You’re considering a career change. What’s the best way to evaluate your skills and interests?

Changing careers can be both exciting and daunting. You may have different reasons for wanting to switch paths, such as pursuing your passion, finding more fulfillment, or seeking better opportunities. But how do you know what career is right for you? How do you assess your skills and interests and match them to potential roles? In this article, we'll share some tips and tools to help you evaluate your career options and make a smart decision.

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1 Identify your strengths

One of the first steps to finding a suitable career is to identify your strengths. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What are the skills and abilities that you have developed over time? You can use various methods to discover your strengths, such as self-reflection, feedback from others, online assessments, or portfolios of your work. By knowing your strengths, you can narrow down your choices and focus on the careers that suit your talents and preferences.

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Tim Schuster

Abteilungsleiter Lager- und Materialwirtschaft / Gestalten, statt verwalten!
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Wo erfahre ich einen „Flow-Moment“? Wo vergesse ich die Zeit? Was mache ich am liebsten? Tagebuch über besonders gute Erlebnisse schreiben

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Christopher Garayua

Principal Project Manager | Capital One
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Identifying strengths is a necessary process in calculating your current abilities. Self reflection is a valuable skill that works best when you are completely honest with yourself. I would argue that the most valuable thing that comes out of identifying strengths is recognizing your weaknesses. Knowing what you are good at highlights the areas that you need to improve. Address those points and turn them into strengths and continue to repeat the process. This constant self-assessment will keep you engaged and make you a higher caliber individual and versatile professional.

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Ankita Ambawale

B2B Marketer|Product Marketing & Lead - gen
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Identify your strengths to create more realistic opportunities. The best way to do it is to write down your skills in terms of levels and how can you improve it. This would be a good factor to rate yourself

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Ankita Ambawale

B2B Marketer|Product Marketing & Lead - gen
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Identify your strengths to create more realistic opportunities. The best way to do it is to write down your skills in terms of levels and how can you improve it. This would be a good factor to rate yourself

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2 Explore your interests

Another important factor to consider is your interests. What are you passionate about? What are the topics or issues that you care about? What are the values and goals that motivate you? Your interests can help you find a career that aligns with your purpose and vision. You can explore your interests by reading, researching, volunteering, networking, or taking courses in different fields. By exposing yourself to different possibilities, you can learn more about yourself and what sparks your curiosity and enthusiasm.

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Tim Schuster

Abteilungsleiter Lager- und Materialwirtschaft / Gestalten, statt verwalten!
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Was würde ich tun wenn ich keine Grenzen hätte und mir etwas wünschen dürfte? Gibt es etwas was ich schon immer gerne gemacht habe? Entdecke das Kind in dir

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3 Assess your personality

Your personality can also influence your career choice. How do you interact with others? How do you cope with stress? How do you approach problems and decisions? Your personality can affect how you fit in a certain work environment, culture, or team. You can assess your personality by taking online tests, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Big Five Personality Traits. By understanding your personality, you can find a career that matches your style and preferences.

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Tim Schuster

Abteilungsleiter Lager- und Materialwirtschaft / Gestalten, statt verwalten!
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Wie reagiere ich in bestimmten Situationen? Wie reagieren andere auf meine Interaktionen? Wo freue ich mich drauf, wovor habe ich Angst?

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4 Evaluate your options

Once you have identified your strengths, interests, and personality, you can evaluate your options. What are the careers that appeal to you? What are the requirements, responsibilities, and prospects of each career? How do they align with your skills, values, and goals? You can evaluate your options by doing online research, talking to people in different fields, or conducting informational interviews. By gathering relevant information, you can compare and contrast your options and weigh the pros and cons of each career.

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Tim Schuster

Abteilungsleiter Lager- und Materialwirtschaft / Gestalten, statt verwalten!
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Je klarer die eigenen Werte sind, desto einfacher ist es den nächsten Karriereschritt zu machen. Hierdurch ist es möglich vor oder im Bewerbungsgespräch herauszufinden ob die avisierte Stelle/der avisierte Arbeitgeber zu mir passt

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5 Try it out

Before you make a final decision, you may want to try out your chosen career. You can do this by taking on a part-time job, an internship, a project, or a volunteer role in that field. This way, you can get a firsthand experience of what the work entails, how you perform, and how you feel. You can also get feedback from your supervisors, mentors, or peers on your skills and potential. By trying it out, you can validate your choice and confirm if it's the right fit for you.

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Tim Schuster

Abteilungsleiter Lager- und Materialwirtschaft / Gestalten, statt verwalten!
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Probezeiten nutzen, vorab das Team oder die Firma kennenlernen. Hierdurch die Eindrücke und das Bauchgefühl wirken lassen. Somit ist auch ein Vergleich zu bereits bekanntem möglich

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6 Review and adjust

Finally, you should review and adjust your career choice as you go along. You may encounter new challenges, opportunities, or changes in your personal or professional life that may affect your career path. You may also discover new aspects of yourself, your skills, or your interests that may prompt you to reconsider your career direction. You should be flexible and open to learning and adapting as you progress in your career. By reviewing and adjusting, you can ensure that your career choice remains relevant and satisfying for you.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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You’re considering a career change. What’s the best way to evaluate your skills and interests?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your strengths

2 Explore your interests

3 Assess your personality

4 Evaluate your options

5 Try it out

6 Review and adjust

7 Here’s what else to consider

Business Administration

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You’re considering a career change. What’s the best way to evaluate your skills and interests?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your strengths

2 Explore your interests

3 Assess your personality

4 Evaluate your options

5 Try it out

6 Review and adjust

7 Here’s what else to consider

Business Administration

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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