Step One Assess: Assessment Exercises

Exercise 1: Characteristics Inventory

Employers want employees with certain positive characteristics. This exercise assesses your character to identify to what degree you have those qualities. It then becomes a blueprint to help you make yourself more employable.

For each quality, HONESTLY indicate whether you are that way rarely, sometimes or often. When you interview for jobs, stress the qualities you marked "often." Before you interview, improve on those you marked "rarely!"

Rarely	Some-times	Often	Characteristic
			Able to Follow Do you take direction cheerfully and accurately? Do you support your supervisor or team leader?
			Able to Lead Do people follow your suggestions? Have you held positions of responsibility?
			Able to Learn Do you turn mistakes into learning opportunities? Can you understand, remember and synthesize information?
			Able to Listen Do you listen closely to others? Do you strive to understand them without rushing to state your opinion or defense?
			Able to Remember Do you recall names, places, figures and ideas accurately?
			Able to Work Alone Do you plan your own work? Can you work without supervision or reminders?
			Ambitious Do you take on extra assignments? Do you try to reach new levels of achievement?
			Articulate Can you express ideas easily, both verbally and in writing?
			Cheerful Are you friendly to customers and coworkers?
			Competent Do you meet deadlines? Is your work thorough?
			Conscientious Do you do a full day's work? Do you double-check your work?
			Cooperative Do you volunteer to help? Do you do your part on teams?
			Courageous Do you take on challenges and stand up for your beliefs?
			Creative Do you come up with new ideas? Do you look for possibilities?
			Decisive Can you make decisions under pressure?
			Dependable Do people trust you? Is your attendance good?
			Diplomatic Can you handle difficult situations with grace and tact?
			Discreet Can you keep secrets? Do you guard confidentiality? Do you avoid gossip or interfering in others' business?
			Efficient Do you plan your time well? Do you try to work faster and better?
			Emotionally Stable Do you maintain self-control, staying even-tempered and cool?
			Empathetic Do you understand others' problems? Are you sensitive to others' feelings and circumstances?
			Enthusiastic Are you interested in and excited by your work?
			Flexible Do you embrace change? Can you adapt well to new situations or challenges?
			Focused Do you focus on work despite personal challenges? Do you avoid distractions?
			Generous Do you share ideas and credit with others? Do you help those who need it? Do you focus on the common good?
			Honest Do you tell the truth? Do you avoid using company materials for personal use? Do you give credit and accept blame honestly?
			Industrious Do you work hard and to the best of your ability?
			Loyal Do you strive to be a good representative of the company? Do you avoid doing or saying things that makes it look bad?
			Observant Do you look for what needs to be done or could be improved?
			Organized Are you neat? Do you plan and arrange things logically?
			Patient Can you keep your temper and stay calm under pressure?
			Persistent Can you stick with difficult and time-consuming tasks?
			Persuasive Can you sell ideas and products?
			Proactive Do you address issues before they become full-blown conflicts or problems? Do you make plans that avoid potential pitfalls?
			Resourceful Can you work your way out of difficult situations?
			Responsible Do you admit mistakes, correct them and accept the consequences with good grace? Do you treat your job as you would your own business?
			Sober Do drugs and alcohol affect your work?
			Thrifty Do you avoid wasting supplies and equipment?
			Tolerant Are you open-minded? Do you associate with different types of people?

Adapted from Opening Doors: A Practical Guide for Job Hunting
by Jane Goodman, Judith Hoppin and Ronald Kent