Job seekers start their search in the middle by drafting a resume, listing all their experiences in reverse chronological order. But a resume needs to be more than just a laundry list of your education, employers and job titles. A resume is a sales document; it is your marketing brochure. To ensure you design an effective one be sure you know what you have to sell and who your target audience is. A professional self-assessment is key.
To determine what value you have to offer employers you must:
- Identify your values, skills and abilities
- Recognize your special knowledge
- Evaluate your experiences
- List your accomplishments
- Acknowledge your educational level
- Recognize your preferred work styles
- Consider your temperament
- Examine your interests
- Evaluate your motivations
- Set short-term and long-term goals
The good news: there are many self-assessment tools designed to help you figure these things out. Here are my favorites:
Self-Directed Search
The online Self-Directed Search (SDS) (www.self-directed-search.com) provides an individualized interpretive report of your favorite activities and interests—as well as information about potentially satisfying occupations. This is because people are most satisfied in their careers when they are surrounded by others with similar interests. This creates a work environment that suits their personalities.
Highlands Ability Battery
Another useful self-assessment tool is the Highlands Ability Battery (www.highlandsco.com). This system uses 19 work samples to measure a person’s ability to perform a series of tasks. The scores, shown on a personal profile and bar chart, reveal patterns of abilities that highlight natural gifts and talents. Results reveal how one learns, how one solves problems and the type of work environment best suited for the candidate. Skilled analysis of the report helps students explore the best career options based on their natural abilities.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is based on the theory that individuals are either born with or develop, certain preferred ways of thinking and acting. By examining your responses to a series of questions, the MBTI defines 16 possible psychological types. This test is also offered online (www.mbticomplete.com) without the assistance of a qualified counselor. It can also be administered through a qualified MBTI career counselor who will help you interpret the results.
DiSC Sort
The DiSC Sort, offered online (www.disctests.com), classifies four aspects of behavior by testing a person’s preferences in word associations.
DiSC is an acronym for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. There’s no need for a certified career counselor to interpret the results. But someone trained in interpreting DiSC would be useful to help explain the information as it relates to a career plan.
While no one test is going to provide all the answers or guarantee career success, any one of the tests described, in conjunction with a trained career coach, can provide useful insights. Soon-to-be graduates should check with their schools’ career development office to see if anyone on staff is certified in any of these instruments.
Understand Your Skill Set
A professional self-assessment will help propel the point of entry into the desired field. A new graduate with the technical expertise and industry knowledge may have an advantage. They may be more desirable than someone with general business or management experience but limited industry knowledge. But understanding what the job requires will enable you to find the appropriate point of entry and design a job search action plan to showcase your unique gifts and talents.
It’s only after you understand what you have to offer that you can focus on the mechanics of the job search. Because each job choice you make throughout your career is likely to have an enormous impact on your life, getting started can be scary and overwhelming. Do it anyway and start with a professional self-assessment. I promise the rewards will be worthwhile.
Author: Kathleen Brady, CPC
Kathleen Brady, CPC is a career coach and corporate trainer with more than 25 years of experience helping people realize their professional goals. In GET A JOB! 10 Steps to Career Success (Inkwater Press, 2013) Brady shares her secrets for navigating the job search process from start to finish as well as practical exercises for job seekers at every level. Find “GET A JOB!” at Amazon.
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