Taken from Yana Parker's
Resume Workbook: For Adults in Career Transition
a Fill-in-the-Blanks Guide

A Self-Help Quiz for
Experienced Job Hunters in Transition

Tip for career counselors

This self-help quiz can help you learn to identify your transferable skills and marketable personal traits--and recognize accomplishments that you didn't previously notice or fully appreciate. Later, on your own or with a counselor's help, you can explore how these identified skills and assets apply to your RESUME and to your JOB SEARCH.

NOW ... Ask yourself these questions:

1. Your boss or supervisor always COUNTS ON YOU for something s/he thinks you're especially good at. What is it that s/he always counts on YOU for?

 

2. If you had to teach a bright new employee the "tricks of the trade" (i.e., how to do a GREAT job in your line of work) what do YOU do special, that you could teach this eager, receptive new employee?

 

3. If you had to put together a TRAINING MANUAL for the kind of work you do best, how would you describe the MOST important thing it takes to do that job SUPERBLY?

 

4. When did you go above and beyond your job description, and MORE than earn your pay that day?

 

5. What do you KNOW so well--or DO so well--that you could teach it to others? What's the MAIN TIP you'd tell people about how to do that LIKE A PRO?

 

6. IF one of your co-workers were to BRAG about your skills, what would they say?

 

7. If one of your FRIENDS were to BRAG about you, what would THEY say?

 

8. If YOU felt totally comfortable bragging about yourself, what would you brag about? What are you most PROUD of?

 

9. What COURAGEOUS things have you done that you feel good about?

 

10. What DIFFICULTIES or barriers have you overcome to get where you are now?

 

11. What CREATIVE things have you done that you feel good about?

 

12. Describe something you DESIGNED, CREATED, built, made, or fixed up, that gave you a strong sense of satisfaction. Tell why you felt so good about it.

 

13. What PRAISE, awards, or acknowledgment did you get from your employers or customers?

 

14. Name about TEN QUALITIES or characteristics of OTHER PEOPLE that you most respect or admire.

 

15. Think of a PROBLEM that came up that had other people stumped, but that YOU were able to resolve. What did you do? What does that say about your abilities?

 

16. If you suddenly had to leave the area for a while (say, to take care of an elderly or sick relative) what would your work buddies MISS about you while you're gone? How would their jobs be tougher, or less enjoyable, when you're not there to help?

 

17. Which of the qualities you named in Question #14 above are ALSO true about YOU? For each quality that's true of YOU, tell what you DO to express that in everyday life.

(If you think of a good question we should add to this list, send it to [email protected]. THANK YOU.)

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Tip for Career Counselors:
You can transform this list of self-help questions into a group exercise for 6-8 participants.

Group Exercise Instructions: 1. One person in the group volunteers to play the first "Job Hunter" TIP: If YOU, as a member of the Group, think you have no special accomplishments, you're a GOOD candidate to volunteer as "Job Hunter!" 2. The other 5-7 participants will play Interviewers. 3. "Interviewers" take turns asking the "Job Hunter" any of the questions shown and/or additional questions that work to draw out the "Job Hunter." "Interviewers" do whatever it takes to bring out the fullest, "juiciest" answers from the person playing "Job Hunter." TIP: Keep track of WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT APPLY TO YOU, TOO! 4. After 10-15 minutes, another person volunteers to be "Job Hunter" and is similarly questioned by all the "Interviewers." 5. Continue until you run out of time or the group has interviewed ALL the participants. LATER all the participants can explore with their counselor's help how these skills and assets apply to their RESUME and to their job search.