IT skills assessment is a valuable tool for identifying your strengths and weaknesses, planning your career development, and preparing for job interviews. However, it can also be a source of stress, anxiety, and frustration if you don't approach it properly. Here are some tips on how to avoid common IT skills assessment mistakes and make the most of your learning opportunities.
Before you take any IT skills assessment, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why. Are you looking for a certification, a promotion, a new job, or a personal challenge? How does the assessment align with your current and future career aspirations? What are the specific skills and competencies that you need to demonstrate or improve? Having a clear vision of your goals will help you choose the right assessment, prepare effectively, and focus on the relevant areas.
I enjoy the personal challenge of skills assessments. As someone who thrives on feedback, it's a great opportunity to see how well you are doing and especially with LinkedIn Skills assessments, you can get an idea of how well you did in comparison to your peers. It's also a good way to identify areas of improvement.
There are many types of IT skills assessment available, such as online tests, quizzes, projects, portfolios, simulations, interviews, and self-assessments. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your level, experience, and learning style. You should research the different options and select the one that best suits your needs, preferences, and goals. For example, if you are a beginner or want to refresh your knowledge, you might prefer a quiz or a test that covers the basics. If you are an expert or want to showcase your creativity, you might opt for a project or a portfolio that demonstrates your skills in action.
Once you have chosen your IT skills assessment, you should dedicate enough time and effort to prepare for it. This means reviewing the topics, concepts, and skills that the assessment covers, practicing with sample questions or exercises, and checking the format, duration, and instructions of the assessment. You should also familiarize yourself with the tools, platforms, and software that you will use during the assessment, and make sure that your equipment and internet connection are working properly. Preparing well will boost your confidence, reduce your stress, and improve your performance.
It can be helpful to time your assessment to take advantage of learning that you're already doing. For example, say you're enrolled in a college course for Python or a self-study course on SQL, when you're getting ready to take your course final, you may want to try your hand at a related skill assessment since your skills/knowledge should be near their peak.
One of the most common IT skills assessment mistakes is to overestimate or underestimate your abilities, or to cheat or lie about your results. This can have negative consequences for your learning, your reputation, and your career. For example, if you overestimate your skills, you might miss important gaps in your knowledge, apply for jobs that are beyond your reach, or disappoint your employers or clients. If you underestimate your skills, you might miss valuable opportunities, sell yourself short, or limit your potential. If you cheat or lie, you might get caught, lose credibility, or face legal or ethical issues. Therefore, you should be honest with yourself and others about your IT skills assessment results, and use them as a guide for your improvement, not as a badge of honor or a source of shame.
Another common IT skills assessment mistake is to ignore or dismiss the feedback that you receive after completing the assessment. Feedback is an essential part of the learning process, as it helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, recognize your achievements and mistakes, and plan your next steps. You should pay attention to the feedback that you receive from the assessment provider, your instructor, your peers, or your employer, and use it to improve your skills and knowledge. You should also seek feedback from other sources, such as mentors, coaches, online communities, or self-evaluation tools, and compare it with your own perception of your skills.
The final IT skills assessment mistake is to stop learning after completing the assessment. IT skills assessment is not a one-time event, but a continuous journey of learning and development. Technology is constantly evolving, and so are the demands and expectations of the IT industry. You should keep updating your skills and knowledge, taking new assessments, and challenging yourself to grow and excel. You should also celebrate your achievements, reward yourself for your efforts, and share your insights and experiences with others. By doing so, you will not only avoid IT skills assessment mistakes, but also enjoy the benefits of lifelong learning.
It is important to keep improving your IT skillset, as things are changing, improving, being updated and evolving rapidly. In my humble opinion, it is a good idea to keep up to date with what is happening in, around and outside your field of expertise. A line from a song on 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' album, states, 'Everything is everything ...' and this is true. Many things are interrelated, hence one cause has an effect on another. So it's not just important to know your stuff. Just look how the war in Ukraine is even affecting the price of chips (fries). Also look into the future. What is the media saying? What new phenomenon is occurring that will change things next year? How does that affect you and your job? Stay current!
Some other ways to avoid common mistakes (or any mistakes rather) 1. Read the question thoroughly and make sure you understand it before answering. for example, a question may ask for 3 possible answers and you loose out by giving only 2. 2. Do not rush. Do plenty of practice tests (you can find some online) and time yourself, so that by the time you are ready to take the assessment, you have mastered the new skill of finishing well be for the allotted time; giving you plenty of time to go over each or the majority of questions again (if possible). 3. Trust yourself and believe that you will ace the assessment. Positive thoughts breed positive actions and outcomes!