You might think that having to choose your ideal career path only happens once in a lifetime. The reality is that you can change your career. To succeed, you’ll need to choose your career carefully and think a few steps ahead. Like the great Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
However, not many people can brag about having found their dream jobs nowadays. To make sure they’ve made the right choice, many industry professionals have taken the Strong Interest Inventory test at one point or another.
But what is the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) test? In the simplest terms, it’s a century-old specialized assessment, giving insights into people’s interests and pointing out their traits. Based on these interests, the test reveals your hidden talents, allowing you to find out just how good you are at doing something.
This famous career assessment test has proven its value throughout history. Yes, the Strong test dates way back to the 1920s and was created by Dr. Strong. Thus, the name – Strong Interest Inventory. Back then, Dr. Strong would help veteran soldiers fresh out the military, to find jobs they’d feel better doing. Today, it’s used mostly to help high school and university students to find the best suitable jobs based on their personality traits.
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You Know Your Strengths and Qualities, What Next?
It’s time to take the necessary steps towards getting your dream job. Start by defining what it is, and continue by looking for the right companies and people. Remember, no one has ever succeeded without a little help from the side, so always be humble and honest during an interview, rather than advertising yourself as a whizz-kid.
Make a List of Preferred Careers
Once you find out more about your skills and qualities, it’s time to find the perfect job. However, you can’t just choose by browsing through the Internet for random jobs. You need to sit down, grab a pen and paper, and make a list of at least ten jobs you can be good at.
Think of it as an elimination method. Each job has its weight, as well as benefits. Decide whether you’d like flexible working hours or shifts, calculate your chances of getting promoted, scan your competition, etc. In case you cannot make your mind, just simply choose between three jobs you are attracted to the most. Out of these three, you will, without a doubt, stare at the one you opted for first but doubted along the way. That’s the right job for you.
Start Small, Strive for Perfection, and Connect with the Right People
Let’s talk about the beginning. Every beginning is hard, you can’t just start your dream job straight away. There are, however, a few steps to take before you can become an experienced worker.
- Practice makes perfect
- Upgrade your knowledge
- Meet many industry professionals and connect with them
Yes, you will need some practice at first. Depending on what the employer wants you to work, there are many ways to improve and minimize mistakes. You can ask any of your colleagues for assistance, consult with friends and acquaintances working in the same industry, or find the answers online. Again, it’s all based on what your line of work consists of.
Also, don’t forget to upgrade your knowledge every now and then. If it’s a sort of job that requires a laptop, there are millions of courses available online, for hundreds of professions. Consider taking business university courses to refresh you skill set and acquire certifications that can positively impact your career.
On the other hand, if it requires physical work, then the old “practice makes perfect” saying surely will apply here. Keep learning as a life-long endeavor so you always remain “relevant” in the current economy. Either way, you need to constantly find ways to improve, because the right people will notice.
Who are the right people? Most definitely – the industry professionals. Many of them have already achieved much, while some are already becoming business owners in the process. They are always on the lookout for talented individuals such as yourself, so make sure to step up when the right moment arrives. Remember, any good advice from someone with vast experience is always a bonus, so take notes whenever you can. A good place to start would be LinkedIn, or any industry-related event happening soon in your area.
Gain Exposure
What’s the best way to get noticed? Getting online, of course. Using the Internet to your advantage is a smart move because you won’t have to spend as much time looking for jobs. Instead, just show them your brand new portfolio website, which is impressive enough already.
Moreover, always switch your mindset before an interview and give straight, thoughtful, and well-backed answers. People want the facts, not fairy tale answers. They appreciate someone straightforward, not people that offer excuses for what can and can’t be done in the workplace.
Don’t forget to invest in yourself, spend a few dollars on an online portfolio, write a few things about yourself, and most importantly, be honest about your skills and qualities. After all, you’re not lying to anyone, the highly successful Strong test revealed them to you.
Choosing Your Career
Let’s talk about the truth. Nowadays, it’s much easier to find the ideal job, compared to what your parents or grandparents could choose back in the days. We should all be grateful that we live in a fast-changing world, where job opportunities arise by the minute.
So once you find what you’re looking for, make sure to appreciate it. Just take a moment and be thankful for where you currently are, looking back at all those years spent on courses, training, and education. That way, you’ll be more dedicated to your newly-found job and set to reach new heights.
Remember to follow the aforementioned advice, and you’ll get there in no time. Most importantly, don’t ever give up, not until you are officially hired. Most people have failed to take that last step, yet have been so close. Don’t let yourself fail, have some faith, get things done with enthusiasm and by using smarter methods, and you won’t have to work for a day in your life.
