Career Decision Assessment

What the framework is

A career decision compares your options, such as staying, moving on, retraining or going freelance, against what you want from work. Laying the options side by side stops the loudest worry at 3 a.m. from making the choice.

What the result looks like

When it earns its place

Use it when you have a job offer, are thinking about leaving, or are choosing between paths. The template starts with five criteria; rename them to fit. For example: pay, security, the work itself, growth, and time for life outside work.

Two options are always worth including. The first is staying where you are, so every change has to beat the status quo. The second is the option you secretly want but haven't said out loud.

How to run it with a group

1. List two to five options, including staying put.
2. Decide how much each criterion counts for you right now, not five years ago.
3. Compare the options two at a time on each criterion.
4. If a partner or family is affected, send them the link too. Participants do not need an account to respond.
5. Read the ranking per criterion as well as overall. An option that wins overall but ranks last on security needs a plan for that risk.

More templates like this

• Personal Decision Assessment

  Compare major life choices across practical, emotional, financial, and long-term considerations. Useful when navigating difficult or uncertain personal decisions with competing priorities. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Relocation Decision Assessment

  Compare relocation options across lifestyle, opportunity, cost, and personal priorities. Useful for deciding where to live or whether to move. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Education & Course Selection

  Compare universities, courses, qualifications, or learning pathways across value, interest, cost, and future opportunity. Useful for students, professionals, and career changers. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Relationship Decision Assessment

  Reflect on important relationship decisions across compatibility, trust, values, communication, and long-term fit. Useful for navigating significant personal relationship choices. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Lifestyle Change Prioritisation

  Compare lifestyle changes or habits to identify which could create the greatest positive impact. Useful for wellbeing, productivity, balance, and personal growth. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Personal Goal Prioritisation

  Compare goals, ambitions, or aspirations to decide where to focus time, energy, and resources. Useful when managing multiple competing priorities. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.