Career Support Group Meetup #5: 5 Steps to Career Clarity
Insights from our Career Support Coaching event on the 13th of May 2025 with Niv Now (he/him) & Aleksandra Czekalska
Clarity doesn’t always arrive in the form of a lightning bolt. But there are tools, prompts, and practices that can help you get unstuck — and take one step closer to the direction that’s right for you.
🔹 Step 1: Take Inventory – Draw Your Lifetime Line
Reflecting on your past is a powerful way to understand what you truly value.
Try this: Draw a timeline of your life and career. Mark:
📌 Highs: moments you felt proud, energized, fulfilled
⚠️ Lows: moments that drained you or felt off
🔄 Turning points or transitions
Then reflect:
What themes do you notice?
When did you live in alignment with your values?
What roles, people, or environments helped you thrive?
Your past can be a compass — not a cage.
🔹 Step 2: Discover Your Strengths and Skills
It’s hard to move forward if you’re not sure what you're good at — or what energizes you.
Understand the difference:
Strengths/Talents = natural patterns of thinking, feeling, or behaving that come easily. You often pick things up faster than others in these areas.
Skills = abilities developed through training and practice. You learn them — they’re not necessarily energizing.
Tips:
Take a test like HIGH5 or VIA Character Strengths
Ask: What do others come to me for? What feels easy and satisfying?
Also: let AI scan your CV to surface transferable skills that match current market needs.
🔹 Step 3: Define Your Vision – Use the Lighthouse Metaphor
A vision isn’t a job title — it’s your north star. Like a lighthouse, it doesn’t tell you how to get there — it simply shines in the right direction.
Vision includes:
What you want to do
How you want to feel
Your core values
The impact you want to have
Prompt formula:
“I see myself doing/being , and feeling _ – in a way that aligns with my values ___ and creates impact in __.”
Start with how you want to feel. Let your values be the anchor.
🔹 Step 4: Take Decisions – Tools Over Perfection
Making career decisions can feel overwhelming — especially with too many options or fear of making a mistake.
Instead of waiting for certainty, use decision tools:
Try these tools:
✅ 10/10/10 Rule: How will this decision feel in 10 days / 10 months / 10 years?
✅ Pro-Con List: Compare options against your personal priorities
✅ Gut Check: Flip a coin and notice how you feel about the outcome
✅ Tetralemma: Move beyond "either/or" thinking — explore options A, B, both, neither, or something new
✅ WRAP Model: Widen options Reality-test assumptions Attain distance Prepare to be wrong
Aim for alignment — not perfection.
🔹 Step 5: Activate Your Network – Ask, Learn, Reflect
Networking isn’t just for job leads. It’s a powerful way to gain clarity and uncover blind spots.
Use it to:
Learn from people who are already doing what you're considering
Ask real-life questions about their paths
Get feedback that expands your perspective
Discover hidden possibilities
Challenge: Reach out to 1–3 people this week — start a conversation, ask for advice, or request a 360° reflection.
🌍 The World of Work Is Changing
✅ Skills expire faster – continuous learning is key
✅ AI shifts focus to human strengths (creativity, empathy, adaptability)
✅ Purpose & mental health matter more than ever
✅ Careers are non-linear – success = adaptability
💬 Final Thought
Clarity doesn’t always come in one “aha” moment. But with tools, reflection, and action, you can get closer, step by step.
🧠 Ask yourself:
What do I still need to find out, experience, or explore to feel more clear? Then go do one small thing about it.
Careers aren’t decided. They’re discovered — by trying things.
If you're interested in joining future sessions of the Career Support Coaching Series with Aleksandra and me, follow us or reach out — we’d love to have you!
Join our Community and be part of the journey:
🟠 Career Support Group Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/career-support-group/
And if this post gave you one idea worth trying, let us know in the comments 💬👇
#CareerDevelopment #Networking #ConnectionMatters #CareerSupportGroup #ProfessionalGrowth #JobGermany
