Getting Started

Getting Started

Self assessment: auditing your skills...

Self assessment is something we all do regularly, often without even noticing that we are doing it. We ask ourselves why we didn’t do well in an exam; why we are good at crosswords, why we feel great after a game of tennis.

When it comes to job hunting, self assessment is a critically important preparatory step. Without it you may not recognise all the job-related skills and qualities you possess. Self assessment is about having an introspective look at your skills, goals, knowledge, attributes and motivations. It may seem like navel-gazing, but it is a healthy and worthwhile activity that will help you land a job and pursue the right career. When you self assess, you:

• Review your life experiences to ascertain what career-relevant skills you have gathered
• Look at how these skills can be marketed to employers.

You may think you already have a good idea of your skills, but it’s worth taking the time to do a focused self-assessment or 'skills audit'. The benefi ts of such an exercise include:

• Drawing your attention to sellable skills you may otherwise have not given yourself credit for
• Improving your job applications and interview skills
• Increasing your confi dence and selfawareness.

How to self assess

1. Break your life into its various components: work, secondary school study, university study, and personal life (extra-curricular activities).
2. Look at each area and consider what it involves and what you gained from the experience. Some aspects to consider are: responsibility, time management, communication skills and team work.
3. Think about how these skills and experiences could be applied to the industry and positions you are interested in.
4. Write down your skills and experiences and next to each one write down how they can be applied in a workplace. Become familiar with this list so that you are well-versed in the applicability of your skills when applying for jobs and attending job interviews.

Demonstrating your skills

As well as identifying your skills and experiences and how they can be applied in the workplace, it is important to be able to demonstrate them to potential employers. Part of your skills audit should involve collecting 'material evidence' which supports your claims.

For important information on job applications and addressing selection criteria see the relevant sections in this publication.

Self assessment is not a one-off exercise: you should undertake it regularly, as your skills and experiences will grow and evolve as you do. You need to keep your skills audit current.

Self assessment can be a diffi cult process: it can take time and can be unsettling because it may point to skills we are yet to acquire. It’s important not to discredit relevant skills you have gained due to modesty or uncertainty. Your university careers service can assist you, and there is useful information on a range of websites including: www.myfuture.edu.au .

Tip for penultimate year students...

It is never too early to start the process of self assessment. Apart from being prepared for searching for your full-time graduate role, this sort of knowledge will be valuable in all job hunting, including full time graduate positions, part-time semester work or vacation work.

This article is taken from the 2007-08 edition of Graduate Careers Australia's employer directory Graduate Opportunities .

© 2007 Graduate Careers Australia