Self Assessment

You can significantly increase your ability to get the best job by looking closely at yourself before asking others to consider your qualifications.

One of the most important steps you can take as you begin to search for the best job is to make a checklist that will help you discover your strengths and weaknesses. Keep in mind that this list will not be seen by anyone but you and those few close advisors, if any, with whom you decide to share it. You may make several versions of this list, revising the content as you think of new items that you had overlooked earlier and as you look at the existing items in light of new knowledge you may gain.

It has been my experience, in dealing with many people, that we all tend to look at the things we have done and knowledge we possess as being inferior. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This fact was made clear to me back in the 1980’s. I found myself out of work for seven months. My unemployment was about to expire and I was very concerned about my financial future. An acquaintance suggested that I try offering my services as a consultant to large companies. I thought that I really didn’t have a chance of doing that because I assumed that everyone in those companies already knew what I knew and wouldn’t pay for that knowledge. However, in desperation, I gave it a try. I was completely amazed when my first contact offered me $300 per day plus expenses. This was really a lot of money in those days!

Don’t let the same type of thinking stop you from putting forth all of your experience and background to employers. You may be similarly surprised.

List your talents, abilities, skills and knowledge carefully. Once again, remember you are not going to share this evaluation with the whole world. However, this initial list will help you to decide what you will present and even who you decide to present it to. So, it is best to be completely honest, find out now how you truly feel before you end up in another job situation where you are unhappy. This may be a bit painful, but well worth it. The list should include:

• Physical traits such as the attire you feel most comfortable in, your general physical fitness, and your tolerance of various physical requirements
• Psychological factors, are you naturally an extrovert or an introvert, do you share responsibilities well with others or work better alone, what is your maturity level, how well do you accept criticism, for example, can you accept criticism from supervisory level personnel in a constructive manner
• Social activities such as organizations of which you are a member, community service activities to which you have contributed, and recreational activities that you enjoy
• Vocational aspects such as job skills, responsibilities you have undertaken at home or school, on the job experience, and vocational training
• Educational experience, courses you have taken related to your work, your attendance record, whether you have an interest in continuing education, and are willing to meet educational requirements of the job
  

Be brutally honest in this evaluation and use it to consider your strength and weaknesses. Work hard to emphasize those strengths and overcome your weaknesses. Then, think about where and how you can present yourself in order to get the best job. Job Finding Formula will show exactly how to do this.

Michael Britner
Job Finding Master