Early in students' career development process, they are encouraged to do a thorough self-assessment to evaluate their skills, values, and interests. Thinking about oneself early on, including likes and dislikes, can result in students making sounder career choice decisions. In addition, having a good understanding of personal talents and goals will encourage self-directed circumscription and steer one's career toward professional areas that are most gratifying.

Interests
Understanding your personal interests can help identify your skills and values, jumpstarting the self-assessment process. Think about those activities and hobbies that have provided you with unique gratification. For example, if you are passionate about volunteering and have sought out every opportunity to do so, you may find great rewards in helping others and making a positive contribution to society. Academic interests should not be overlooked. If you found enjoyment from a particular class project, think about what it was about the project that you enjoyed most, and how this will give you clues about skills and values that interest you.

Think of all of your interests, analyzing those that have been the most rewarding. What is it about those experiences that are so rewarding? In most cases, you will discover that areas in which you are most motivated, you are also the most effective, making the personal-interest assessment a key factor in your career development.

Skills
Students may not intuitively consider their strengths inside and outside of the classroom. A thorough skill assessment may reveal abilities that are easily transferable to a work environment. For example, if you excelled in delivering a presentation in a humanities class, you may possess strong public-speaking skills. Or, if you led your tennis team to a winning season, you may possess strong leadership skills.

You will be most effective and usually find the most rewards in positions that make the best use of your strengths. Make sound career decisions by embarking upon a thorough skills assessment. Use the broad and specific skill list below to assist in your personal skills assessment.

Values
Analyzing your values can reveal how you would like to contribute to a work setting. You will find more work satisfaction if you feel that your work fulfills what you find most important in life. Note that throughout life, values change. For example, today you may like the structure of a traditional job where you work from 9-5, but in a few years, you may crave a position that gives you the freedom to make your own hours. Peruse the list of values below and consider each value.s importance to you at this stage of your life.

Downloadable Self-Assessment Worksheet
Download the self-assessment worksheet and fill it out to completion. Then, make an appointment with your career counselor (career@cooper.edu) to discuss what your interests, skills and values reveal about your career development path.