Career Self Assessment

A key starting point in any career search is assessing your wants and needs in your new endeavor. You may be fresh from school looking to launch a rewarding career or ready for a midlife change of direction. Because every person is unique, we all look at work differently. If you want to enjoy a long career in your chosen field, choose wisely.

Self assessment requires that you set aside some time to reflect on what interests you, what motivates you, how your personality affects your work and how you best interact with others. For most people, this is not a one-time assessment. We all periodically ask ourselves the tough question: Why am I doing this work? Self assessment is an ongoing process rather than a one-time event.

Fortunately, there are a myriad of resources available to help you with your career self-assessment. Several on-line tools exist but you can also hire a career coach who can give you one-on-one guidance.

A few of the questions you might want to ask yourself as you embark on your self-assessment are:

What have I learned so far in my career?

What skills have I acquired?

Do I get enjoyment from my current work?

What is the next step in my career?

How soon do I want to take the next step?

What do I need to do to make it happen?

These questions will frame your thinking about your career.