Goal setting and value propositions

Throughout this week you have explored different approaches for developing your career.

You’ve created a vision board and have identified a roadmap for yourself with actionable steps. It’s now time to consider how your career goals match your personal skills.

Career goal = personal skills

By identifying your skills using your vision board, you will be able to assess how these skills can then be shaped into a career. For example, if you find you are good at maths, design and drawing, perhaps a career in architecture could be of interest.

There are also moments where you might aspire to work in a specific career, however, not all of your skills match the job profile. At this point, you should try to identify what you need to improve and what skills you need to develop. Then, you can start creating a roadmap to obtain these skills over the next 6 months, or however long you would like to set for yourself.

You already have a big number of skills. As you start to plan, the key is to highlight these and show what makes you unique and distinct. This will be your value proposition.

Once you’ve understood the connection between your career goals and your personal skills, you need to begin sharing that with other people. A value proposition is a great tool to help you with this.

The value proposition is usually used by businesses that are trying to share what makes them distinct and unique in the market, and what is of value to the customer. It can also be applied to entire companies or organisations, as well as to products, services and people.

For individuals, the value proposition is about finding what is unique and distinct about who you are, and what you bring to an organisation or opportunity.

At the same time, it is a statement of intention to your potential employer about how your value will be delivered, and how it will help them. By creating a value proposition for yourself, you are effectively and efficiently communicating what makes you distinct and what you have to offer.

Have your say:

Take this opportunity to reflect on the following questions:

• Were you able to see a connection between your career goals and personal skills? Did you notice what skills might be missing?
• Have you heard of a value proposition before? Did you know this could be used for individuals, as well as for businesses?

Share and discuss your responses with other learners in the Comments section.