Get your own Free Home PageSTEP TWO (30 minutes)
Good job! I'm glad you're sticking with this. It will provide you with valuable insights into your skills and interests which will translate to helping you get closer to getting a job you would enjoy. First, take 15 minutes to review your answers from last time and look for patterns like a detective. Take another piece of paper and jot down any skills or strengths that you notice you have in rereading your notes. Some answers will lie in your answers, but others may require you to think about what made you successful. For example, if for number four you said you like to have autonomy in the office sometimes, you are good at working independently. If your answer to number five required coordination, leadership, creativity, persistence, athletic strength, friendliness, or any other positive quality for your success, jot that down. Once you have a list of your strengths, this may help you to think of jobs or careers that could use people with your strengths and abilities.
Now take one more piece of paper. On the paper, make two columns. Label the first column "Job Limitations" and label the second column "Possible Jobs".
Look again at your answer to number four on the paper and note any limitations (e.g. work hours should be 9 to 5) in that column. If you have any geographic constraints, write down which cities or towns you can work in. If you must work at home, write that. Also, think about whether your educational background will help narrow down your job search. Write down the highest degree you have earned or plan to earn (e.g. high school diploma, A.A. in Business, B.A. in English, etc.). If there is any kind of work you cannot do such as physical labor, or any minimum salary that you absolutely need to get, write that down as well.
Now look at the second column, "Possible Jobs". Knowing what you have down from all of your pieces of paper, write down at least 10 kinds of jobs that would interest you and you think you might be qualified for. As long as the jobs meet the criteria you have under the other column on the right and you would be happy to take the job, you are allowed to write them down. Even if it's something that might sound silly like being a clown in the circus or if you have a business idea that you have never started, write them down. Don't stop at 10 if you keep having job ideas...keep writing for at least 5 minutes. If you are unsure about whether you might qualify for a position and you have always been curious about it, just write it down and don't worry about it.
Or, if you'd like, just go back to my main career page here.
Get your own Free Home Page