Self-Awareness Skills for Career Success: A Guide for Teens
Self-awareness is the foundation upon which your career is built. It’s the ability to understand and make decisions based on your preferences, strengths, weaknesses, values, needs, and feelings. When considering your future career as a blind or low-vision individual, the more self-aware you are, the better you can make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and find support when needed. Think of self-awareness as the deep foundation of a tall building: the higher you aim to go in your career, the deeper that foundation needs to be.
Let’s explore how developing self-awareness can help you pursue and prepare for a career that suits you.
1. Understanding Your Strengths
Self-awareness helps you identify your strengths and figure out what you excel at. Recognizing your strengths is key to finding a career that fits you well.
Example: You may have a passion for music, which could lead to a career in music production, teaching, or performing. Alternatively, you might excel at organizing, which could lead to a career in project management or event planning. If you love analyzing data, a career in data science or research could be a good fit. If you love helping others, you may want to consider careers in healthcare, education, social work, or counseling.
- Actionable Tip: Reflect on the activities you enjoy the most. What tasks do you find come more naturally or are rewarding? Explore how these hobbies or interests can be translated into a career path. Don’t be afraid to explore unconventional options. Ask people you trust to help you identify your strengths.
2. Recognizing Your Limitations
Being aware of your limitations doesn’t mean you’re failing. It simply means you know where you might need extra support or development. Acknowledging these limitations early helps you plan effectively for success. Knowing areas that need improvement can help you succeed in places that you find more challenging, as you can either work on improving them or find workarounds, rather than shying away from them.
Example: You might find that public speaking as a person who is blind is intimidating or that you struggle with certain technical skills, literacy, or travel skills. Recognizing this gives you the chance to seek improvement and learn accommodations or tools that can support you.
- Actionable Tip: Identify areas where you face challenges. Consider ways to improve or find strategies to manage them—whether it’s taking a course, requesting an IEP goal, or working with a mentor.
Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth rather than avoiding them. However, sometimes certain limits, especially dislikes, can guide you in avoiding specific careers—that’s okay, too!
3. Living Your Values
Understanding your personal values helps you choose a career and workplace that resonate with your preferences and long-term goals. When your job aligns with your values, you’re more likely to feel fulfilled in your professional life.
Consider your values and preferences in a future work environment. For instance, consider whether you prefer quiet, independent work or a more collaborative, fast-paced setting. Other considerations may include whether you value a work-life balance, flexibility in your schedule, or opportunities for growth and learning. Some people also prioritize having a predictable schedule, the ability to work from home, or outdoor vs. indoor work.
Example: If you value creativity, you may thrive in fields such as art, design, or marketing. If helping others is your priority, careers in nonprofit organizations, social services, or healthcare might be a great fit. To refine your choices further, consider the work environment that best suits you. For example, if you’re interested in healthcare but prefer a quieter, more structured setting, you might opt for a role in a doctor’s office or telehealth rather than the fast-paced environment of an emergency room.
- Actionable Tip: Reflect on the values that are most important to you in order to feel satisfied at work. Research potential careers or companies that align with these values.
4. Understanding How Your Experiences Shape Your Perspective
Your background, experiences, and personality influence the way you see the world. Being aware of how these factors shape your views can help you understand how you interact with others and how you make decisions.
Example: You may have had experiences that taught you how to be resourceful or resilient. These qualities could make you a strong candidate for problem-solving roles in business or technology.
- Actionable Tip: Reflect on how your life experiences have shaped your perspective. Consider how your personal story may impact your professional decisions and your interactions with others.
5. Managing Your Temperament and Boundaries
Self-awareness enables you to manage your emotions effectively and establish healthy boundaries. Recognizing how you respond in different situations will help you avoid burnout and maintain strong professional relationships.
Example: You might find that you get frustrated when things don’t go as planned. Having strategies to calm down—like taking deep breaths or stepping away for a few minutes—can help you maintain composure.
- Actionable Tip: Practice calming techniques and be mindful of how you respond to stress. Learn how to say “no” when necessary to manage your time and energy.
6. Understanding Your Communication Style
Effective communication is an important skill in any career. By understanding your own communication style —whether assertive, passive, or aggressive —you can ensure that your interactions are constructive and professional.
Example: If you know that you tend to be very direct and sometimes come across as abrasive, you might work on softening your language to create a more collaborative environment. If you prefer to keep the peace rather than speaking up when something bothers you, consider practicing being clearer about your needs and preferences.
- Actionable Tip: Ask friends, family, or teachers for feedback on your communication style. Try different approaches to see what works best in different situations.
7. Developing Problem-Solving Abilities
Self-awareness helps you understand how you approach challenges. Whether you prefer to focus on details or think about the big picture, recognizing your approach to problem-solving helps you become more effective at resolving issues.
Example: If you excel at breaking down complex issues into smaller components, you may enjoy a career in project management or engineering. If you prefer to look at the broader picture, you may thrive in roles such as strategy development or leadership.
- Actionable Tip: Reflect on how you tackle problems and look for ways to improve. Take courses or practice techniques to develop your problem-solving skills.
8. Receiving and Applying Constructive Feedback
No one has a perfect understanding of themselves. Feedback from others, whether from teachers, mentors, or colleagues, is crucial for developing a more comprehensive self-awareness.
Example: Your teacher might point out that you’re great at presenting ideas, but could work on improving your time management. This feedback can help you improve your executive functioning skills as a blind person and become more efficient. Alternatively, you may ask your friends and family for feedback and learn that your spelling could be improved. You can set goals for improving your spelling, which may involve taking a summer spelling course and improving your proofreading skills on a refreshable braille display.
- Actionable Tip: Regularly request feedback and utilize it as a tool for self-improvement. Feedback isn’t criticism—it’s a way to grow and learn.
Setting Personal and Career Goals
Now that you’re more in tune with your strengths, challenges, values, communication style, temperament, and preferences, it’s time to set clear goals to help you prepare for a possible career that meshes with you. Knowing where you want to go enables you to create a roadmap and stay motivated, making it easier to stay on track.
Perhaps you recognize a career in journalism or marketing would be fulfilling, but you need to improve your proofreading skills and reading speed. Maybe you’re interested in a tech career, but first you need to learn a new programming language or enhance your assistive technology skills. Now’s the time to set appropriate goals and work toward them.