What is Self Analysis?
The transition from student life to working life represents a significant milestone in anyone's life. While it is not necessary to constantly contemplate life and its meaning, it is often said that at such important milestones, it is important to think carefully, or risk the possibility of drifting for ever after.
This then leads to a situation, some years down the track, when you may say to yourself, "If only I had thought a little more carefully back then."
Now is the time to think once again, "What do I want to do in the future?" and "What are my dreams?" In other words, you must make the effort to think in earnest about the kind of life you want to lead from now. It is these thought processes that are referred to as "self analysis."
One of the foremost experts on career development and research was Professor Emeritus of Columbia University D.E. Super (1910-1994). According to Professor Super, everyone has what he termed a "self-concept," concerning "what I like and don't like," and "What kind of things do I find enjoyable?" He had the following to say concerning the relationship between selecting a job and self-concept.
It is important to consider an approach for self-advancement whereby you engage in self analysis and use it to identify the type of work and company through which you could achieve the things you want to do.
However, there are also people who believe that "you cannot decide now what is in the far distant future." As an entry point into working life, at the very least you should consider "the things I am good at," "the things I find enjoyable," and "the things I like." From this starting point, it is perfectly acceptable to gain various experiences in the process of working, from which the "things you want to do" may change somewhat. In the case of companies it is said in general that a person should identify "their individual expertise" by about the time he or she is 35.
How to implement self analysis?
So, in specific terms, what is the best way of implementing self analysis? Firstly, try to answer the following three questions:
Extract from "Career Counseling for Dynamic Companies and Individuals"
There are probably many people who cannot immediately respond to these questions. If this is the case, use the following as a source of reference.
- Utilize assessment tools for self-understanding -
Even after a great deal of thought you are still none the wiser, it may be a good idea to use assessment tools.
Assessment means to "examine or evaluate something." From the point of view of someone taking a test, this means "understanding yourself just as you are now." However, you should avoid focusing purely on the results of such assessments and depending on them. Assessment tools are at the very most a supplementary means of "considering how to use the results for your own future."
Bearing in mind this premise, you can utilize the following assessment tools, that are representative of those aimed at students.
R-CAP (RECRUIT Career Assessment Program)
This is an assessment with a style that utilizes value systems thought to be related to career tracks (preferences, interests and concerns, intentions, values in narrow terms) and thought processes. Skills, knowledge and intellectual capacity are not utilized.
http://www.r-cap.net/RCAP07/index.html
(Fee required)
Standard diagnostic CPS-J (Career Planning Survey - Japanese Version)
This is an assessment tool that attempts to enable understand themselves appropriately from the dual aspects of "interest in work" and "self assessment in terms of skills."
http://www.nipponmanpower.co.jp/ps/think/cpsj/index.php
(Fee required through credit card payment)
This back one more time on your past actions to date
Once you have grasped a picture of your own skills, interests and sense of values as described above, the next step is to look back on your own past actions to date, to see to what extent you can put your skills and strengths into use to achieve the results you require.
As a student what are the things that have given you the greatest sense of achievement? Among these, what was the most difficult or challenging? How did you overcome this challenge? Look back and recall not the result, but the actual process you went through in order to achieve that result.
By recalling such actions you can identify the "pointers to overcoming challenges" that you have devised to resolve problems. It is no exaggeration to say that when you join the workforce you will be faced with problems that require solutions on an almost daily basis. If there is something in the past that you devised that worked in overcoming a challenge, the same method is more than likely to be useful in the future.
For the sake of a fulfilling life as you move forward, spend a little time now to consider your future. Employment is not a goal in itself, for each individual it represents a start.
The transition from student life to working life represents a significant milestone in anyone's life. While it is not necessary to constantly contemplate life and its meaning, it is often said that at such important milestones, it is important to think carefully, or risk the possibility of drifting for ever after.
This then leads to a situation, some years down the track, when you may say to yourself, "If only I had thought a little more carefully back then."
Now is the time to think once again, "What do I want to do in the future?" and "What are my dreams?" In other words, you must make the effort to think in earnest about the kind of life you want to lead from now. It is these thought processes that are referred to as "self analysis."
One of the foremost experts on career development and research was Professor Emeritus of Columbia University D.E. Super (1910-1994). According to Professor Super, everyone has what he termed a "self-concept," concerning "what I like and don't like," and "What kind of things do I find enjoyable?" He had the following to say concerning the relationship between selecting a job and self-concept.
- If your self-concept is unclear or not well defined, this will result in inappropriate job selection, or dissatisfaction with the job you choose.
- Through work it is possible to express "individual skills (what you do best)", "interests (what you want to do most),"and "values (what you think is most important." If this is not the case, you will find your job boring and without meaning.
It is important to consider an approach for self-advancement whereby you engage in self analysis and use it to identify the type of work and company through which you could achieve the things you want to do.
However, there are also people who believe that "you cannot decide now what is in the far distant future." As an entry point into working life, at the very least you should consider "the things I am good at," "the things I find enjoyable," and "the things I like." From this starting point, it is perfectly acceptable to gain various experiences in the process of working, from which the "things you want to do" may change somewhat. In the case of companies it is said in general that a person should identify "their individual expertise" by about the time he or she is 35.
How to implement self analysis?
So, in specific terms, what is the best way of implementing self analysis? Firstly, try to answer the following three questions:
- What can you do, and what are you good at?
- What do you want to do, who do want to please, and what kind of people do you want to work with?
- Why do you want to do such a job and what are you aiming for? What are your dreams?
Extract from "Career Counseling for Dynamic Companies and Individuals"
There are probably many people who cannot immediately respond to these questions. If this is the case, use the following as a source of reference.
- Ask your friends and parents what your good points are What you may think of as completely natural may be viewed by others as an excellent strong point.
- Think back and write down what you found enjoyable in the past.
- Write down things you think you are better at than other people. This can include things you have studied at university.
- Write down any particular things that are important to you, and things that "you won't budge from."
- Utilize assessment tools for self-understanding -
Even after a great deal of thought you are still none the wiser, it may be a good idea to use assessment tools.
Assessment means to "examine or evaluate something." From the point of view of someone taking a test, this means "understanding yourself just as you are now." However, you should avoid focusing purely on the results of such assessments and depending on them. Assessment tools are at the very most a supplementary means of "considering how to use the results for your own future."
Bearing in mind this premise, you can utilize the following assessment tools, that are representative of those aimed at students.
R-CAP (RECRUIT Career Assessment Program)
This is an assessment with a style that utilizes value systems thought to be related to career tracks (preferences, interests and concerns, intentions, values in narrow terms) and thought processes. Skills, knowledge and intellectual capacity are not utilized.
http://www.r-cap.net/RCAP07/index.html
(Fee required)
Standard diagnostic CPS-J (Career Planning Survey - Japanese Version)
This is an assessment tool that attempts to enable understand themselves appropriately from the dual aspects of "interest in work" and "self assessment in terms of skills."
http://www.nipponmanpower.co.jp/ps/think/cpsj/index.php
(Fee required through credit card payment)
This back one more time on your past actions to date
Once you have grasped a picture of your own skills, interests and sense of values as described above, the next step is to look back on your own past actions to date, to see to what extent you can put your skills and strengths into use to achieve the results you require.
As a student what are the things that have given you the greatest sense of achievement? Among these, what was the most difficult or challenging? How did you overcome this challenge? Look back and recall not the result, but the actual process you went through in order to achieve that result.
By recalling such actions you can identify the "pointers to overcoming challenges" that you have devised to resolve problems. It is no exaggeration to say that when you join the workforce you will be faced with problems that require solutions on an almost daily basis. If there is something in the past that you devised that worked in overcoming a challenge, the same method is more than likely to be useful in the future.
For the sake of a fulfilling life as you move forward, spend a little time now to consider your future. Employment is not a goal in itself, for each individual it represents a start.
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