Why should you think about your personal values when you are conducting a job search? Because you spend most of your waking hours at work, it is very important that your personal values and job responsibilities are compatible. When your personal and professional values are in conflict, you will likely find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.

Technical competence is still important; without it, you could not carry out your job responsibilities effectively. However, it is not the only factor on which a hiring decision is based. Your behavior on the job, which directly relates to your overall job performance, is also considered. Your beliefs and values play an important role in your behavior. Unfortunately, many of us overlook the importance of "values matching" in achieving career success.

Values are important because they help us to establish career objectives, develop and choose alternatives, evaluate our choices, and implement the decisions we make. As our lives change, so too will our priorities-but our values probably will not change. To avoid potential conflict, you should take time to identify your dominant personal values and the needs they represent.

How do you know whether a company shares your values? Think about what is important to you, personally and professionally, in a position and in an employer. Ask yourself,

· Do I want to work a 60-hour week or work a 9-to-5 job?
· Am I willing to travel or relocate?
· Do I work best with a manager who supervises me closely or with one who gives me an assignment and lets me run with it?
· Is it important to me that the company provides a relatively long tenure or rapid advancement?

Asking yourself these questions will, in turn, help you develop questions to ask a potential employer, such as,

· What is the level of turnover in the organization?
· What kinds of opportunities are there to develop new ideas?
· How much travel is required?
· Is there a management track and a technical track?
· Are there opportunities for teamwork as well as solo projects?

The better you know yourself-your skills, abilities, and values-the better prepared you will be to sell yourself to your ideal employer and to determine whether you really want the job.

Next, consider the five major values that influence the decisions we make in our careers: advancement, autonomy, balance, challenge, and security. If you identify which of the most common values are important to you as an employee, you will find it easier to choose an employer whose values match your own.

Advancement: Individuals who want advancement seek recognition or promotions for their talents and accomplishments on the job. Most employees hope their careers will provide opportunities for upward mobility or developmental growth, but the person driven by this need will feel this drive more profoundly. If such individuals do not develop and advance in their careers, they will move to another organization where they can.

Autonomy: Autonomous individuals have a strong need to do things their own way, at their own pace, and in line with their own standards. These individuals may find organizational life too restrictive and may prefer a work environment that offers a great deal of freedom, such as consulting or teaching.

Balance: Individuals who desire balance seek equilibrium in all aspects of their lives. They do not want to have to choose among family considerations, career objectives, and self-development goals. Their lifestyles will influence decisions regarding issues such as relocation, family needs, work hours, and employee benefits.

Challenge: Individuals who thrive on challenge have a competitive nature, which drives them to overcome difficult obstacles and solve difficult problems. It is not unusual for such individuals to consider salary, job titles, and work area as secondary to the challenge of the task at hand.

Security: Security-driven individuals needs stability and will seek an employer with a reputation for not reducing its workforce. They might look for jobs with tenure and benefits, such as those in government. These individuals tend to be stable, reliable, orkers who will not challenge or buck the system.