{"id":12325,"date":"2025-04-08T17:46:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T17:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/karrierecoaching.ch\/?p=12325"},"modified":"2025-05-01T18:27:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T18:27:18","slug":"what-is-the-all-important-question-in-career-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/what-is-the-all-important-question-in-career-planning\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the key question in career development?"},"content":{"rendered":"

To get meaningful answers, we need to ask the right questions. This also applies to career development. Most of my clients come to career counselling with the question of what their next professional step could be, given their background. However, this question often leads to a dead end.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter N\u00e4f<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The answer is actually: You\u2019re probably best at doing what you\u2019re already doing. Closely linked to this initial question is often the follow-up: Where could someone with my professional background be of use? With this mindset, many people seeking change enter the job market, only to find themselves confused after a short time, realizing that everything and nothing appeals to them. So, what\u2019s wrong with these questions?<\/p>\n

They are directed outward rather than inward. In asking them, people delegate their concern to others, to the job market, or to circumstances – essentially giving up control. And rightly so, this leads to a sense of discomfort: this approach undermines self-worth, as all that remains is to adapt to the expectations of others. They become juggling material in the job market.<\/p>\n

Focus on the goal\u2026<\/h5>\n

Moreover, the question about what\u2019s possible is not limiting enough. Because: you could do many things, but only a few of them will truly interest you. As I wrote in the article \u00abDream Job: One Trick Pony\u00bb<\/a>, too much choice paralyzes decision-making. So, when shaping your career, narrow down your options early on. You can do this by asking the more effective question: What do I want?<\/p>\n

As I repeatedly observe in my coaching<\/a> sessions, one must first allow themselves to even ask this question. In the final session of a personal and professional assessment<\/a>, I work with my coachees to formulate job options that would be a good fit for them\u2014on the condition that their most important job requirements are met. My coachees then prioritize these. When I ask which options they will pursue, they often choose their second or even third priority.<\/p>\n

\u2026you can worry about the path later<\/h5>\n

This is likely due to the common misconception that they have the best chances with the lower-ranked options. Once again, it becomes clear that they are being guided by the question of what\u2019s possible, and so they mainly think of options where they already know the path to the goal. But if they instead focused on what they really want, the results would more closely resemble visions\u2014goal images for the future. The path to them may not yet be visible.<\/p>\n

If people in the 1960s had only dared to ask which travel destinations could be reached with the available means – car, train, or airplane – no human would have ever set foot on the moon.<\/p>\n

The goal always comes first; you can figure out the path later – and in our professional lives, finding that path is usually not rocket science.<\/p>\n

#career<\/a> #personalbranding<\/a> #selfmarketing<\/a><\/p>\n

More articles on this topic<\/h5>\n

Deal with your dreams when things are going well<\/a>
\nA career grows in two directions<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To get meaningful answers, we need to ask the right questions. This also applies to career development. Most of my clients come to career counselling with the question of what their next professional step could be, given their background. However, this question often leads to a dead end. Peter N\u00e4f The answer is actually: You\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[30],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is the key question in career development? - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many people ask me what they could do with their background during the assessment. 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