A Guide To Successful Self-assessment

Self-assessment is not always an easy process. However, during the course of a job search, it is imperative to be able to realistically look at yourself and identify your skills and strong points. This is vital in preparing your resume as well as exuding the confidence necessary to land a great job.

Instead of first trying to name your qualities and positive attributes, you should begin by making a list of some of the things you have accomplished in your lifetime. It may be difficult to say, "I am intelligent and persistent." However, it is considerably easier to list activities you have completed that may have been difficult. This list may include furthering your education, special projects you succeeded in, or any other accomplishments you have achieved.
Once you have this list, you can then go through it and add what personal qualities it took to complete each achievement. Perhaps it took incredible patience to raise three children, or the ability to lead to manage a group project at work. Whatever the case, go through and evaluate each item on your list.

Now you have a list of your positive qualities and traits. Once you begin to see yourself as having these qualities, it will be easier to expand on your personal skills.
Once you have your qualifications on paper, you may want to ask a trusted friend or family member for their input. While the point is "self"-assessment, contributions from those around you will aid in the process. They may be able to make suggestions you have forgotten or overlooked, or may be able to expound on what you already have. On the other hand, they may be able to bring a sense of reality if your perception is not accurate.

Often, the most difficult aspect of self-assessment is that your perception is skewed. While many people have a hard time seeing themselves in a positive light, others have the opposite problem and see themselves as more than they are. As you go through this process, you may try evaluating your accomplishments as though they were someone else's. Would it be a big deal if someone else in your office settled a case for $250,000? Would you draw the same conclusions if you were evaluating someone else?

There are certain accomplishments that are obvious to include, such as degrees you have attained or additional training you have had. However, you should also try to consider the less obvious achievements in your evaluation. Once you have your resume in place, compare it to the particular position you are applying for and consider rephrasing it to correlate with the job specifications.

Avoid The Fine Line Between Confidence And Arrogance

A healthy level of self-esteem and confidence is important in both interviews, resume writing and on a daily basis. Being able to articulate and demonstrate your abilities is crucial to getting the job that you are applying for. The resume and the interview process is really a form of self-marketing, and the better job you do on both your resume and your interview the greater the chance that you will be successful in obtaining the job.

The negative aspect of self-confidence is that it can often be misinterpreted as arrogance if not used judiciously. Being boastful about your abilities is far different that being positive. It is very important to carefully consider how you come across in an interview setting. To avoid being seen as arrogant consider the following:

Keep your information factual and avoid adding judgments. Highlight the key points but do not dwell on them. An example would be "I graduated in 1972 from XYZ University with honors recognition in my MBA program." This is much more factual than, " I graduated at the top of my very large graduating class, which is no small accomplishment as I am sure you are aware". The first statement is factual, the second very opinion oriented.

Be positive about yourself, not negative about other candidate's abilities or training.
Avoid "name-dropping" in interviews. Give facts about past experiences that are relative to the job you are applying for.

Don't appear to know everything about the industry, profession or career. Be open and honest about issues that you need further information on. There are few people, no matter how experienced, that know everything about any area. Interviewers may view a candidate the appears to think they know everything as arrogant rather than confident.
The key to appearing confident and not arrogant in an interview is to be yourself. Let you credentials and experience speak to your level of professionalism and experience. Use the interview to highlight these in a positive and insightful manner.
Balancing Career Advancement With Job Security

One of the toughest issues that an employee has to manage is the balancing act between career advancement and job security. Career advancement has many attractive aspects, new office, better career, better salary, better benefits, more opportunity and more authority are but a few. These can be very tempting incentives to want to advance a career either in a new organization or in the company that is the current employer.

There are also drawbacks to career advancement that need to be considered. With all the perks of an advancing career come additional responsibilities. Additional responsibilities that can equate to more time at the office and less time with family and friends. Often there is more stress and pressure with more senior positions. These changes require adjustments not just for the employee, but also for the family unit as a whole.

Job security is the other side of the coin. For many people knowing that they are assured a position and that they have a secure job is more important than career advancement. Job security tends to be higher in priority for individuals who are responsible for the support of a family or who have other financial considerations. It may however, act as a rock that holds them in a position that they would rather leave. This scenario also has an impact on more than just the employee.

Most people see career advancement and job security as a teeter-totter. When the side of career advancement is high and the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder is at its peak the level of job security is at its lowest. The reverse is also true. Most employees feel that a very high level of job security means that the opportunity for career advancement is at its lowest.
This is not necessarily true. Good planning and research on advancement opportunities can provide job security as well. Advancing in a company that has a good track record of supporting employees and providing options for advancement is important. Discussing job security and company policy with existing employees can help individuals decide the level of security provided.

There are opportunities for both advancement and security in the workplace. Knowing the policies of the agency you are seeking employment with will help understand the best balance that is right for you.

Create The Life You Really Want With Your New Role

In today's society, people are always selling themselves short. They think themselves inadequate and they raise their children with the same limited view. It is beyond most people's understanding that more may be available to them if they only accepted their true capacity. However, you are going to be different. You are taking the steps to create the ideal life for yourself and your family.

Your new job or the position you are in the process of securing is the first step in arranging the life you really want. Breaking away from chains of doubt and going after your dream job will only prove what you are really capable of doing. A dream job may be different for different people; you may want flexible scheduling or higher pay; while someone else may want to help people or work for himself or herself. The important thing is to decide what you want and go after it.

Once you realize what you are capable of, the sky is the limit. You should not be a slave to circumstances, but instead be proactive in designing your life. Now it is time to make your other long term plans. Perhaps funding an incredible retirement is something important for you or investing in stocks or real estate. Nothing is beyond your reach - just decide what the next step is for you.

Eliminate Your Doubts To Achieve Career Success

The key to success in both personal and career issues is to be positive and confident in your skills and abilities. If you appear to be doubtful or unsure of your knowledge or skills it will be obvious to the interviewer or prospective employers.Doubts are natural and are often a signal that perhaps there is insufficient training or skill development in an area of the workplace. If you are experiencing doubts there are some steps that you can take to eliminate them.
Know your level of training and keep current with new trainings available. If you were currently employed perhaps your employer would be willing to fund trainings or to share the cost. Attend refreshers and seminars that keep you up-to-date with research or advances in the field.
Understand what the expectations are for minimum requirements in your career area. Strive to exceed rather than just meet these requirements. Motivated employees and candidates stand out in interviews and in work performance.

Be aware of technical changes that are occurring in the workplace. Many IT websites offer free or very low cost tutorials or on-line classes. Talk to other employees or colleagues regarding their level of training or skill development. Once you understand what others are doing you will be able to either update your skills or build confidence in the ones that you have.
Besides training and skills issues there may also be personal factors that lead to doubt. By changing your perspective from one of doubt to one of positive self-confidence you will have greater career success. Changing this perspective is up to you, but friends, family and co- workers can play an important role.

Make a list or journal of your personal and career accomplishments.

Take compliments, awards and recognition to heart. Don't minimize these positives.
Encourage friends, family and co-workers to discuss positives in both their life and yours.
Focus on the future and the potential for success, not the past and the issues that were not as beneficial as you would have liked.

When you find yourself having doubts, determine what the concerns are and address them.
Just realizing you have doubts is a positive aspect of your ability to judge yourself. Get additional training or experience and re-evaluate your skills. Deal with your doubts when they arise and they will quickly be replaced with a positive outlook on your career possibilities.
It is always easier to identify our strengths but it is equally important to be aware of our weaknesses when planning a career change. Your strengths are the positive attributes that you can bring to the job, while your areas of weakness are those that do not meet the minimum requirements or are skills or training that you are lacking to be successful at completing the job.

Education

Often having the minimum training requirements may seem like a weakness, especially in a slow job market. The more advanced and up-to-date your training record is the more confident that you will be in an interview and the more eye catching your resume will be. Take an honest look at your qualifications and plan to attend training that will boost your current level of expertise in areas that you feel weakest in.

Technology

You may also feel that you are weaker in areas dealing with technology use. A few simple weekend or online classes can quickly bring you up to speed on computer programs, Internet use, VoIP phones, networking, using laptops or PDA's. In addition most colleges, employment centers or continuing education programs offer evening and weekend classes on technology and computer use.

The important thing to remember about technology is that it is always changing. What was cutting edge technology even a year ago is now old news, so staying current is important.

Communication

Communicating effectively with co-workers, managers and clients is a crucial part of most jobs. Taking some extra training in the area of communication can really help increase your confidence and professional presentation. Most employers are checking for communication competency throughout the interview. Speaking clearly and knowing what to say and when to say it is important.

Conflict

There are few employment opportunities that don't have the potential for conflict. Taking mediation or problem-solving classes will help with the natural fear that many people have when dealing with these stressful situations. This is a particularly good training to take if the employment that you are seeking interacts with the public.By identifying your weaknesses you can plan a course of action to eliminate them. This can only happen if you honestly look at the skills that you have and the skills that are needed to obtain the job you want. Once you have done this all that is left is to research the courses or experience needed and make a plan to complete it.

Identify Your Career Goals

The lifelong question - "What do you want to be when you grow up?" This is a question often asked of us when we are children, but once we reach adulthood, we tend to stop evaluating our career decisions as stringently. Often, we just wake up in a career we have been in for years and seem to have little flexibility to leave. Wouldn't it be better to consciously decide what you want to accomplish in your career?

Luckily, identifying your career goals may not be as difficult as you imagine. If you simply take the time to contemplate your career decisions and your goals, the answer may very well present itself to you.First, sit down in a quiet place with a pen and pad of paper. Write down your current age at the top left side of the page. On the top right side, write your current position; not just your job title, but your salary, financial standing, and overall position in life. Now draw a horizontal line across the page below what you have written. Down the left side of the page, write your age in five years, ten years, twenty years, all the way to retirement. Now you need to really look at your current standing. Are you happy with where you are in life at this point? If not, what do you want to change?

To evaluate and determine what your goals are, you also need to consider where you do not want to be. At retirement, do you want to be dependent on social security and family members for support? Do you want to be stuck in the same employment position you are in now for the rest of your life? Visualizing what you do not want will make what you do want clearer.
Now, look all the way at the bottom of your paper to the retirement portion. What do you want to have accomplished in your career when you retire? Write that to the right of your paper. The rest is easy. Now you need to determine what steps are necessary to reach that ultimate goal. Those incremental steps will be your five, ten, and twenty-year goals. Now evaluate each of those in correlation with the time frame given. How will you reach your five-year goal? What steps will be necessary? You will then break down your five-year goal into 6 month or 1 year steps. The more detail, the better. You want a precise roadmap to your ultimate goal.
Once you have your roadmap, you will need to track your progress. Keep a record of your goals and, as you achieve each one, mark them off. If you have a daily planner this is an ideal place to write your goals to keep them in front of you. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"; this is true for life journeys as well. Once you have completed this process you will have identified your career goals and broken them down into manageable steps, making it easier to achieve them.

Imagine if basketball great Michael Jordan had never stepped foot on the court.or if legendary singer Frank Sinatra had never recorded a record. There are some individuals who are born to do certain things in life, who are destined for a particular career. Certainly, part of the reason is genetic, but environment also plays a role. After all, Jordan did have to practice his drills and Sinatra did have to warm up his voice.

Perhaps you're not destined for super-stardom. But that doesn't mean that you don't have a calling. Maybe it's graphic design, veterinary medicine, or the law. Perhaps it's something as simple as flower arranging or as complicated as information technologies. The fact is, every one of us has a special talent. But how can you put that talent to the best use? And how can you identify your true calling?

Identify your interests

Your first step in identifying your calling is to determine your interests. What do you really enjoy doing? Can you spend hours lost in music? In art? In doing math calculations? What in life brings you the most joy? What was your favorite course in school? The answers to these questions will help you to identify your interests that could come into play in your career search.
Some of us actually spend a lifetime trying to figure out what really interests us. Therefore, it's entirely possible that it will take some time for you to determine your true interests. Be patient with yourself. Getting to know the "real you" can be a full- time job-but it can also be an interesting job.

Determine your talents

Next, you'll need to determine your talents. In what areas do you really excel? Initially, you may be under the false impression that you really aren't good at anything. What you might not realize is that your true talents may be hidden. You may be so busy trying to do things that don't really interest you that you forget where your real abilities lie.
Ask those close to you what they think you do best. You may be surprised at the answers. But you also need to realize that their answers could lead you to a new career. For instance, perhaps your friends see you as a good listener. That fact could help motivate you to pursue a career in counseling. Or perhaps they really admire the way you make a pot roast. As a result, you might consider going to culinary school to become a chef.
Consider taking a few classes
Another method you can use to help to identify your true calling is to take a few classes in an area in which you have an interest and some aptitude. For instance, if you enjoy music, consider taking some vocal lessons at the music school at your local university. Or, if teaching interests you, you might try a course in early childhood development. By taking a few classes, you can better gauge the extent of your interest in a particular area. You might consider the classes as being part of the "test run" for a new career.

Identifying The Elements That Set You Apart

The key to making a good first impression in the workplace, be it in person or on paper, is to accentuate the positive attributes or elements that you bring to the workplace. By highlighting these elements in a positive and appropriate way the job seeker is able to show prospective employers what knowledge, skills and talents they possess that are over and above the requirements for the job. In addition to just exceeding the requirements, an employer is more likely to remember names and be interested in meeting prospective employees who are unique in elements that would be beneficial to the company. Perhaps as the job seeker you may be able to highlight elements that the employer had not even considered as attributes that would be beneficial to the company.

Personal inventory

Often people have talents and skills that are such a part of who they are that they don't realize that they are special or unique. First, determine what is occurring in the workplace and then try to identify the elements that you posses that would be valuable in that environment.
For example, if you were applying for a job as a bank teller consider what occurs in a bank. There are communication skills, math skills, problem solving skills, computer skills, customer service skills and organizational skills needed to complete the daily work requirements.
After making a list of these skills, identify what elements or attributes that you possess that will address these skill needs. If we use the example of communication skills you may find that you:

Speak another language

Can use sign language

Have taken a communications course

Have had past employment in a communications field

Once you have this list of attributes or elements that you have and use you can then begin to add these components to your resume, covering letter or job application form.

Get input from friends and co-workers

Sometimes people are good at things but they overlook them and forget to mention these elements on resumes and applications. Asking current or former co-workers and colleagues to read your current resume and add comments can be very helpful. Often in the workplace there is an unspoken knowledge that a particular employee is very good at a specific type of work. While everyone in the workplace knows this it may never be directly stated. Think of a time in your current or past employment when you seemed to be the person that always did a particular type of work. This probably means that you were very good at completing that activity, and this would be an element that could set you apart from other job seekers.
A great example of this is the person who deals very effectively with difficult clients or co-workers. There is usually a person in every company that seems to be more successful in working with challenging people. This would be an element that would definitely need to be identified and put on a resume or job application to highlight skills.

Remember that the elements that you are identifying do not need to directly relate to the job description. Many resumes list a hobbies or additional skills section that allows job seekers to highlight their unique elements for prospective employers.
Take Charge Of Your Destiny And Plan Your Career

Very rarely in life, unlike in the movies, does the job of your dreams simply fall into your lap. Usually getting the perfect job or career involves a lot of research, training and planning. Hard work does pay off in the long run as successful careers come from careful planning and attention to detail.

Before you can begin planning your career you need to determine what field or area you would like to work in, and what skills you need to be successful. There are several ways to accomplish this:

Book an appointment with a career coach or guidance counselor.
Complete an aptitude test to determine where your natural strengths are.
Try volunteer work or job shadowing to get a hands-on perspective of your career of interest.
Talk to others already in the field to discuss their experiences and perspectives.
Check with professional associations, employment agencies, newspapers and complete online searches to determine the availability and salary ranges in your chosen field.
After you have completed the research portion of your career investigation it is time to establish a plan. The key to a good career plan is:
Be specific.
Set deadlines.
Identify needs and development options.
Set reasonable goals.
Stick to the plan.
Write it down and make it a working document.

Be specific

The more specific you are in your career plan the more accurate you will be in heading toward your career objective. The specificity is in both the language and the goals detailed on the plan. Instead of planning to advance in your career, be specific and state "Move up one pay level or supervisory level in the next 24 months. After you have the objective of moving up one level, then set deadlines for achieving this goal.

Set deadlines

Check for trainings and opportunities available in your area. Register for these events and commit to completing the trainings in a timely manner. If you are a procrastinator list the dates to register for conferences or events. Avoid goals that are open-ended such as "Take one course on Excel sometime in the next 12 months" and use "Attend the Excel course on May 12".
Identify needs and development options
Make a list of the trainings and development options that you feel would help your career advance according to your plan. Don't rely on just the minimum qualifications; strive to exceed the basic requirements. If you have any basic requirements that are missing on your resume these should be completed first. Keep continually upgrading and advancing in your training to stay current with industry standards and changes.
If you work in a field that is very generalized you may want to focus on an area that you could specialize in to help your career. For example, if you work in an IT industry you may want to focus on software development or networking rather than attempting to become proficient in all aspects of the field.

Set reasonable goals

Keep your goals reasonable to avoid frustration. Know the opportunities that are available in the agency that you wish to pursue your career in and set goals by that standard. If, for example, there is only one promotion per department per year it is unreasonable to set a goal that you will advance 2 supervisory levels in one year.

Stick to the plan

No matter how carefully you plan there will be situations that may arise that will send you in different directions. These unforeseen situations do not need to send you off course; rather use the opportunities to modify your plans to meet the current situation. Try as quickly and reasonably as possible to get back on the plan. Focus on the positives in the situation.
Write it down and make it a working document.Just the act of writing down the plan will help you stay with it. Remember however that things do change, so be flexible with your plan and take advantage of opportunities that come up that are not on your plan.Use your plan to reflect and evaluate your progress. Discuss your professional development options with co-workers and managers to determine what is the best course of action to get you where you want to be.

Understand The Contribution You Can Make

Planning and rehearsing in advance how to answer difficult questions in a job interview or when writing a cover letter or resume will help you be able to clearly articulate why you are the best candidate for the job. The more positive you are in your interview or on your resume or cover letter the greater the impact you will make on the employer. The best way to be positive and assertive in your interview is to clearly understand the contribution that you can make to the employer.

Understand the job

In order to be able to inform the employer of how you are qualified for the job you must first understand what the position actually is. While this may seem obvious, a bit of research into the company or organization prior to the interview can provide you with additional information that you can use to your advantage. Look at the company as a whole, not just the specific position that you are applying for. If, for example, you have to work with the public and you speak another language, it may be a deciding factor for the employer to have a bilingual person on staff. Understanding that you have this skill will allow you to convey the importance of this to the employer in the interview.

Understand your skills, talents and knowledge

In order to talk about how your can contribute to the business you must first know what are your skills, talents and knowledge both job specific and in a broad sense. Planning in advance for difficult questions like "What are your strongest characteristics?" or "What assets would you bring to this job?" will help you provide an accurate and professional answer. Complete a personal skills inventory prior to going to the interview and then match your existing skills and talents with the requirements of the job and the information that you have on the company.

Understand yourself

Knowing your own ability to contribute to a workplace is critical. Be aware of the elements that you possess that may be natural or that you have received training in. Make sure that you mention these elements in job interviews or on resumes or cover letters. Many employers are looking for individuals with a wide range of positive attributes, not just those listed on the job posting. Don't be afraid to discuss talents that you have that are not directly listed on the application. It is important to keep the discussion relative to skills that could be used in the workplace but many skills overlap from one environment to another.
Unlock Your Potential And Achieve Job Search Success

When searching for a job, whether it is a first job or a change in careers, it is easy to become locked into looking for a specific a profession or type of job that may not reflect your full potential. We become comfortable in a particular position or job type, and tend to narrow our search criteria based on that. To completely unlock your potential and be able to apply for all possible positions that may be of interest to you it is important to understand your skills and talents that you bring to the workplace.

Skills Inventory

By using a skills inventory you can clearly and concisely make a listing of the skills that you posses that would be of value to a prospective employer. In addition these skills can be used in refining or expanding your job search. Try to be as specific as possible when listing your skills. Avoid using generalizations and be specific. Instead of listing computer skills try narrowing the term down to its individual components. Computer skills may mean word processing, networking, Excel, PowerPoint or drafting skills on the computer. Each does have a specific market that would benefit from proficiency in that program.
Make a skills inventory that addresses the skills that you have mastered in all your previous job experiences. After that has been completed compare it to the job search qualifications to determine how to best word your job search definition and what information to provide on resumes and cover letters.

Educational Inventory

This inventory highlights your educational achievements in the broadest possible scope. Include all conferences, workshops, professional development classes, as well as degrees or academic coursework. After completing the list determine what items should go on the resume for each specific job. Tailoring your resume for the job you are applying for will result in a better response from prospective employers, as it will address the requirements of that job.

Personal Inventory

List the personal skills that you have that would be an asset in the workplace. These could range from problem solving skills, communication skills, or good interaction skills. Time management is also a personal skill that is needed in most careers.
Once you understand your skills, it is possible to show your full potential on resumes and during interviews. Remember to be specific and complete on your resume and don't assume that the employer understands the skills that you have if you don't clearly state them.

Vital Aspects Of Planning Your Career

Planning a career may feel like a daunting task. Most people spend forty or more hours per week working, and most would like a career that is a good fit. Determining one's best career choices and planning a career path may seem like a difficult task. However, if you approach your career as a process, you can develop a plan to grow and cultivate your career.
First, keep in mind that most people make a major career shift 8 to 10 times during their adult working lives. This is important to know. If you make a "mistake" and find that your current career path is not what you expected, or is no longer satisfying, you can always make a shift. The other side of this is that doing some careful soul-searching and creating a plan can keep your major shifts to a minimum.

Planning a career is much like planning any other big event. You assess the situation and make plans accordingly. In this instance, assessing yourself is key to developing an effective career plan. Ideally, your career will be one that allows you to grow as a person. As such, you need to know yourself well to choose an appropriate career. This is equally as important for career changers as it is for those just starting out. Many times people facing career change are in this situation because they did not have self-assessment resourced when they entered the workforce.

Self-assessments generally consider four primary areas.

*Personality
*Your personality can be a great indicator for the types of careers that are a good fit for you.
*A wide range of personality type indicators are available.
Interests

It should go without saying that if you are interested in your work, you'll be happier in your career. However, too often, this is overlooked and people take the first position that comes along. This can start you on a career path that leads to dissatisfaction.

Values

What is important to you? Do you want your work to contribute to society? What type of working environment is important? What drives you? Your values play an important role in your career satisfaction level. Intrinsic values, those that come from within, are generally more of a motivating factor that extrinsic, or external values. However, people often make career choices based on external values or what they think they "should" value rather than what they do value.

Abilities and Skills

Abilities are generally innate qualities that do not change, but they can be enhanced. For example, some people are naturally good at working with and understanding numbers. Skills are talents that can be learned. Both your abilities and skills have some impact on your career. Some careers require certain abilities, and some skills help you do your job much better, which can lead to greater satisfaction.

Career counsellors and coaches often have access to a range of self-assessment tools. Working with a professional helps you make sense of the results and put all the information together to develop a career plan. Choosing an appropriate career is just the first part. From here, though, you can develop specific goals. Where do you want to go in your career? Most fields have a range of options. Self-assessment information can be an excellent way for you to gain insight into yourself and develop the best career choice and path for you.

As with almost any other aspect of life, planning your career will prove to be more successful than blindly going about your career path. The reasons for this are numerous.
One of the primary reasons career planning works is that you have a definite goal and certain steps to achieve that goal. If one of these aspects were lacking, you would probably fall short in your career. If you have an ultimate goal, but never take the time to consider what steps are necessary to achieve it, you will most likely fumble along never making any real progress. On the same token, if you have a vague idea of what you are doing now and possibly the next step or two, you may achieve those but will then stop with no future purpose. However, if you just go to work everyday with no plan one way or the other, you will more than likely continue in that same meaningless position forever.

Another reason career planning is effective is that there is accountability for one's actions. If you have a plan in place and a step is missed, you become immediately aware of it. Because of the importance of each step, it is necessary to remedy whatever issue arises in order to continue progress. This keeps you moving forward and prevents stagnation or immobility.
Simply having a plan in place means thought has gone into where you are and where you want to be. A conscious decision or thought process is an incredible step in accomplishing a successful career. Not having considered one's position or goals often means that person will never make any real progress because they have not made a conscious effort to do so. Great opportunities rarely fall in your lap; you have to go out and make them happen.

With the correct attitude there is nothing to stop you from getting any job that you desire. Being realistic about what jobs you enjoy doing and what opportunities are out there can help you achieve your professional and career goals. Completing an aptitude test can help you determine the strengths and assets that you already have.
Think about the job of your dreams. Ask yourself the following:
Can I physically do this job?
What training do I already have that would be applicable to this job?
What training do I need?
Where can I obtain that training?
Can I get some hands-on experience before completing all the training?
What about the job is it that I really like?
What is currently preventing me from applying for this job?
Once you have answered these questions sit back and think about the steps that you will need to complete to get the job you desire. They will usually include:
Writing a plan to outline your goals and objectives to get to your dream job.
Set deadlines to complete objectives and goals.
Research training and professional development objectives.
Research the job itself.
Complete some form of job shadowing or volunteer work in your areas of interest.
Talk to professionals and others already in the field.
Complete requirements.
Complete a job search.
Develop a professional resume.
Apply for positions and interviews.
One of the key factors in obtaining the job of your dreams is to stay positive and stay focused on your plan. Don't let small setbacks get you off course. Allow yourself reasonable time to complete your plan and keep your objectives and goals attainable. In no time at all you will be right where you want to be.