How to Find Your Strengths and Interests When Searching for a Job

You are on the market for a new job. Whether it's your first job or you are mid-career and unemployed, you should make the most of your innate talents and interests. Although it may be tempting to take the first thing offered, you will do yourself--and your employer--a disservice in the long run. Do a little upfront work to find a job that suits your strengths and interests.

Instructions

1. Do a self-assessment. List your strengths, including any personality or character traits that have earned you praise in the past. Strengths may encompass a skill or talent, a job you have performed in the past, or even your physical or athletic abilities. You may also include items like "Trusted with secrets." Check the items that interest you most and cross off those that have little appeal.

   For example, if you are good at math but do not find it stimulating, leave it off. List any interests you have that are not already on the list. Rank the list, numbering your favorite strengths or interest number one. Make a career bucket list of your top 12. A career or two may jump out at you. It's more likely, however, that the list seems unrelated to any career you currently know. That's okay. You will use the list to create a job search profile.

2. Take an online or offline assessment on websites such as CareerExplorer.net and CareerPlanner.com.

   There are many other free and low-cost alternatives. Take one or more. In addition to providing insights into jobs suited to you, an assessment may give you a new vocabulary to use in your job search. Some assessments can help you narrow down your choices by telling you which careers you are best suited for. Favor these tests over simple personality tests which leave you with a list of characteristics but no job choices. Add key findings from the assessment to your job search profile.

3. Interview people. Generate a list of careers you think you might like. If you know someone in a career you listed, set up a half hour to talk to him about what he does. Does the job require skills that you currently have? What additional training might be required? Add the careers that still interest you to your profile.

4. Explore career options. Review your profile. You will have listed on it your strengths, interests as well as career possibilities generated by your career assessment and your interviews. Use the profile to generate a list of key words. Use Google or Monster.com to conduct an online search across job descriptions using these key words. You may come up with jobs you have never considered. Research the most compelling choices to find out more about the careers. From your research, create a new list of possible jobs.

5. Search for jobs. Using the revised profile, look for jobs in your area that fit your criteria. When you find suitable jobs, look them over carefully to see that they not only match your strengths and interests, but that they also fit your lifestyle. The job search process may require ongoing tweaks as you discover more about your preferences.

References

• iPersonic Typology: How to Find a Job That Makes You Happy