THE BEECHMONT CREST CAREER GUIDE:
SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN THE CORPORATE JUNGLE
Chapter 1: What do Employers Want?
The Importance of Self-Assessment
I once saw an advertisement in a magazine (I can’t remember what product or service the ad was meant to sell) that featured a picture of a smiling, impeccably groomed man in a three-piece suit. He had his resume in hand, and it was obvious from the setting that he was in a job interview. The ad caption detailed the man’s many qualifications: He had an MBA from an Ivy League school, and a law degree from another prestigious institution. He spoke four languages. The punch line of the ad revealed another fact about the candidate: he was also a liar.
The point here is that no one has it all. However, you need to have a precise awareness of what you have—and what you don’t. It is important to identify in which areas your relative strengths and weaknesses lie. This realization will enable you to a.) play to your strengths, thereby marketing your current bundle of qualifications more effectively, and b.) identify areas for future improvement.
Career Tip: Set the goal of learning one new skill, or acquiring one new resume credential every 2 ~ 3 years.
Copyright 2006 Beechmont Crest Publishing