Getting to Know Yourself

1 Who are you?

2 What do you enjoy doing?

3 What motivates you?

4 What makes you feel joy and pride in your work?

5 What do you want to accomplish in life?

6 What would you attempt to do if you were absolutely sure you would; fail?

7 What are you doing now? Is there a gap between the two? Why? What's holding you hack?'

Know Yourself

The first phase of your job search involves asking yourself questions that many of us never ask-or answer. You may have been too busy earning a living and coping with day-to-day needs. Right now, you may feel that you can't afford the luxury of "dreaming" about what you really want to do with your life. But can you afford not to? How did you feel about your last job(s)? Did you love it? Were you eager to get started each day? Or has your experience been that "work is something you have to be 'compensated' for because it robs you of living?. . . The test is how you feel each day as you anticipate that day's experience. The same test is the best predictor of health and longevity."?



You began as an investment in employment insurance, but you could also think of it in terms of life-and health-insurance. Since you're the beneficiary, why don't you go for a complete check-up? Self-assessment means examining yourself. For job seekers, there might be at least three distinct but related objectives, including assessing yourself:

1. For yourself-exploring deeply, going back to your earliest memories, examining the big picture to enhance your own understanding of who you are and what you want to do in your life. (This exploration continues in the discussion about goals)
   
   
   
2. For your more immediate job-finding needs, to inventory your skills, interests, and accomplishments.
   
   
   
3. From a potential employer's perspective, to help you find a job.
   

Know Your Values

One of the most important reasons for assessing yourself is determining what is important to you at this time in your life. What motivates you?

• Money?
  
  
  
• Status/prestige?
  
  
  
• Freedom/independence?
  
  
  
• Recognition?
  
  
  
• Opportunity to learn?
  
  
  
• Security?
  
  
  
• Leisure time for family/friends?
  

What drives you now may be quite different from what motivated you in the past. Your own experience and needs, as well as the marketplace, may dictate changes. Shortly after she graduated from college, for example, Jodi was moved by a desire to help less fortunate women. "I found a job doing social work at a home for battered women," she said. "But I guess my idealism faded when I found myself working 80 hours a week, I felt burned out and needing a career change."

After assessing herself, Jodi realized that there were many ways she could use her communications and other skills. Encouraged to pursue a sales career, she got professional training, built up her confidence, and is now happily employed as an account executive with LCI International, a telecommunications company.

The rapidly changing marketplace continues to dictate career changes for millions of workers, including many well-educated, highly skilled people like Joe, a mechanical engineer. After more than 25 years in the railway supply industry, it looked as though Joe had reached an impasse. His company was not only downsizing-it was also relocating out of state, a move that he chose not to make. Unfortunately-or so it seemed at the time-there were no other railway supply companies within commuting distance.

I felt two choices: either beat my head against the wall or look at a related field. A friend had an interesting suggestion: "technical writing".

Although writing had not been a major responsibility in Joe's previous jobs, Joe recognized it as one of his skills. He contacted Penton Publishing, Inc., a business publications company, to explore opportunities.

The only opening they had at that time was not a good fit. But three months later, an associate editor's position became available and they called me back. The chief editor of my magazine was looking for someone with an engineering background and I was hired.

That was 1988. Since then, Joe has been thriving as the associate editor of Power Transmission Design.

Knowing what you can do and do well-as well as what you don't like to do-are important first steps. Deciding what you want to do is another. Goals and goal setting is the subject.

Employment Insurance Checklist

• Are you ready to begin your job hunt now or are you too angry or depressed to begin?
  
  
  
• If you've lost your job, did you take time to grieve over your loss?
  
  
  
• Do you have a positive attitude?
  
  
  
• If not, what are you doing to help you develop a positive attitude?
  
  
  
• Did you list your interests, talents, and skills?
  
  
  
• Did you create an education worksheet listing important facts and major accomplishments?
  
  
  
• Did you create an employment worksheet for each job, listing important facts and major accomplishments?
  
  
  
• Did you create a personal activities worksheet, listing important facts and major accomplishments?
  
  
  
• What do you like about yourself?
  
  
  
• What do other people like about you?
  
  
  
• Do you know what motivates you?