Assess Yourself

This step helps you discover and organize all of your skills, interests, and values that may have an impact on your career. It is a good idea to do this step every year, even if you have a job, since you may have gained new skills, or your interests and values may have changed.

What is an assessment? An assessment helps you learn about yourself, and find occupations that will suit you. There are several assessment tools provided in this step. These include:

Starting with identifying your skills.
What your interests are.

Know Your Skills

A skill is the ability to do a certain task well. Skills can be a natural ability and can also be learned over time. You can gain or expand your skills with practice or training. It is important to assess your skills at all phases of your career since you develop new skills at work, school, and through extracurricular activities.

Skills are grouped as technical or transferable skills.

Technical skills: These skills are specific to occupations. The descriptions of occupations will list required skills. The Occupational Outlook Handbook offers more information about occupations.
Transferable skills: These are skills that can be used in almost every industry and in a lot of different jobs. Transferable skills may also include personal skills. There is a short list of common transferable skills and online skills assessments below.

Read over these skills and consider if you have or need to gain any of them. Start your skills assessment by looking at these groups. Ask people close to you for feedback. Adapted from assessment materials provided by Rogue Community College Student Employment Services.

**Common Technical and Transferable Skills**
Skill Set	Examples
Key Transferable Skills	Meet deadlines Ability to delegate Ability to plan Results-oriented Customer service-oriented Supervise others Increase sales or efficiency Accept responsibility Instruct others Desire to learn & improve Good time management Solve problems Manage money/budgets Manage people Meet the public Organize people Organize/manage projects Team player Written communications Work independently Computer skills
Other Transferable Skills	Use my hands Assemble or make things Safety conscious Build, observe, inspect things Construct or repair Off-bearing or feeding machinery Follow instructions Operate tools and machinery Drive or operate vehicles Repair things Good with my hands Use complex equipment Use equipment
Dealing with Data	Analyze data or facts Investigate Audit records Keep financial records Locate answers or information Balance money Calculate, compute Manage money Take inventory Classify data Compare, inspect, or record facts Count, observe, compile Research Detail-oriented
Working with People	Patient Caring Persuasive Confront others Pleasant Counsel people Sensitive Demonstrate Supportive Diplomatic Supervise Speak in public Help others Tactful Insightful Teach Interview others Anticipate needs High energy Open-minded Kind Take orders Listen Serving Trust Work with others Negotiate Understanding Adaptable Outgoing
Using Words, Ideas	Articulate Innovative Communicate Logical Prefer details Remember information Accurate Research Create new ideas Understand the big picture Design Speak in public Edit Write clearly
Leadership	Arrange social functions Motivate people Negotiate agreements Decisive Plan Delegate Run meetings Direct others Explain things to others Self-motivated Get results Share leadership Think of others Direct projects Team-builder Solve problems Mediate problems Take risks Empower others
Creative, Artistic	Artistic Dance, body movement Music appreciation Perform, act Draw, sketch, render Present artistic ideas Play instruments Expressive

From your skills assessment and online research, write down 5-10 occupations that are a good fit with your skills using Match Your Skills to Occupations (pdf).

Online Skills Assessments:

Exploring occupations that match your skills.
Exploring your interests.

Match Your Interests to Occupations

Holland Code
John Holland’s vocational/career choice theory suggests that people who choose to work in environments that are similar to their interests are more likely to enjoy their work. Below is a brief description of each interest code.

The Holland Code Interest Inventory (pdf) exercise is a short interest assessment.

Read each statement. Check the white box next to the activities that you enjoy doing or would enjoy learning how to do.
Then, add the columns at the bottom of the exercise. Write down the number of checked boxes for each letter.
The letters with the highest amount of check marks indicate your interest code. Most people have a 2-3 letter interest code.

Each letter matches an interest group.

R = Realistic people are DOERS.
They are often good at mechanical or athletic jobs. They like to work with things like machines, tools or plants and they like to work with their hands. They are often practical and good at solving problems.
I = Investigative people are THINKERS.
They like to watch, learn, and solve problems. They often like to work by themselves, tend to be good at math and science, and enjoy analyzing data.
A = Artistic people are CREATORS.
They like to use their creativity and come up with new ideas. They usually want to work with less rules or structure. They enjoy performing (theater or music) and visual arts.
S = Social people are HELPERS.
They like to work directly with people rather than things. They enjoy teaching, counseling, or curing others. They are often good public speakers with helpful, kind personalities.
E = Enterprising people are PERSUADERS.
They like to work with other people. They often like to influence, persuade or perform for people. They like to lead. They tend to be assertive and enthusiastic.
C = Conventional people are ORGANIZERS.
They are very detail oriented and like to work with data. They are often organized and good with numbers. They are also good at following instructions. They also like working in structured situations.

Interests Online Resources:

Using the Interest assessment at Florida Choices.
Exploring your work values.

Your Work Values

Job satisfaction comes from having a job that meets your needs and fits your goals. The Match Your Work Values to Occupations (pdf) includes things people often want or value in their job. Not all these values will be met each day. However, if you choose an occupation that meets most of your work values then you will be more likely to enjoy your job. You will also be more motivated to succeed.

Work Values Resources

Employ Florida
Florida Choices
O*NET Work Values

Putting your assessments together.
Exploring careers.

Put Your Assessments Together

Look at the occupations you listed in:

These occupations match your skills, interests and work values.

List the occupations that show up on two or three of your assessment lists in Occupations that Best Match All of Your Assessments (pdf). These occupations are a good place to start as you think about your next career goal.

Now that you have a list of occupations that fit your skills, interests, and values you are ready to begin Step 2: Explore Careers.

Exploring careers.
What career changers need to know.