Self Assessment

Self assessment is important to help determine what skills you possess and should emphasize when interviewing. Self evaluation also helps determine if the job would be something you would like. Your "fit" with a company's culture, the position, and the manager will directly impact your job satisfaction.

While performing self assessment, it is important to consider your personal goals. Two of the most unfortunate mistakes made by job seekers are abandoning their dreams and failing to articulate their goals (Krannich, 17). Goals are the driving force that keep us passionate about our careers. Without goals we lack purpose, direction and meaning. Goals should be significant enough to be motivating, but they should not be unattainable.

Questions to ask yourself

Evaluate your skills, interests, goals and values.
1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
2. What is important to you?
  - Values
  - Taking Risk
  - Competition
  - Challenge
  - Company Size
3. What do you like doing the most? The least?
4. What is your personality?
Examine previous academic, experiential and extracurricular activities to realize how your skills, values and interests have developed.
1. How are you qualified?
2. What makes you an excellent candidate for the position?
List qualities about yourself that are relevant to the position.

Evaluating Job Potential
The six most important questions to ask yourself:

Can I do the job?
Do I want the job?
Does this job fit in with my long range plans?
Will I fit in?
Can I live on what they want to pay me?
Do I feel secure taking the job?

Goal Setting

Questions to ask yourself:
1. What are my dreams?
2. Why do I want this job?
3. Why am I specifically interested in the organization?
Set long term and short term goals.
Create career objectives.

References
Krannich, Ronald L. No One Will Hire Me! Manassas Park, VA. Impact Publications, c2002.
www.engineering.cornell.edu/CareerServices/students/interview/steps.cfm
www.quintcareers.com
Fry, Ronald W. 101 smart questions to ask on your interview. Franklin Lakes, NJ. Career Press, c2003.