Skills Assessment Boosts Job Hunt Success
Powerful Career Building Tool from Carol Sand MAP, Houston
A skills assessment follows one of two paths: a short test or an full assessment. Many people have seen different assessments in various formats from career training centers, career development centers, community colleges or from online. Some assessments take ten minutes or less to complete. With the help of Carol Sand, MAP, career counselor in Houston TX, a complete skills assessment can lead job seekers to greater success on the job market.
The career assessment test typically asks a variety of questions about your personal preferences. The test might give you four scenarios and ask which one you prefer or tell you to pick one word to fill in a blank sentence. The test also asks questions about your past experience and former jobs. The appraiser evaluates your answers to give you a complete list of all your proven or potential skills, and the jobs or careers that require those skills.
The second types of skills assessment is an actual assessment. You can fill out paperwork for the assessment or meet with an appraiser in person. The appraiser evaluates your background and the skills that you used in the past to create a list of potentially viable jobs. A skills assessment can introduce you to skills you might not realize you had.
Why are Skills Important to Your Career?
Skills determine your career path. A doctor goes through years of training before gaining employment. By the same token, those who want to work in finance, law, retail, hospitality or any other field must spend years honing their own skills. You learn some skills, including computer training during college, and you learn other skills in the real world.
Most people use their resume as a way of showing their skills, but employers also ask about your skills during your job interview. Employers want someone that has a variety of different skills sets that apply to the given job. For example, if you work in retail you want to show your background working with customers, handling large amounts of money and managing employees.
What Skills Employers Seek
Employers want workers that have experience in the hottest skills around. This might include specific computer programs, including Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Internet browsers, Auto Cad or Quickbooks. Some employers even look for employees with experience using one of the popular blogging programs such as WordPress or Blogger. The newest technologies are important to companies, especially those interested in social networking. If you have experience using social networking sites, make sure you add that to your resume.
The skills currently in demand are those that involve hands-on training. You cannot simply claim that you have customer service experience without working as a CSR or in a similar field. Companies always look for workers with organizational, problem solving and project management skills. Some employers also want workers skilled at managing small or large teams, marketing, research or writing.
Learning New Skills
If you lack the skills needed for a job, you might disregard that job listing. Now is the time to start learning new traits and gaining new experience that help you find a job in the future. Read through the listings or postings for jobs that interest you in your current field or a new field. Find what employers want and make changes in your life. This might be as simple as taking a class at the community college or volunteering in a non-paid position to gain some experience.
MAP Skills Assessment
The MAP skills assessment can help you determine the skills that you have and potential careers waiting in the wings. This online assessment requires that you input information about your history and experiences in a simple form. The form asks about your current job, your job title, your salary and the number of years you spent working in the field. A professional skills appraiser like Carol Sand of MAP Houston evaluates your answers.
This free career skills assessment is just one benefit of working with Carol Sand MAP career management Houston. Fill out the form with as much information as possible, including a copy of your résumé. You receive you assessment in a short period of time. Carol Sand spent years helping people find a better job before becoming a senior vice president at MAP. She can help you find a new job in Houston, search for available Houston jobs or help you with the interview process. Stop waiting and get started finding your next job today.