By Sam Ast, Re-Entry Workforce Development Specialist, Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas
Are you interested in exploring your interests and skills while learning the ways in which they connect to potential employment opportunities? Maybe you are looking for additional tools and techniques to assist in your job search and help you locate the perfect career. If so, continue reading to find out more.
Your Personal Interests
Most of us have a good understanding of what we like and dislike, as well as a general idea of our preferences. You may enjoy watching movies or reading books. Perhaps you would rather work outdoors instead of indoors. Maybe you are drawn to creative activities or thrive in the company of others. These insights can have a profound impact not only on which jobs you might enjoy more than others but also which jobs you’d be successful at. This is important information to consider when job searching or contemplating career advancement. That said, self-awareness is not always easy to discern. Taking the necessary time to analyze your thoughts and feelings is great. However, there are some other ways to court additional feedback about yourself, too.
Online Resources
Two valuable resources are My Next Move and the O-Net Interest Profiler, both of which are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. These online instruments can help those who may be unsure of their interests or what their ideal workday would consist of. If you can navigate your career journey with more certainty and utilize assistance like this in the job search process, you will be better positioned to find meaningful work that you will both enjoy and retain.
The first resource, My Next Move, is an awesome tool for brainstorming and researching various industries and job fields. Near the top of the webpage is the prompt, “What do you want to do for a living?” This is an apt description of what this resource aims to provide. Once you type in a job category — teacher, truck driver, chef, etc. — you will be directed to an abundance of information concerning the skills and knowledge needed for such occupations, as well as details about what you should expect from the role once hired. Also, included are the average salaries for these types of positions and the requisite education and training most applicants possess.
Relatedly, the Interest Profiler is a 60-question assessment that asks users to address common work activities by responding whether or not they would “like” or “dislike” carrying out these functions. After you have finished, you will be given a score for six different adjectives that describe you best. You will then be shown various jobs that match your particular profile. If you scored high in the investigative category, you could be ushered toward a career as a detective or academic researcher.
The last step of this process is to indicate your level of preparedness for work based on a variety of factors, including your prior experience, training and education. You could be a recent college graduate looking for an entry-level career or already have years of work experience that allow you to apply for more senior-level roles. Although these results are determined by your answers, you might not agree with the conclusions. That is okay. Tests like these are imperfect and not an exact science. Feel free to revisit the questions or take advantage of different evaluation methods.
Interests and Career Choices
There should be a strong correlation between your interests and career choices. Ensuring a strong relationship between the two will help you identify jobs that not only match your skills but also correspond to what you like doing. In terms of career development, advancement and longevity, these elements are critical to finding the right employment match.
With hundreds of career centers providing essential resources and personalized support, Goodwill® can help people overcome barriers and find meaningful work. Our career navigators are committed to making dreams come true by offering career guidance, résumé assistance, skills certification, application help, interview prep and ongoing support, including financial assistance that can help to enable you in your journey to find work.
Remember, you are not alone on this journey. If you need assistance with career readiness, developing marketable job skills or overall counseling regarding any of your employment needs or questions — we are here for you! Please stop by a Goodwill career center to learn more about how Goodwill can help you.
