Personal Assessment Is A Critical Part of the Job Search Process  -  By Irina Gomelskaya
While the growing array of resources to help with the job search strategies, skills and networking tools are undoubtedly valuable, I find that many job seekers don’t have a clear and compelling answer to a more basic question: what exactly are you looking to do professionally? What is your dream job and why? The purpose of answering these “visionary” questions is to develop a road map for your career journey, and to gain a sense of purpose and direction in your job search. There are many ways to engage in the process of self-exploration and here are some clues to help you get started:

Ask yourself what elements you want in your ideal career/dream job and consider including these:
1. What you love to do (activities that give you a feeling of joy and fulfillment)
2. Your unique gifts and talents, your aptitudes
3. Skills that you have and wish to use (or further develop) in your next job
4. Fields of interest or industries in which you want to work
5. Work values (what is most important to you in your workplace?)
6. Your essence, your natural qualities
7. Life mission, vision, spiritual path
8. What kind of people do you prefer to work with or for?
9. Salary, benefits, schedule and other factors
10. Working conditions, work environment, location

In this process, it may be helpful to work with a close friend, a trusted family member or a career coach – someone who can facilitate your self-discovery through active listening and meaningful feedback. Look at your past jobs and consider projects and work environments you have enjoyed and why, activities that come naturally to you, professional involvements that provided a feeling of purpose and satisfaction. Explore dreams and aspirations that never came to be, and accomplishments (personal and work-related) that you are most proud of. When your list is complete, brainstorm and write down a few career options that encompass the largest number of those ideal elements.

If you prefer to take a more “measured” and “scientific” approach to figuring out what you are meant to do, consider taking a standardized test. While helpful, these tests will not give you the ultimate answer to the career path YOU should pursue; however, they may provide you with ideas and clues about viable career options for individuals with your traits. Here are some popular tests and inventories to consider:

· Self-Directed Search—measures Interests and favorite activities, www.self-directed-search.com
· Highlands Ability Battery—measures abilities and aptitudes, www.highlandsco.com
· Hogan’s Motives, Values and Preferences—measures values & preferences, www.hoganassessments.com
· Myers-Briggs Type Indicator—measures temperament and work style, www.mbticomplete.com.
· The DiSC Sorter, offered online at www.disctests.com and the Birkman Method, www.birkman.com.

Other websites you might check for more information: www.humanmetrics.com; htttp://keirsey.com; www.careergames.com; www.personalitydesk.com; http://careerkey.org; http://careerplanner.com; www.job-hunt.org, www.jobhuntersbible.com; www.truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp

Useful Books:
· What Color Is Your Parachute? 2012: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard N. Bolles
· Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type--Revised and Updated Edition Featuring E-careers for the  21st Century, by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger
· I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It by Barbara Sher
· Please Understand Me II:Temperament, Character, Intelligence by David Keirsey
· Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You'll Love to Do, by Shoya Zichy and Ann Bidou

Irina Gomelskaya, Esq. is a Certified Life and Career Coach. She is also a group facilitator for Neighbors-Helping-Neighbors Career Transition Support and Networking Group, which meets at 7 pm on Wednesday nights at Maplewood Memorial Library. Irina can be reached at igomelskaya@gmail.com.