Star struck: what astrology can teach you about your career

Ah, astrology. Whether you love it or hate it, awareness of zodiac signs has made its way into the mainstream. Astrology meme pages are flourishing, Mercury Retrograde is being blamed for all sorts of mishaps, and apps like Co-Star are becoming part of our daily lives.

Astrology isn’t just for vague predictions in the back of magazines anymore; it’s being used as a tool for self-reflection, analysis, and even support both online and in person. Co-Star is particularly popular for offering free, detailed, and personalised horoscopes based on your natal chart (which takes into account the placement of the stars in the exact minute you were born). If you believe in it, astrology can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses, your passions and goals, and even the direction of your career.

So when we look to the stars, what kind of advice can we find? Here’s the career lessons we’ve learned from our sun, rising, and moon signs. However, READER BEWARE: the author of this blog post is a Gemini.     

Your Sun sign is the one you probably know as your star or zodiac sign. It tells us what zodiac sign the Sun was positioned in when you were born, be that Virgo, Sagittarius, Aries, or one of the other 12 total signs. According to Co-Star, your Sun sign determines “your ego, identity and ‘role’ in life.” People who take stock of zodiacs believe that people’s personalities, values, and habits are dictated by their Sun signs.

When determining the trajectory of your life and career, it could help to take your zodiac sign into account! Think of it like a personality quiz giving you the opportunity to reflect on how your core values could be represented by your work.

For example, if you’re a competitive and go-getting Aries, you might pass over a desk job in favour of something that allows you take initiative, show off your leadership skills, and give you a sense of purpose. By comparison, if you’re a Cancer – known to value nurturing and support – you might turn to a role that allows you to help people and make emotional connections.

The Rising or Ascendant sign is the one that was (as the name suggests) rising in the east when you were born. It is said to be the sign people think you are, the “mask” you present to other people, upon first meeting.

Analysing your Rising sign could help you see how others see you, and what kind of first impression you make. It helps to get introspective here and think about what’s important to you, what drives you, and how you want other people to see you. In other words, what’s your personal brand?

Fancy that! Both your Rising sign and your brand can be seen in your style, how you represent yourself in person and online, and who you surround yourself with (aka your network). Say your Rising sign is in Leo – that could mean you come off as energetic and bright with just a hint of know-it-all-ism. If that’s the case, why not own it? Your personal brand should be personal – you don’t have to sacrifice your personality to create one. So go for the bright colours and make your name synonymous with ‘bubbly’ if that’s what you want! As long as it’s professional and represents you well, your brand can be whatever you make it.

Your Moon sign is considered the second most important placement in your chart, as it’s thought to be reflective of your ‘inner’ self. It might even be representative of the sign you think you should be, as it dictates your emotions and general mood, your personality when you’re alone.

Taking your Moon sign into consideration can be really helpful, as it can help explain why you’re feeling the way you are at any moment, or help you understand your gut feelings. This is a really important step to take; analysing your Moon sign can assist you with figuring out how best to take care of your mental wellbeing, preventing burnout, and staying productive.

For example, are you a practical and pragmatic Taurus Moon? Self-care to you might mean finding a good routine that feels comfortable and stable, so in times of stress you have something to lean back on. That advice might be completely off for an Aquarius Moon who thrives on community connection. Self-care for them would probably look more like keeping the big-picture in mind and relying on their network for support.

One of the best parts about Co-Star is their daily personalised “Your day at a glance” notifications. These alerts allow you to see how your star sign might affect your day in various ways. Since February, these notifications have changed from vague emoji summaries (like “Your day at a glance: ✨ ? ? ?” which means nothing but was comforting nonetheless) to more direct and bizarre items of advice.

The crazy thing is, this arguably unhinged advice sometimes can feel really direct and applicable to a user’s actual life. Even crazier, the folks behind these strange alerts have come up with some gems of career advice.

Who doesn’t love a little kick to get their productivity into gear? Plus a reminder that you are a talented individual with a lot to offer.

Ooft, a side to networking that’s not spoken about enough. This could be a mentor telling you about their mistakes so you’re not doomed to repeat them, or it could mean meeting someone in a field you thought you were interested in, only to change your mind.

Alright this one is pretty self explanatory. With that – if you’re reading this blog at your job when you should be working, take this as a push to get back to it!

Astrology: love it or loathe it, there are certainly some career lessons you can learn from looking within and up at the stars.

Images by Mia Casey