When thinking about the future, students commonly ask, “What is the right career for me?” or “What should I plan for when starting my career?” But another essential question is,
“What kind of work environment will help me succeed?”
Finding the right culture fit is just as important as choosing the right job title.
To help students make informed decisions, they will explore four distinct workplace cultures, entrepreneurial, corporate, nonprofit, and government, while reflecting on how each aligns with their skills, values, and long-term goals. Using the Colorado Career Advising Tool as a guide, they will gain valuable insights that will shape their career choices with confidence.
The Goal: | This activity encourages students to explore different workplace cultures - entrepreneurial, corporate, nonprofit, and government - to identify which aligns best with their strengths, values, and personality. By reflecting on culture fit early, students can make more informed decisions about their future careers and education. |
Materials
Colorado Career Advising Tool Results
Access to internet for research
Step 1: Begin by explaining the four broad culture fits to students. These categories are intentionally general, allowing students to refine and personalize them based on their own preferences and experiences.
Entrepreneurial Fit:
Fast-paced, change-oriented environment. Suited for thrill seekers looking for a high-risk job with constantly shifting responsibilities and priorities but a chance for a big payoff—in reputation, in money, in social impact, etc.
Corporate Fit:
Fast-paced, detail-oriented environment. Suited for high performers looking for a stable job with a clear procedure to follow for advancement and promotion.
Non-Profit Fit:
Steady-paced, change-oriented environment. Suited for cause-driven individuals looking for a potentially high-risk job with a chance to use their talents to solve a large societal issue.
Government Fit:
Steady-paced, detail-oriented environment. Suited for steady and highly detailed individuals looking for a stable job with clearly defined responsibilities, priorities and a consistent workflow.
Step 2: Ask students to form groups based on the “fit” that most interests them.
Each group will spend a class period researching their chosen culture fit, focusing on:
The types of jobs and industries associated with this fit
The pros and cons of working in this environment
Key skills, values, and personality traits that align with this fit
At the end of the class, each group will give a 3-5 minute presentation summarizing their findings, sharing insights about what it’s like to work in that environment.
Understanding workplace culture fit is a crucial step in making informed career and education decisions. By researching different environments—entrepreneurial, corporate, nonprofit, and government—students gain valuable insights into where they might thrive based on their strengths, values, and personality. This exploration helps them envision not just what they want to do, but where and how they want to work.
To continue this journey, the Colorado Career Advising Field Activity is a great next step. It allows students to dive deeper into specific career fields that align with their skills and interests, helping them make even more informed choices about their future.
This blog is a rebranded version of “Indigo College and Career Activity: Finding Your Culture Fit“, originally published by Indigo Education Company and now adapted for Colorado Career Advising. For questions, contact us at info@coloradocareeradvising.com.