Knowing Your Strengths

Before you start writing your application letter and drafting your CV collect some information about yourself! Analyse your skills and knowledge, what are your strengths and interests and what kind of job are you looking for? Set personal goals and be ready to work hard to achieve them. When searching for a job, you will surely be asked the questions such as “describe yourself” or “why should we select you?”, so be prepared for them.

There are online tests that help you get a clearer picture of your personality with its strengths and weaknesses. A popular test is the Myers-Briggs self-evaluation test (for example Humanmetrics.) This test divides one’s personality in four basic types: Introversion/Extraversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perception and its according strengths and weaknesses. But there are also other ways of how to find out your strengths and skills. One way is to think about a challenging situation in life, from work/ studies/ hobbies that you managed to overcome and reflect on how you overcame the obstacles, what skills and strengths did you use for that. It is best to prepare a list of your skills that you can then use for your application.

Another personality test that you can take free of charge online is for example viacharacter.org and 16 personalities.

As important as finding out about yourself is also finding out about what you are looking in a workplace. What are the values that are most important for you to have in a workplace? This will make it easier for you to focus on specific companies or jobs that you are really interested in and that fit to you. Possible values are: Stability, independence, joy, creativity, environmental issues, good reward, social standing, opportunities to travel etc.

Skills needed in the Future

World Economic Forum, The Future of Jobs Report 2020

2020 Workplace Learning Trends Report: The Skills of The Future (Udemy for Business).