Karen was only half thinking of how her hair looked as she used her comb to meticulously sculpt her new haircut. Her mind was on the Manager of the Year award she was about to accept. As she re-applied her lipstick she ran through her acceptance speech in her mind. Karen stepped back from the mirror to admire her new navy blue suit. Stunning. She looked great, felt terrific, and marched out of the ladies room with an unmistakable glow. As she waited offstage she was more excited than nervous. In a few moments she would be honored in front of 2,000 employees. When she got her cue, she strode confidently across the huge stage toward the company president, trailing two feet of toilet paper from her left heel.

All of us have trouble seeing ourselves accurately. We often need an objective source to give us honest feedback. Karen sure could have used it!

How do you see yourself?
How about you? How accurately do you see yourself in terms of the job market? Can you list your top five motivations? How about your key talents?

Research shows that we only see ourselves accurately about half of the time. When it comes to what makes you tick, it takes an unbiased source that knows what to look for to give you an accurate picture of yourself. Career assessments are such a source. They can identify what motivates you, and what doesn't. You can use that knowledge to help you understand why your present job is not satisfying, and what types of job would be.

The end of this story: Don't strut upon the stage of work without objective feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. Who knows, you might be the next Manager of the Year?

Article by Henry Neils, President and Founder of Assessment.com, the leading online career assessment company focused on helping employees and employers work together for their mutual benefit. Millions of people have gained personal insight into their careers by using the tools, such as MAPP™ (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential), provided at Assessment.com."