Working Life > Competences > Skills > Product "Me"

Product “Me”

Definition, Explanation

Have you ever thought whether what your vacuum cleaner does and how it looks are really what it wants? Or else, your PC, car or perfume? Of course not – those are products designed by engineers and marketing experts. The product cannot develop itself, adapt to the market, make customers' wishes come true, define its own strengths and weaknesses or make strategies to complete its life's dream.

But man is different: In the first years of his life, he depends on parents, teachers, friends and environment. But as he ages he takes over more responsibility for himself, utters desires, goals and ideas, which is an active influencing of the product, of himself. He is not made but primarily forms himself, and “sells” himself. The environment defines his framework of design. Now, what instruments does he have to describe and to develop this product “Myself”?

Curriculum vitae

The CV describes your past and is pure inventory taking. It answers questions like: What education have you passed? What further education have you attended? In what companies have you worked? What tasks and positions were you committed to? What are your capacities and abilities? Normally this overview is given as a table, chronologically. Data are accounted for with certificates by schooling institutions and companies that back up your statements.

Personality test

A good personality- or capacity-test tries to gain a most objective image of your personality. This includes unconscious behaviour, attitudes and ideas related to your working life. Results should answer questions like: Who do you want to wirk with? What material, things and information do you like handling most? What do you want your physical environment to be like, as a wellness criterion for working environments? Which of your abilities do you want to use in your work? What short- or long-term achievements are you heading at? What are your philosophy and values?

Personality tests and assessment centres are applied methods to find out more about your personality. They are mainly used by potential employers. What they will give are only partial results. The whole picture you must paint yourself.

Networks

What you did and what you are doing is normally related to other people. Such relations make up various networks. You act in private environments, i.e. circle of friends, family. Also you meet collleagues, bosses, contractors, clients and competitors. Maybe in your free time you do social, economic, cultural work or sports, are a member of a club, organization or association. On the web, people with shared interests meet virtually and exchange ideas. In all these areas, you create your networks. Become aware of your contacts by noting them.

Career planning

With the personality test, you define your goals. Career planning helps you achieving them. Similar to product development, it is about sorting out and organizing ways to realize your career goal in single steps. This includes further education and building of necessary relationships. The more precise you plan it, the faster and the more successful will be your realizing it. Also define time limits.

The product “Me” requires a lot of work. Similar to some things, the quality of the product matures with time and with the readiness to adapt to conditions and requirments of the “market”, in our case the job market.

Last update: 06/15/2010