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3.1: Getting Started With Careers Assessments

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    Discovering Who You Are

    Before you can decide what career path to take, you first have to understand yourself. How can you know what career will make you happy if you don’t know what drives you, inspires you, and challenges you?

    In this unit, you’ll complete several career assessments designed to help you explore your personality, values, interests, and motivations. These tools aren’t about putting you in a box — they’re about giving you insight into who you are, what you’re good at, and what kind of work environment will allow you to thrive. You’ll begin to see patterns and connections between your natural strengths and potential career paths that fit your unique personality.

    The first step in your career journey is asking yourself a powerful question:

    “Who am I?”

    This question sets the foundation for your entire career exploration process. Take time to dig deep and think about:

    • What motivates you to get up in the morning?
    • What activities make you feel energized and fulfilled?
    • What tasks do you dread or find draining?
    • What environments help you perform your best — and which ones don’t?
    • What are your natural strengths, and what new skills can you develop to stay competitive?

    Interest and career.pngYour honest answers to these questions will help guide you toward what we call “Meaningful Work.”

    Remember: no assessment can ever know you better than you know yourself. These tools are meant to guide you — not define you. Use them to make sense of your past experiences, highlight your strengths, and uncover new directions you may not have considered before.

    Stay curious, keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid to explore areas that feel uncertain or unfamiliar. The more effort you invest in self-discovery, the more confident you’ll feel when making decisions about your future. This journey is not just about choosing a career — it’s about learning who you are and what kind of life you want to build.

    So dive in, stay engaged, and most importantly — enjoy the process. Your future starts with getting to know you.

    This page titled 3.1: Getting Started With Careers Assessments is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Graciela Martinez and Elizabeth Shaker.