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Step One Assess:Job hunting begins with an assessment. You have to know what type of job you want before you can find it. And you have to assess yourself and your situation to know what job you want.
It's like an inventory that a business takes. You see what you've got, what you need, what works and what doesn't. Instead of widgets, though, you're examining your skills, knowledge, abilities, interests, needs and character.
Self-assessment can be done in many ways. First, you can do exercises, such as those on the following pages. You also can take formal tests or use computer programs that match your qualifications with specific jobs.
Next, create your career portfolio and your résumé. Both require you to assess your history; list your achievements, experience and education; and to compile evidence or examples of each. This process will help you better understand the type of work you can do best. In addition, you'll get a head start on preparing for future interviews.
By the time you complete Step One, you will know what jobs interest you. You will also realize what you can offer employers and what skills, knowledge and experience you may need to gain.
Only then can you move on to Step Two and prepare for the hunt!
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Labor Market and Career Information, a department of the Texas Workforce Commission, offers many free or inexpensive products to help you do your career self assessment. Here are a few examples: Texas CARES is a career exploration software program that offers a wealth of Texas-specific occupational and educational information. It also provides a number of assessments that allow you to view occupations that match your interests and needs. The Parent's Guide is an informative handbook for parents and students, describing the worlds of work and education. It even includes a special copy of Texas CARES. You can use another product, the Career Success newspaper, to quickly and easily assess yourself. Just read the hundreds of job descriptions it lists and identify ten that interest you. Then explore those ten further. For more information or to place an order, visit www.lmci.state.tx.us or call 1-800-822-PLAN. Also, check with your local high school, community college or Workforce Solutions office; they may provide free access to Texas CARES. |