Have you ever thought about how to build a career with social impact, one that aligns with your values? At Bethel University, our Christ-guided community encourages personal transformation and outstanding preparation for life. It goes far beyond specific tactical skills and competencies, and starts with a strong foundation in values-based self-reflection, personal wellness, and career guidance. Your career, we believe, shouldn’t just be something you’re good at—but also something you’re proud of.
Build a career foundation of values
Your personal ethics are kind of like the internal compass that guides how you see the world and make decisions. Your ethics or values might inspire you to serve others, to live for something outside of yourself and strive for the good of humanity. Your faith can also be an incredible motivator in how you set goals, what you study, and what kind of career path you take. It’s important to consider specific ways you want your ethics, values, and faith to influence your career.
“Values are a reflection of what a person considers to be most important. Making decisions that align with your values fosters a sense of authenticity and fulfillment. Additionally, using your values in decision-making provides a framework for navigating challenges when the best path forward isn’t clear.”
-Stan Thompson, director of vocation, pathways, and partnerships
Purpose-driven careers
It’s important to consider specific ways you want to align your ethics, values, and faith with your career. From the experiences you choose in high school to where you go to college, to what you choose as a major and where you go after graduation, you can intentionally craft a professional life that’ll fulfill you and celebrate who you are at your core. You’re called to do incredible things, and it’s important to consider how you’re wired, what your purpose is, and what makes you come alive as you take some of the most important career steps of your life.
Incorporating personal ethics into career choices
You can use your ethics as a career compass. Some vocations—like education, ministry, social work, or healthcare—have clear social impact, with an obvious focus on caring for people. Other pathways may be a little more nebulous, and you’ll have to determine how your values might play into your career decisions. Think about how you’ll navigate ethical dilemmas in the workplace if you go into business or the sciences, for example. How will your faith shape your worldview and career choices? Are there certain products or industries you wouldn’t feel good about supporting, because of your values?
“We often start discussions about purpose with questions like, ‘What do you love to do?’ or ‘What were you doing the last time you lost track of time?’ Sometimes the answers reveal specific tasks, but often students talk about being part of something important like serving others or creating something they’re proud of,” says Stan Thompson, director of vocation, pathways, and partnerships. He and his team provide career-related resources for Bethel University students and alumni.
“From there, we start to frame the question about choosing a major around their passion,” Thompson adds. “How can you use your interest in biology, for example, to serve others? How could you take a passion for ministry and create something new? Answering these questions helps students begin to envision what kind of person they want to be and what they want their life to look like.”
Careers that make a difference
It’s possible to make a positive difference in any role, unless the industry or product directly contributes to addiction or moral conflict in some way. You can choose to allow your values to infuse your professional work, as well as your home life, friendships, community service, and faith walk in general.
Defining impact
Choosing a service-oriented career might be a direct way for your values to shape where you go in life. When you serve others in a tangible way, make discoveries that protect the planet, or you simply commit to approaching your work with compassion, inclusivity, and positivity—no matter the field—you can make a positive difference in the world.
Finding your impactful career
Lean on your support network and seek out student-facing career supports available through your college, like the Office of Career Development and Calling at Bethel University. Surround yourself with like-minded people who know you and understand the possibilities in the current job market, because they’ll help you take an honest look at your interests and skill sets and how they might connect to roles and sectors that are known for their social impact.
The intersection of faith and career
In theater, it’s said that “there are no small parts, only small actors.” The meaning behind it is that any person on-stage can bring energy and levity to their role, whether they’re playing Juliet or Tree Number Three. Likewise in the career world, any role can be approached with a commitment to faith and values. A committed, compassionate, hard-working support staff member might have more positive impact on a workplace than a checked-out, morally compromised member of the C-Suite. Allow your faith and your sense of calling to shape how you make career decisions.
Faith as a guiding light
At Bethel University, faith and spirituality aren’t just core to worship and small groups on campus—they’re woven into everyday classroom experiences and faculty-student interactions, too. Students are encouraged to consider their values when making career choices and allow their Christ-guided worldview to shape how they approach learning. Students are supported in seeking professions that resonate with their spiritual values, with regular opportunities to hear from alumni who are leading the way.
Balancing faith and professional aspirations
It’s possible to select a workplace that respects and supports your beliefs, allowing you to bring your values to the table. A workplace that provides good work-life balance will let you maintain solid worship and family rhythms and contribute to faith-based organizations financially or as a volunteer, even if your main work role isn’t directly in ministry.
“Bethel’s strong sense of community—coupled with a focus on each of us leaning into our vocation or unique purpose—encourages students to think about work as a way to live out their beliefs and values rather than something they simply do to finance their lifestyle. Loving and serving our neighbors is at Bethel’s core.”
– Stan Thompson, Director of Vocation, Pathways, and Partnerships
Navigating challenges
Challenges and conflicts will arise in every workplace, within every industry, and it helps to acknowledge that before committing to any job! Whether you’re making a decision about taking a position in the first place, or considering how to approach a conflict or tense season, let your personal values and faith play into your thinking. It’s important to maintain your integrity when you’re faced with professional situations that test your values.
Crafting a values-aligned career path
There’s no worse feeling than being in a role that conflicts with the type of person you want to be! Seek out wise council as you’re making career choices, and ensure that your path—and how you operate within your chosen profession—align with your personal values, ethics, and faith. This will result in a meaningful and satisfying professional journey.
Ready to take the next step?
Take some time to reflect on your values and begin the journey of aligning your career goals with what truly matters to you. It’s never too early—or too late—to build a more impactful career path, one with social impact that aligns with your values. Bethel University can help!
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