The Role of Self-Assessment in Your Career Development
by Niven Julien
3rd-Year Student in Accounting
Imagine your career development as a construction project. Before you start building, you need to know the result you seek. Is it a skyscraper? A house? An apartment? In order to reach your final decision, you have to assess your end goal, determine if you have the right tools, and list all the needed adjustments. The same idea applies to career development. Here are three steps that further explain how self-assessment contributes to your career development.
Step 1: laying the foundation
So, what is your dream job? The answer to this question is what I consider the start of one’s career development, as it helps you identify your interests. For example, when a child decides to become an astronaut, it is often after discovering a strong interest in space exploration. By identifying your interests, you are establishing a great foundation for your career development.
Meet with a pro: Book a self-assessment and career testing appointment with the Telfer Career Centre Career Counsellor through Career Launch to receive expert advice and tools on self-assessment.
Step 2: taking in the inventory
Once you have identified the career you want to build, the second step is to determine the skills you need to get there. This means taking stock of the ones you already have, and identifying the ones that should be further developed. If your career is a construction project, your skills are the tools, equipment, and materials you will use to build the end product.
Step 3: Bracing oneself for the journey
Great builders always meet challenging situations. As you take on the journey, know that there will be ups and downs. Self-assessment will indeed shed light on your strengths and weaknesses. But knowledge is power. As a third step, use your strengths as deciding factors for work and look for ways to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Having the right mindset will help you anticipate and overcome potential difficulties.
Meet with a pro: Book a resumé critique with the Telfer Career Centre Professional Development Coordinator through Career Launch to learn how to best highlight your strengths on your self-marketing tools.
Did you know? The Telfer Career Centre presents a workshop called “Who am I: Self-assessment and Career Testing.” This workshop is one of the 10 activities that make up the Career Development Certificate. Check out the Calendar of Events on Career Launch, and see the Mentorship and Development Programs tab for more information about the certificate.
Start your career development journey now with an improved sense of self and take advantage of the many resources the Telfer Career Centre has to offer.