The first step in managing your career is to consider what you have to offer and what skills you have that could be marketable to potential employers.  Try to get to the root of your skills.

For example, if you feel you are good at communicating with patients, what does that mean?  That could mean that you can put people at ease, avoid using medical terminology, speak with a clear tone, communicate well with the patient and family members, know what type of environment provides the most privacy to break bad news, etc.  Stating that you have good communication skills isn’t enough; you need to be more specific.

Additional questions you could ask yourself include:

• What skills do I have?
• What am I best at?
• What makes me uncomfortable?
• What personal attributes do I bring to the workplace?
• What makes me unique from my peers and colleagues?
• How would others describe me?

It is also essential to take the time to consider what you want from your life, and ask yourself:
What kind of skills would I like to use?

• What kind of working environment would best suit me?
• How much money would I like to be able to earn?
• Where in the country would I like to live?
• What do I look for from my colleagues?
• What kind of work-life balance would be I like to have?
• What would I prioritise over everything else?

Putting these two lists of questions together, you may be able to start forming what your ‘ideal’ life looks and feels like.  Of course you may not be able to get everything on your wish-list; therefore it can be helpful to prioritise your personal and professional requirements (i.e. what is most/least important to me) before moving to the second step.