Learn About Yourself

You want to choose a career path that fits your unique qualities–your abilities, talents, needs, values, and interests–and the lifestyle you want to live.

Knowing your "unique qualities" and learning about yourself is a challenge for everyone. But the clearer picture you have, the more likely you are to choose a satisfying career.

Write down your thoughts and feelings as you complete the exercises below, making sure to keep your notes and writings in a folder you can easily refer to as needed.

Here are eight strategies you will find helpful:

  1. Take tests or inventories that measure your abilities, interests, values, and personality. Write out your reactions to the results. The Career Key's career test is a good place to start, but you should try other valid tests. Explore our Resources to learn about your personality and extroversion and introversion.

  2. Look carefully at your school or work achievements to identify your abilities. If you are a student, for example, which subjects have you done well in, or not so well in? If you work, do the same analysis. What does this tell you about your abilities -- mechanical, verbal, numerical, artistic, and people skills? Be careful not to overlook, or leave out, your abilities. Looking over the 17 Foundation Job Skills will help you avoid doing this.

  3. Examine how you use your leisure time -- your hobbies, community projects, activities with social, political, or religious organizations. For each one, write down three headings: Abilities, Interests, and Values. And, under each heading write down your thoughts.

  4. Talk with a friend or family member who is a good listener.

  5. Talk with a professional counselor; learn about career counseling.

  6. Go to FOCUS - Identify and Update Your Skills. There you will learn what the different types of job skills are and how to identify those you have. The activities we describe are powerful; top consulting firms in the country use them.

  7. Write an autobiography and identify the themes that represent who you are.

  8. Write a personal mission statement. In it write: what you want to be, what you want to accomplish in life, and what values or principles you want to guide you.