Self-Assessment & Career Research - Virginia Military Institute
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Self-Assessment & Career Research

To arrive at the best career plan, self-assessment is the most important first step.

Take stock of your:

  • Interests – How do you like to spend your spare time?
  • Values – What is important to you? What are your priorities in life?
  • Talents – What comes naturally to you? What characteristics do you take for granted?
  • Skills – What have you learned to do? What do you still need to learn how to do?
  • Strengths – What are your strong points? What subjects/skills do you like most? Why?
  • Weaknesses – What are your weakest points? What subjects/skills do you like least? Why?
  • Goals/aspirations – What do you hope to accomplish in 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? life?

If you do not know the answers to these questions, you need to do some homework on YOU –

FOCUS 2 is an online, self-guided program which identifies your work values, skills, personality preferences, and natural strengths to help you make decisions about your future career goals. For more information, see the FOCUS 2 Users Guide. Once you have completed a FOCUS 2 assessment, please schedule a meeting with a Career Services career professional to review your profile.

To make the wisest career choice: Know yourself well and then:

  • Research career fields of interest.
  • Identify coursework, skills, and experience you will need to be competitive in your career.
  • Acquire coursework, skills, and experience you need to be competitive.
  • Learn how to market your knowledge, skills, experience, and potential.

The Career Services staff is here to help you through each of these steps.

CareerShift is an easy to use research and networking tool. With CareerShift, you can search multiple company and job board listings through one location, find inside contact information for millions of companies, and create and store your job search documents.  For more information, see the CareerShift Users Guide.

Questions? We’re Here to Help

Phone: (540) 464-7560

Career Services

311 Carroll Hall

Mailing Address

NAME (If to an individual)
Career Services
510 Burma Road
P.O. Box 1839
Lexington, VA, 24450

Other Carriers

NAME (If to an individual)
Career Services
510 Burma Road
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA, 24450