What are your strengths and weaknesses? What skills do you have?
Everyone is good at something, and we are all good at different things. This idea stems from the theory of multiple intelligences, first proposed by Howard Gardner. Gardner developed a series of 8 different intelligences and proposed that everyone has a profile of these intelligences that differs based on our genetics and experiences.
Career Planning Quizzes
Self-assessments can help you better understand your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes, and what types of jobs you are best suited for.
- Multiple intelligences – Career Quiz: Everyone is intelligent in a different way, in fact, there are eight different types of intelligence! Take a 10 minute quiz to learn about which type of intelligence you are the strongest in.
- Flower exercise: an activity you can do to help envision your dream job.
- High5 Test: designed to help any person discover what they are great at and to apply this knowledge towards goals that are meaningful to them.
- Holland Code Career Test: shows you which jobs will suit your interests, talents, and aptitude.
- Lumina Splash Assessment: A personality assessment that highlights behavioural preferences and patterns, and helps you understand and apply your strengths, motivations, and development areas.
Understanding your skills
Skills for Success: The Skills for Success, formerly known as Essential Skills, were identified and launched by the Government of Canada in May of 2021, updating the existing framework in response to an evolving labour market. These 9 skills are updated to reflect the rapidly changing skill needs and requirements:
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Numeracy
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Communication
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Collaboration
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Problem Solving
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Writing
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Adaptability
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Reading
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Creativity & Innovation
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Digital Skills
Consistent with the previous three years, the most in-demand skills in 2022 were all socioemotional (e.g., soft) skills.
Researching jobs
After you identify some careers of interest, it would be helpful to get more hands on experience with those careers. You can do this in several ways:
Informational Interviews
Conduct an informational interview. Here are some tips for conducting efficient and effective informational interviews: How to get the most out of an information interview | Toronto Metropolitan University Alumni Blog
Community Involvement
Be strategic with your 40 hours of community involvement: This is a great opportunity to get a sense of careers that you are interested in. For example, think you may want to be a dentist? Call your local dentist office and see what it is like day-to-day in a dental office.
Networking
Talk to people around you about their experiences: this includes parents, family members, teachers, and other adults in your life. If no one in your life has a job you’re interested in, check out this database of career vlogs