If there are usual jobs that seem boring and tedious, there are also those that provide personal excitement and fulfillment; a dream job that can probably last a lifetime. How can you gain more control of your life and start the journey toward your career direction? You need to carry out a career self-assessment, including the insights and outsights of it.
Though it will be great to be with the right people in the right place at the right time, this scenario is a rare opportunity. You should take control and make such.
Remember that no one should make a decision in your behalf. You should be clear about what you both want and need, remain proactive, and not merely rely on, or react to, what fate delivers to you.
What you think of yourself
First of all, understanding who you really are is very important. How can you share your unique and potential value if you are not aware of your personal assets? This is when self-discovery begins.
Below are some guide questions to help you come up with answers:
- What is your personality type? What is your style that keeps you energetic and motivated? What is your style of processing information and formulating a decision?
- What are the values you live by? What are your priorities in life? Do you live a meaningful and purposeful life beyond the pay? Is your values aligned with your current job or career?
- What are your passions and interests? Being interested in a specific work, including the environment and people around, makes you engaged and committed in doing it. For how long will you put up with a job merely because it pays enough?
What others think of you
Secondly, perception of others is essential as well. What you understood about yourself can be examined using the feedback from others who know you. This is when personal branding begins.
Personal branding is very important because of its capacity to turn around a futile job search into a successful one.
If you are at a point of exploring or changing your career, you need to consider the branding message and traits that prospective employers and industries will be most attracted to.
Career Self-Assessment: Action Plan
A career pursued as a result of self-assessment can contribute a significant part in your life, one that takes you to the right direction.
Career counselors or coaches play an important role in guiding people to use career self-assessments. They have access to validated and highly reliable career assessments such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
Certified professionals like them are authorized to purchase, administer, and interpret individual assessment results for a specific purpose or intention.
Utilize various communication tools for career marketing, such as resumes, cover letters, speeches, interview responses, portfolios, business cards, and online social media.
