Career planning: how to align your personality, interests and values

If you’ve found yourself questioning the direction of your career, whether due to change, uncertainty or dissatisfaction, you’re not alone. Career planning is more than just choosing a job; it's about aligning who you are with where you're going. For professionals working in the care and not-for-profit sectors, understanding your values, motivators and personality can be a powerful tool for long-term fulfilment.

In this article, we explore how personal insight and self-awareness can help you make better career decisions, and introduce simple tools to help you begin.

Why career planning starts with self-awareness

Before you decide what’s next in your career, it helps to step back and look inward. Gaining clarity around your values, strengths and personal drivers is a foundational step in career planning. These insights can influence the roles you pursue, the organisations you thrive in, and how you show up as a professional.

While formal career coaching and psychometric assessments provide tailored insights, there are also free online tools available to help you better understand your own preferences. These include personality tests, value assessments and interpersonal skills checklists — each offering a window into what motivates you and where you may naturally excel.

By exploring your:

• personality type

• core values and motivators

• strengths and skills

• ideal work environments

you can begin to define a career path that fits who you are, not just what you do.

Why it matters: especially in the NFP and care sector

In the not-for-profit, aged care and disability sectors, career satisfaction often hinges on personal fulfilment as much as professional progression.

According to the Australian HR Institute, NFP and care sector employees are more likely to stay long-term when their personal values align with the mission of the organisation. This makes self-awareness not just a “nice-to-have,” but an essential part of sustainable career planning.

For example:

• Care professionals may thrive in environments that allow for empathy-driven work.

• NFP leaders often seek roles that align with social impact and collaboration.

• Support workers may value consistency and purpose over title or pay.

Understanding these motivators early helps professionals choose roles and organisations that support their growth, and reduces the risk of burnout or disengagement.

Tools and strategies to guide your career planning

Here are some useful tools to help you uncover your personality, values and career fit. These can be used as a starting point before working with a coach or mentor.

Free online personality and self-awareness tools:

• 16 Personalities

• Personality Perfect

• Test Color

• Skills You Need Interpersonal Skills Assessment

• The Big Five Personality Test

• Enneagram Personality Test

• True Colours Test

• Berkeley Emotional Intelligence Quiz

• Character Strengths Survey

• Sociotype Test

• Verywell Mind Emotional Intelligence Test

• Empathy Quotient Test

Tip: Use these tools to reflect on what energises you in your work, what roles feel meaningful, and what type of environments help you thrive.

How Anson can help

Anson Management Consulting offers tailored support to help care sector professionals plan their next step with purpose. Whether you're preparing for a transition, seeking leadership coaching, or wanting clarity about your longer-term direction, our consultants can help you:

• unpack your motivations

• assess role fit and values alignment

• build a practical, achievable career roadmap

We understand the unique pressures of working in the care and not-for-profit sectors. That’s why our approach blends empathy with expertise.

Summary: key takeaways

• Career planning begins with knowing yourself, your personality, motivators and values.

• Tools like personality tests and self-assessments can give useful initial insight.

• In the care and NFP sectors, aligning personal purpose with professional goals is key.

• Strategic planning helps you move with confidence, and avoid decisions based on urgency or burnout.

• Anson offers specialised support to help professionals like you build sustainable and fulfilling careers.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is career planning?

   Career planning is the process of identifying your professional goals and mapping out steps to achieve them based on your strengths, interests and values.

2. Why is self-awareness important in career planning?

   Self-awareness helps ensure that your career choices reflect who you are, which increases job satisfaction and long-term success.

3. Are personality tests really useful?

   While not definitive, personality tests can help you reflect on your strengths and preferences, especially as a first step toward deeper coaching or career planning.

4. How often should I revisit my career plan?

   Reviewing your career direction every 12–18 months, or after major life or job changes, helps ensure it remains aligned to your evolving goals.

   
   

Feeling uncertain about your next step?

Explore your career path with greater clarity and confidence. Contact us to speak with our team about personalised career planning support.