What is it?
It’s WisGrowth’s simpler alternative to “find your passion”. You look at your next career move through three lenses:
1. Identity
Who you are on good days: values, temperament, the kind of responsibility you like, the people you want to serve.
2. Interest
Work you don’t hate doing every week: solving, creating, coordinating, analyzing, teaching.
3. Income
Problems the market will pay for right now: AI adoption, ops efficiency, lead quality, healthcare admin, compliance.
When a path hits all three, you get direction. When it hits only 1, it stays a hobby. When it hits 2, it’s a side bet you can test.
Why it matters (especially in 30s–50s)
- You can’t afford long, unfocused reskilling.
- Your identity is clearer now — but the market has changed.
- AI is squeezing generic roles, so you need a “this is who I serve and why” story.
- Recruiters respond faster when your profile shows both relevance and outcome.
Use this page before you create any new ghost pages, offers, or landing pages — it tells you what to prioritize.
How to use the Identity–Interest–Income Framework (10–15 minutes)
- List 3 role directions you’re considering (e.g. “healthcare ops lead”, “L&D specialist”, “AI program coordinator”).
- Run Identity: “Would I be proud to introduce myself like this for 3 years?” If no → park it.
- Run Interest: “Do I like the weekly tasks — not just the title?” If no → redesign the role, don’t chase it.
- Run Income: “Are people hiring/paying for this in my market?” If unclear → open 5 job posts and match keywords.
- Pick 1 to test with a micro-project, portfolio item, or a 7-day proof sprint (see this flow).
That’s it. No 60-page vision board.
Key strategies to make this framework actually useful
- Quantify Income. Don’t assume. Copy 5–7 live JDs and run them through your Honest ATS Scanner to see skills in demand.
- Anchor Identity in past wins. If you have 4 stories where you fixed operations, that’s part of your identity.
- Keep Interest realistic. Pick work you can do in your current life season (kids, parents, full-time job).
- Document the result. End with a 1-page “this is my current bet” so you stop re-deciding every week.
Common mistakes
- ❌ Starting with Income only → you burn out because it doesn’t match your identity.
- ❌ Staying only in Identity/Interest → you end up with beautiful but unpaid work.
- ❌ Not updating the framework when life changes → your identity shifts after caregiving, relocation, or leadership roles.
- ❌ Not translating clarity into artifacts → add it to resume, LinkedIn, and your WisGrowth profile.
Mini checklist
- [ ] I can explain my career bet in 3 sentences.
- [ ] I mapped 5 JDs to check income/demand.
- [ ] I picked one proof asset to ship this week.
- [ ] I linked it with my WisGrowth Career Clarity Quiz results.
- [ ] I added 2 internal links to related pages (see below).
Identity–Interest–Income Framework: FAQs
Can I run this for a career change after 40?
Yes — it’s made for that. You keep your identity and wins, and only adjust interest and income to match today’s market.
What do I do after I pick a direction?
Go to 7-Day Proof Sprint and make something visible. Clarity + proof is what moves hiring managers.
How does WisGrowth help?
We give you the quiz, an honest ATS baseline, and pages like Career Clarity vs Career Counseling so you’re not guessing.