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Know Yourself: Career Assessment Activities
Career-related assessment generally involves doing different types of reflective activities to increase understanding of your unique self and your current situation.
Reflect to Increase Self-Understanding
A clear, detailed picture of yourself is essential for making informed decisions and re-decisions about your options. Reflect upon your qualities, preferences and experience:
- What do I naturally enjoy? (interests)
- What are some of my strengths? (skills and abilities, attitudes)
- When do I get engaged and lose track of time? (motivations)
- What makes things rewarding and meaningful? (values) What are some related goals?
- What are some fields and programs of interest for realizing these goals?
Complete Career Assessments
- Review the list of career assessments--interests, values, personality, and skills and abilities. Select and complete ones of interest.
- Formal standardized assessments (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory) have been evaluated for validity and reliability in measuring career-related factors (e.g., interests, values).
- Critically review assessment results. Increase self-awareness and identify related educational and career opportunities.
Consider All Influential Factors in Your Situation
- In your unique situation, what are all the factors that are important to consider in your decision-making? Consider relationships, financial resources, location, the labour market and whatever else is important and influential.
- How much weight does each factor carry in your decision-making? What options are realistic and feasible? Do you need to compromise?
- As you and your situation can change, at what point would you re-evaluate a decision and make a re-decision?