What career is right for me?

Think about the last time you felt completely in your element at work. Maybe you were brainstorming ideas in a team meeting, perhaps you were solving a tricky problem on your own, or possibly you were organizing a project down to the last detail. Now, also think about a moment when work felt frustrating or exhausting. Chances are high that those experiences weren’t necessarily about the tasks themselves, but mostly about how well they were aligned with who you are. Many people go through their careers without truly knowing why certain roles energize them and why others drain them. In this article we’ll uncover how your previously identified strengths and values translates to your professional career path. You’ll find accessible exercises, relatable stories, and insights grounded in research to help you thrive at work. Not just survive.

Why understanding your professional identity matters

Your personality, values and strengths don’t disappear when you step into the workplace. They rather shape the way you collaborate, make decisions, and handle challenges. By understanding your natural tendencies, your stress responses, and the roles you take on in a team, you can navigate your career with more confidence and work towards goals that truly matter to you.

Just as self-awareness contributes to personal growth, knowing your professional self is the key to career satisfaction and success. It’s what sets you apart as an employee and helps you create meaningful relationships with your work and colleagues. According to research by Ibarra and Petriglieri (2010), being authentic at work is crucial for professional development. Employees who understand their professional identity make better decisions, communicate more effectively, and are more engaged at work.

Self-awareness helps you:

1. Navigate office dynamics
   When you understand how you naturally respond to conflict, collaboration, and communication, you can adapt to these challenges without losing your authenticity.

2. Articulate your work value
   When you truly know your strengths and how they benefit the company, you can confidently explain in a meeting why your input is valuable.

3. Maintain alignment between your job and personal values
   When your work aligns with your core values, burnout becomes less likely to happen, and your job satisfaction rises.

Take control of your career path

Some people assume that taking control of your work life means aggressively chasing promotions. But taking control is far more nuanced. It involves setting personal boundaries, seeking meaningful projects, and knowing when to pivot and be flexible.

Harvard Business Review highlights that employees who lead from self-awareness, develop stronger professional relationships and navigate challenges with resilience.

Here are some examples of people who used self-awareness to take control of their career:

Exercise 1: Identify your workplace values

For this exercise it’s important to reflect on your workplace values. For some this may sound like a vague statement, like: ‘Hey, I just go to work to make money’. But even when you’re at the beginning of your career, or even when you’re ready to accept any job since you’re broke and you really need a financial injection, then still your workplace values are very important to know.

This self-awareness not only enhances job satisfaction, but also influences choices like the type of employer you prefer or whether you opt for day or night shifts.

By seeking a job that aligns with your professional identity and knowing how to articulate this in the job interview, you increase your chances to get that job drastically. So, take a moment and answer these questions thoroughly and honestly.

1. What work environments make you thrive?
   Some people thrive in highly structured environments with clear guidelines, such as a government institution, logistic agencies, or a call centre. Others prefer flexible environments like a startup or freelance work. Maybe you struggle with a 9-to-5-office culture but excel when you have the freedom to find some time to do your homework or watch movies when you’re in the night shift as a hotel receptionist.

2. What values matter most to you?
   Your values shape the kind of work you find meaningful. If you are really strong at teamwork and collaboration is important to you, you may not take that lonely night shift in the hotel. However, contact the hotel anyways and tell them that you would love to have a day shift, so you can use your communication skills to be a perfect host for the guests in day time.

   → Hint: Don’t let rejections stop you and rather use them as another networking option. In case of the hotel: if they really don’t have a day shift available, ask them for a hotel that does. The hotel branch may be closed-knit, so they may refer you to an option next-door.

3. What brings you joy at work?
   Some people gain energy from problem-solving, other find joy in analyzing data. Maybe you do want to take a job in a call center, but you rather measure the efficiency of the phone calls and increase cross-sell options for the company, than to make all these phone calls yourself.

Exercise 2: What motivates you at work?

Whether you’re striving for a purposeful career, aiming for financial growth, or simply seeking more clarity in your day-to-day work, our Work Preference Matrix™ is designed to support you. Based on motivation psychology and career theory, this useful little framework helps you to figure out what gets you out of bed in the morning, but also what work environment you thrive in. The matrix is structured around two key dimensions:

Motivation style:

This refers to what drives you at work. There are two main types:

• Intrinsic motivation:
  you’re driven by internal satisfaction, such as doing meaningful work, solving problems, or being creative.
  → Example: a teacher who finds joy in seeing students grow.

• Extrinsic motivation:
  you’re driven by external rewards, like money, status, bonuses, or recognition.
  → Example: a salesman who is motivated by commissions and public praise.

Work style preference:

This refers to how you like to work. Again two main types:

• Independent:
  you prefer autonomy, making your own decisions, and setting your own schedule.
  → Example: a freelance writer who works alone from home.

• Collaborative:
  you thrive in group dynamics and team settings. You value team input and enjoy shared goals.
  → Example: a project manager who leads a team and facilitates teamwork.

The work preference matrix™: a simple way to choose a career that fits you

By combining the two axes of the previous exercise, you get four work preference styles:

• The Craftsman (intrinsic + independent):
  values meaningful, autonomous work. Think about researchers, artists, or software developers.

• The Climber (extrinsic + independent):
  driven by success and control. Think about entrepreneurs or high-level consultants.

• The Contributor (intrinsic + collaborative):
  motivated by purpose and teamwork. Think teachers, nurses, and non-profit coordinators.

• The Competitor (extrinsic + collaborative):
  loves rewards and thrives in a team. Think sales managers or advertising executives.

How to identify the wrong career (career dealbreakers)

Now you’ve met your inner Climber, Contributor, Craftsman or Competitor, it’s time for a reality check. Even the most dazzling work style has its kryptonite. Knowing what you want in a job is just as powerful as knowing what drives you mad. If endless meetings make you feel like you want to flip a table, you better know this beforehand.

Why? Because being able to clearly articulate your non-negotiables shows a strong sense of self-awareness and professional maturity. It helps you make smarter career choices and protects you from ending up in a role that drains your energy rather than fuels it. Knowing your work boundaries saves you from years of job misery and makes you a sharper, more confident candidate.

Research into job satisfaction shows that a misfit between a person and its work environment can even lead to a burnout.

In short: knowing – and avoiding – your dealbreakers greatly increases the chance of finding long-term work fulfillment.

Exercise 3: Dealbreaker discovery

We all have our ‘no thanks’ or ‘ugh, definitely not for me’ moments. Well, they come in very handy for this exercise! This quickfire checklist helps you pinpoint what doesn’t work for you, so you can make smarter career choices - and even drop a confident line or two in your next cover letter. The more you tick, the clearer your red flags become. After that, try to reframe your top dealbreakers into assertive, positive statements. Great for your resume or job interview!

Which of these would you rather avoid?

• Being micromanaged
• Repetitive unchallenged tasks
• Vague job description or unclear expectations
• High pressure sales targets
• Lack of flexibility or rigid schedules
• Toxic competitiveness
• No opportunities for personal growth
• Team environment with poor communications
• Constant multitasking with no deep focus time
• Companies with unclear values or mission
• (think of one yourself)

Now flip it! Pick at least three dealbreakers. Now, turn these dealbreakers in a positive sentence that communicates your need. This exercise helps you to find your red flags and flip them into strengths.

Match your work style to the right career path

Some people struggle to know what they really want in their work life and find it hard to know what they’re exactly looking for. In the previous exercise you’ve seen that your dealbreakers are usually the opposite of what you want, so flipping those can really guide you! To give you some extra help, we’re matching your red flags to the personal work style from Exercise 2.

Are you a Climber who loathes ambiguity because it makes you feel out of control? Are you a Contributor who hates an ongoing competition because it ruins the ambiance and harmony on the work floor? Each type has its own no-go zones. Understanding those can help you spot a dream job before it turns into a workplace soap opera. You’re not being picky, you’re just being purposeful. Let’s match the things that make you run away to the type of worker you are.

To link your makers (your motivation style and your work style preference) to your breakers, this overview may be helpful and inspiring. Every type has some typical dealbreakers.

The Craftsman (intrinsic + independent)

• Rigid schedules or environments: 9-to-5 with zero wiggle room? Nope.
• Meaningless tasks: if the ‘why’ is missing, so is their motivation.
• Too much socializing: forced fun or endless meetings? Quiet panic.
• Performance measured by numbers: they value meaningful results more than hitting numerical targets.

The Climber (extrinsic + independent)

• Endless bureaucracy: if it takes three approvals to book a meeting room, they’re out.
• Lack of clear rewards: no promotion in sight? No Climber in sight either.
• Micromanagement: they rather lead than to be led (especially not via daily check-ins).
• Undefined roles: if no one’s in charge, they’ll charge out.

The Contributor (intrinsic + collaborative)

• Toxic competitiveness: if the workplace feels like a continues war zone, they’ll quietly back away.
• Internal islands: if teamwork is only a buzzword and no reality, they’re out.
• Lack of purpose: work that feels meaningless drains their energy and motivation.
• Authoritarian culture: they’re here for shared goals, not for top down orders.

The Competitor (extrinsic + collaborative)

• Unclear KPI’s or rewards: what’s the point if there’s no prize in the end?
• Solo work with no buzz: they thrive on energy and shared wins.
• Lack of recognition: if no one claps, they won’t dance.
• Disorganized teams: if the team is a mess, they’re moving on.

The Letswork Career Compass Matrix™

We humans don’t come with a user manual, but it’s very helpful in your career to create one. The following career compass matrix is a visual overview of this article and a practical guide to help you connect the dots between what drives you, how you thrive, and what you should absolutely avoid in your work life.

This isn’t about boxing yourself into a single type or fitting neatly into a predefined category. Quite the opposite, really. Most of us are a delightful blend with a hint of Climber ambition, a sprinkle of Contributor empathy, and a pinch of Craftsman calm. The magic lies in recognizing the patterns that energize you, so you can chart a career course that actually feels like you.

→ The matrix is here to spark reflection, not to define your destiny. So take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and feel free to scribble outside the lines. That’s where the good stuff usually is.

Exercise 4: Create your work manifesto

And now comes the real magic: turning all your new insights into words you can actually use. Whether it’s in a job interview, a personal statement, your resume or cover letter. To give you an idea, here’s an example of how a Craftsman may write his personal statement, using the elements from the matrix.

‘I love to dive deep into meaningful work, with the freedom to shape my own process. I value creativity and autonomy and I bring focus to the work floor. Environments with rigid routines or shallow targets drain my energy. I’m at my best when quality and thoughtfulness come first.’

Someone who resonates with all the four work types, may write a manifesto that looks like this:

‘I thrive in collaborative environments where creativity and innovation are valued. I’m at my best when solving challenging problems and helping my team succeed. I stay away from toxic competition. I prioritize work that aligns with my values of sustainability and continuous learning.’

→ To make this manifesto even more powerful, add evidence of these qualities by providing hard data. In the next article, you will discover what recruiters look for in a resume and how you can survive the 7-second resume test.

Wrap-up: your compass, your career

By understanding who you are at work, you gain the power to shape your career in meaningful ways. Keep your insights and exercises from this chapter handy. They’ll guide you through everything from navigating office politics to crafting compelling answers in interviews. Being able to clearly express what matters to you is a very useful compass and a powerful tool.

And remember: all types have their place. The world needs driven Climbers as much as thoughtful Craftsmen. Find the flavors that suit you and mix your own recipe. Your career is an extension of who you are. Stay authentic, adaptable, and always curious about your growth. Keep moving forward, you’ve got this!