by JC Campbell

Created on: January 07, 2008

Of all the weapons we carry in our arsenal when we go in search of a new job, self-analysis is without doubt, one of the most important. Without taking the time and trouble to analyze ourselves, we could find ourselves on a wild goose chase seeking employment that is wholly unsuitable for us.

The point of self-analysis is to identify the kind of person we truly are and how this will impact on any job position that may be available.

Searching for a new job requires at least two interviews. The first is a self-interview. Before you ever reach the point where you are sitting before a prospective employer, doing your utmost to make the right impression, you will hopefully have spent time in some self-analysis.

It may be in some cases that self-analysis will lead you to the conclusion that a certain post is not for you. Taking a good hard look at yourself will help you determine what is right and wrong for you in the area of employment helping you to consider jobs that you can handle and avoiding those that you know to be beyond your personal ability to perform well.

Knowing yourself and being honest in your assessment of your abilities and talents is one of the first steps to finding employment that will bring satisfaction to you and pleasure to a prospective employer. Try to view the situation from two angles.

1. The Prospective Employer.
If you were a business owner, how would you feel on hiring an employee who demonstrated very clearly that he or she did not have the ability they had led you to believe they possessed in the job interview?
You would rightly conclude you were dealing with someone who basically applied for the job because it was open, not because they were qualified for the position.

2. You - The Employee.
Would you really feel content to enter a position that deep down you knew was not for you? Would you want the pressure of carrying a load of responsibility you had neither the ability or desire to bear.

The beauty of self-analysis is that it will help you identify the best job openings for you. As you search employment opportunities, your knowledge of self will lead you to apply for positions suited to your personality, talents and circumstances. Knowledge of self will also be valuable in helping you to identify job opportunities that are definitely not for you.

True self-analysis involves honesty. It's no disgrace to conclude that some in some instances, you would be out of your depth. On the other hand, you have talents and skills that you should endeavor to recognize. Never downplay those talents and skills. Be proud of them and especially so in interview conditions.

While potential employers may recoil from job applicants who lack humility when extolling their virtues, by the same token, they do want to know what qualities and talents a future employee might possess. So be sure, in a respectful and modest way to let your interviewer know about those talents and skills and why they make you a suitable candidate.
Making an honest appraisal of yourself is not to be confused with a lack of modesty but is in fact a result of honest self-analysis.

Taking a good long look at yourself before you reach the all-important interview stage, will give you confidence. This confidence will in turn, enable you to speak in a straightforward manner, never feeling you have to present yourself as something you're not. Self-analysis will have brought you to the conclusion that you have applied for a job you can handle and will give you the belief that you can convey this to your future employer.
Self-analysis is without doubt, a powerful tool in your job hunting strategy.

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