Self-Assessment Tool

These might be related to media or other subjects. They might come from courses you’ve taken or from your leisure or extra-curricular activities. The key question here, though, is what do you like? What ideas or topics do you love learning about? What questions do you want to ask and find answers for? What do other people talk about that pique's your curiosity?

Not sure what to put down? Check out our prompts to generate ideas.

When answering these questions, include everything you're interested in, whether it's related to a 'realistic' career or not. The sky's the limit!

• If I was to write a book or create a documentary on any subject at all, what would I choose?
• If I was going to be interviewed on a podcast, what subject could I talk passionately about?
• If I go down a YouTube rabbit hole, what kind of videos am I watching?
• If I could take a master class with anyone in the world, who would I choose and what would I be learning?
• On social media, what topics are the people I follow most avidly focused on?
• If I had a career in media production, what topic would I most love to be involved in?

These can be skills you have and would like to hone, and new skills you’d like to learn. They could be media-based skills, like web design or social media strategy. They might be professional skills, like public speaking or writing a hard-hitting article. They can be related to fitness, social skills, life skills, or interpersonal communication.

If it's hard to think of specific skills, try using the prompts below.

Your desired skills might be totally unrelated to one another, but they're all part of your big-picture, so they all count!

• If I had an hour a day devoted to learning how to do something, what would I want to learn?
• Name something that I want to learn how to make.
• What is one computer skill that I would like to learn?
• What skills do I want to be able to say I have by the time I graduate?
• If I could choose one thing to get paid for doing, what would it be?
• What is something that I really would love to know how to do?
• Right now, what do I want to get better at?
• Out of the things I'm pretty good at already, what do I want to get even better at?
• What professional skills and abilities do I admire in other people?

Your values can bring purpose and greater motivation to what you’re learning. What’s important to you? What impact would you like your work to have? Is there a cause you’d like to further in the world? A way you want to contribute to others? What do you think makes a ‘good’ life?

Here are some prompts to help you identify your values.

This might not seem like a clear way toward finding courses that connect to a career path, but it can really help, so put down everything you can think of!

• To be a good citizen in the world, what things do I need to know about?
• If I had a million dollars to donate, what sort of organization would I give it to?
• Think of someone I genuinely admire, and write down why I admire them
• What is my favourite way to help others?
• If the world is to be a better place, what trait do I think people need more of?
• If I could teach today's kids one thing, what would it be?

In this section, you can write down any career paths you’re currently considering, any careers you’ve considered in the past, any paths someone else has suggested for you – anything and everything can go into this bucket for now!

If you usually say you "I don't know" when someone asks you about your career direction, try using these prompts.

• When I was little and people asked me what I was going to be when I grew up, what did I say?
• When I was in high school, what subjects or fields did I want to pursue further?
• If I could magically guarantee success in any industry or career I wanted, what would I pick?

If you feel stuck on this, there are many supports at Western to help you discover career paths that are a good fit for you. Coming to see us in FIMS Undergraduate Student Services is a great way to start. We can't wait to chat with you about your big picture!