Are Values More Important Than Skill Sets in a Career?

We’re in the midst of a career dissatisfaction epidemic. 

According to Gallup research, 60% of us are demotivated and disillusioned by our jobs and living for the weekend.  

It’s not that we're not good at what we do, either. Most people tend to gravitate towards careers that play to their natural strengths and abilities, and are performing well in their roles.

But what if that's the problem?

Not so long ago, it was assumed that simply being good at a job was enough to make it rewarding and enjoyable. But maybe to find true career fulfillment, we need to look at work through a different lens. 

The weakness of strengths 

From our school days, we’re told to play to our strengths. If you’re great at English literature, you’ll be encouraged to study it at college. Amazing at math and science? Here's to betting your school's career counselor recommended an engineering major.

Later, when it’s time to pick a career, the story is much the same. We’re asked to think about what we’re good at, the strengths we bring to the workplace, and how we can use our skills to fulfill a role. 

But, as Catherine Serusclat, career coach at People at Heart Coaching says, “Sometimes what we're good at is not what we enjoy doing, meaning we can feel stuck in a role because others see us as the best person to do it.”

That’s not to say that strengths, in and of themselves, are a bad thing to focus on when making career decisions. But trouble arises when they become our sole driver for decision making. 

Take this example. You may be great at connecting with and persuading people, and these skills have helped you become a high-performing salesperson. But if you’re selling something you couldn’t care less about, with people you don’t really like, for a company with poor ethical practices, then playing to your strengths is unlikely to make you happy.

“Strengths are only a piece of a jigsaw—it's the "what do you do" part of your work life. There are many more aspects of ourselves to explore to figure out what makes us happy in our career,”  Serusclat says.  

One of those aspects is values which, according to Serusclat, are a critical component of finding long-term career fulfillment. Values are the deeply-held beliefs that guide our decisions, actions and behaviors. They often reflect what we consider important and desirable in life, and they can help us determine what kind of work environment, job role and company culture we will find most fulfilling.

In other words, if skills are the "what you do" then values are the "why you do it."

“It's important to explore the 'why you do what you do,'" Serusclat says. “Fulfillment comes from being aligned to your values and working with something you're passionate about."

How to break free from the skills mindset

You will spend roughly 80,000 hours at work during your lifetime, so it's more than okay to want those hours to be meaningful, rewarding and enjoyable. 

But we all know that figuring out what that looks like isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when you have been used to focusing on skills and strengths as a basis for your job search.

So how do you go about finding career fulfillment? Here’s what our experts have to say. 

#1: Clarify your values  

Words like "purpose" and "values" get thrown around a lot in career advice but without any real explanation of what they mean or how they relate to each other.

While the terms are inextricably linked, the first place to start is with values.

“Values run deeper than strengths. They’re what are most important to us, what drives our decisions in life,” Serusclat explains. You need to know your values before you can find your purpose, since they provide the underlying motivation for our actions and goals. 

Dr. Tracy Brower is a sociologist and author who studies work-life fulfillment.  She recommends reflection as the first step to connecting with your values. “Start by reflecting on what you love, and what motivates you, and when you feel most energized, curious and engaged,” she says.

Maybe it’s family, creativity, achievement, compassion, financial stability—it’s entirely up to you. And don't worry what other people may think about your values. You  won't be able to please everyone and you shouldn't try. This is about what makes you happy and fulfilled, not what's expected of you.  

If you’re struggling to articulate what your values are, tests like Truity’s 16 Types Test and Career Aptitude Test can lend a helping hand. 

#2: Put the spotlight on purpose

Purpose is the reason you get up in the morning—your big, overarching goal in life and what impact you want to make. According to research from McKinsey, people with a clear sense of purpose are more productive, healthy, resilient and happy than most.

Sadly, not everyone knows what their purpose is. Many people struggle to uncover what is truly meaningful to them, and they feel that void deeply. Korn Ferry calls this "purpose anxiety," and it is becoming more widespread.

If you’re trying to figure out how you can make a meaningful difference, then Dr. Brower has a proven blueprint. In her book, The Secrets to Happiness at Work, she explains that we experience workplace meaning by meeting three conditions:

• Contributing to something bigger than ourselves
• Having autonomy, and
• Impacting people in a positive way  

“As you’re considering how to find meaning, look for jobs which give you these three elements,” Dr Brower advises. But she urges that you keep it real—while having a positive impact on others is crucial, this doesn’t mean you need to cure world hunger or solve world peace! 

Instead, “reinforce for yourself how you matter—laddering up to how your work affects people—even in small ways,” she says. 

#3: Find the opportunities

Finding a fulfilling career may involve handing in your notice, but it doesn't have to. Instead, you can switch up your current role to make it more rewarding. 

“I'd recommend exploring what you enjoy doing outside of work and figuring out how to include it in your job description,” Serusclat says. She offers the following suggestions: trying out tasks in other departments, organizing community events, or asking your company to sponsor a social cause you care about to increase impact and meaning. 

If your workplace is inflexible, don’t give up hope. “Sometimes [meaning] needs to be found outside of our work life, through volunteering or by doing a hobby,” Serusclat says. So, use your free time as a means to live out your values and contribute to something greater.

As long as you can live your values and purpose in some form or another, fulfillment should follow.

#4: Shoot for progress

According to Dr. Browser, another essential component of workplace fulfillment comes in pushing outside of your comfort zone. “Feeling like you’re growing and stretching is significantly correlated with happiness at work. So, ensure you pursue something you love, but that you’ll be challenged by where you’re going,” she says.

In practice, this might look like crafting purpose-based career goals for the next year, applying for the dream job that daunts but excites you, or launching the side hustle you’ve been dreaming up for months. 

Trying new things and setting lofty goals might make you feel nervous because it's hard to predict the outcomes. But as Dr. Browser notes, it's important to give yourself permission to want something more, and remind yourself you can make changes.

Above all, remember those butterflies in the stomach are actually a good thing. It's a welcome sign that you’re stretching your potential, pursuing what matters to you—and changing your work life for the better.