Finding and Choosing a Career:
Your Skills and Talents
Each of us has a unique set of skills and talents. Some of these come naturally to us while some of them have formed due to the activities, jobs and hobbies we have pursued during the course of our life. Whatever the right livelihood is for you it should somehow match your existing skills and talents. You are looking for the things you have a natural affinity for, and then through your choice of a career, you will expand these skills to reach mastery.
The place to start is by making a simple list of any talent or skill that you feel confident about. Write down anything that comes to mind. Think about work skills, think about hobbies you have, think about things you do for leisure, think about how you interact with family and friends, think about games you play well, etc. All of these avenues will uncover areas in life where you are skilled or have more talent than most people. Be as exhaustive as possible in creating this list. Essentially, this is the "resume" for your dream job.
Because we often are unable to see that which is closest to us you should also ask a close friend of family member to tell you all the things they view you as talented in or skilled. You may be surprised when they list things that you have never thought about. This is to be expected. Often the picture we portray to others is far different than the reality. Any input they can give you will be helpful. Remember -- these are talents and skills -- not faults. We are not looking for areas we need to improve. We are looking for areas in which we are naturally talented.
The next step is to gather some objective information. There are a variety of sources you can use but I will suggest a few that may prove insightful. Try the following: a Myers Briggs analysis (or any other employer screening device that human resources uses). If you can use these three resources you will find that they add depth and character to the list you are already compiling. If something doesn't fit then throw it out. The bottom line is to use these tools to help you find skills you may not have thought about.
Once you are finished with the objective analysis take all three sheets of paper and begin moving these talents and skills to a fourth sheet of paper in some kind of organized method. The idea is to group similar talents and skills together. By grouping your talents and skills together we can further pinpoint the strong points in your overall profile. You may find that listening and counseling activities are continually noted. If that is the case then note this. It would lead to the exploration of a career in some kind of guidance of counseling capacity.
When you complete this list set it aside with your resume. We will come back to it later when we begin the actual work of finding the perfect career for you.
Information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not be interpreted as financial or legal advice. This does not represent a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Please consult your financial advisor.