When it comes time to look for a job or gainful employment – whether it be an entry level position or a major upgrade up the corporate or career ladder one major step that is often overlooked is a clear self evaluation and assessment of a person’s own skills and abilities. After all who knows your inner strengths and personal weaknesses better than yourself and none other?
Self evaluation is often a most difficult process. That is why is so often gets overlooked. If it is hard to take criticism from others – whether it be at a baseball or football game , a spouse or a boss in what is so supposed to be a most positive and learning experience – the oft feared "yearly or even quarterly "evaluation" it is never pretty nor a fun task to enjoy or endure. It is the same and similar as to why people usually miss this step in the job seeking process – that is the self evaluation.
Yet a self evaluation can make the difference between you getting or not obtaining that offer of employment – be it that promotion you never seem to get or that entry level job which gets you up the ladder from that ordinary "Big box" store somewhat menial and certainly lower paying job.
The product that you are selling in job interviews is "you". Most likely you spent a fair amount of time and expense preparing that resume and cover letter. Yet the general and overall purpose of a resume is not to get a job – few people ever got a job offer simply by submitting a resume. If they did gain employment its most likely because either the firm or the field was desperate for employees or it was not a good place – indeed a terrible place to work. The purpose of the resume and cover letter is to get the product into the door – into an actual face to face interview situation.
Most people in an interview situation generally only think of the skills and attributes that they have used in the last while or in their current or last job. They short change themselves and even the potential employer. Most people have skills and attributes that may never have thought of to portray or mention. It is a situation analogous to the iceberg that hit the Titanic – only a small percentage of any people being interviewed actual and inherent skills and talents come to the surface and are visible to the naked eye – the interviewer and indeed the interview subject.
A full self appraisal may well identify these traits, talents and attributes to you, before that actual interview – perhaps even before the resume is made and updated as well. By being forewarned and informed you are in a much better situation to identify yourself as self as the talented soul best suited for the job at hand and as well market yourself well and hopefully better.
As well if you do have faults or shortcomings that either have not been identified by yourself , or need explanation a self evaluation is the best place to start either becoming comfortable to an answer to that situation or questions or take steps to rectify any situations or provide yourself with extra training or education.
It’s about getting that job, seeking employment, getting ahead in life - all by presenting yourself in the best possible light and manner.
If you do not take the time and effort to present yourself in the best way and means in order to either get better employment and remuneration who else will ? It’s all up to you.
A genuine and real self assessment and appraisal is one of the best things you can do. It is more than worth the time and effort spent in the ordeal. Believe it.
By Syd Nohcud
