How To Do a Career Assessment

In the current job market it pays to have an edge over your competition.  Before you begin to market yourself and your skills to a prospective employer, why not do a career assessment?  Having a clear picture of who you are and what you are capable of on the job will put you in a better overall position.

The first order of business is to assess your motivations, talents and skills.  Do a career assessment to find out what they are.  A good career assessment measures your motivations, talents and skills and matches those skills with jobs in various categories.  You can find a good career assessment test online, or you can seek the counsel of a job coach who will be able to give you a more in-depth analysis of the types of jobs you are suited for.

Some career assessments factor in your personality type and analyze what type of job would be a good fit for your particular traits.  You may already have some career options that you have wondered about and if you do a career assessment it may shed some light on whether or not you should pursue them.

Another method you can use if you do not want to do a career assessment test, is to sit with a pad and pen and start jotting down what your skills and experiences are on the job, in the community doing volunteer work, things you may have done as a hobby or whatever other passionate interests you have that can qualify as an on-the-job skill.  Once you have your list of skills, start thinking about any traits or leadership skills you have learned from those activities and jot them down.  You may be surprised when you begin doing this how many skills and traits you possess.  Be honest with yourself, however, do not embellish the facts.  What you are looking for is a good honest assessment of what you can do for an employer with the skills that you have acquired in your lifetime.

Once the career assessment is finished you can begin to fashion your resume and tailor it to the career that best matches the skills you possess.  Do not be afraid to show off your skills as the resume is your sales letter to a prospective employer, and they are looking for the best candidate to fill the position being applied for.  Why not present yourself in the best possible light?