starter Guide will help you: