Learning from Yourself
Before you start out on your search for work experience, take the time
to stop and think about you! Consider the following pearl of wisdom:
"When I was young, I had to choose between the life of being and the
life of doing. And I leapt at the latter like a trout to a fly. But
each deed you do, each act, binds you to itself and to its consequences,
and makes you act again and yet again. Then very seldom do you come
upon a space, a time like this, between act and act, when you may stop
and simply be. Or wonder who, after all, you are." Urusla LeGuin, The
Farthest Shore
Whether you are considering a change in career direction, exploring
options within your current employment environment or if you are a school,
college or university student, the first step toward finding a work
placement is to know and understand your ‘self’ and what
you want to achieve out of an experience. There is no short-cut!
"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which more
than anything else will affect its successful outcome." Wiliam James
Work experience offers you the opportunity to explore your professional
development needs and prepare for the future. This is important as career
development is developmental in nature. It is a personal evolutionary
journey through cumulative thinking processes and behaviour based activities.
Each learning stage will impact the value of the next and so on.
Reflective practice is a very useful tool to get in touch with yourself.
This means reflecting on your past behaviours and experiences and learning.
From this you can for instance:
- learn more about your likes and dislikes
- identify patterns in how you respond to situations
- clearly recognise the skills that come naturally to you
- identify patterns in how you make decisions
- strengthen your self-knowledge
It is up to you to drive your career in the direction that you wish
to travel by planning steps and undertaking activities that will take
you to where you want to go. Contemplate the following story related
in the first half of last century by Mr Dale Carnegie:
"The president of an important Wall Street bank once described, in
a talk before one of my classes, a highly efficient system he used for
self-improvement. This man had little formal schooling; yet he had become
one of the most important financiers in America, and he confessed that
he owed most of his success to the constant application of his homemade
system. This is what he does. I’ll put it in his own words as
accurately as I can remember."
“For years I have kept an engagement book showing all the appointments
I had during the day. My family never made any plans for me on Saturday
night, for the family knew that I devoted a part of each Saturday evening
to the illuminating process of self-examination and review and appraisal.
After dinner I went off by myself, opened my engagement book, and thought
over all the interview, discussions and meetings that had taken place
during the week. I asked myself:
‘What mistakes did I make that time?’
‘What did I do that was right – and in what way could I
have improved my performance?’
‘What lessons can I learn from that experience?’
I often found that this weekly review made me very unhappy. I was frequently
astonished at my own blunders. Of course, as the years passed, these
blunders became less frequent. Sometimes I was inclined to pat myself
on the back a little after one of these sessions.
This system of self-analysis, self-education, continued year after
year, did more for me than any other one thing I have ever attempted.
It helped me improve my ability to make decisions – and it aided
me enormously in all my contacts with people. I cannot recommend it
too highly.”
D. Carnegie, 2001, How to win friends and influence people (pgs 27-29)
The following resources will help you! If you are confident, you can
go it alone using MyGuide, or if you would like some guidance, take
a look at the resources available through the
EDN agencies or your school,
college or university.
ACTIVITY
Reflecting on your life and learning experience so far, list six key
personal strengths that have relevance within a working environment.
Resources:
I
Can Do That Too
We all have skills. However, we don't always recognise that they are
skills. This guide will assist people in identifying their skills in
terms of the skills used in the paid workforce. The primary audience
is women wishing to return to the workforce. However, others may well
find it useful.
MyGuide
@ myfuture.edu.au
MyGuide is an Australian resource that guides you through activities
to help you reflect and explore your career. You will answer questions,
explore career suggestions, select career favourites, clarify your career
direction, and then, create an action plan to help you reach your career
goals.
Career
Assessment Tools and Tests
You may find these self-assessment and career discovery tests useful
if you need a little help. But remember, no-one (or no computer knows
you better than you know yourself! However, they may give you a start
to understanding your attitudes and interests as they relate to possible
career choices.
Employment Directions Network EDN
EDN staff can help you discover new career options through an easy
career development and planning process. EDN Centres offer one-on-one
tailored advice with the aid of specialised career guidance software
and online resources.
Each Centre has FREE computer and internet access for clients. Whether
you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce or looking
for a new career, our trained and experienced staff have the right resources
to assist you.
The Riley Guide to
self assessment resources
Self-assessment is a process by which you learn more about yourself
-- what you like, what you don't like, and how you tend to react to
certain situations. Knowing these things can help you determine which
occupations and work situations could be a better fit for you. You may
recognise some of these tools if you ever worked with a career
counsellor
or consultant.
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