The Illinois Career Information System provides a SKILLS Assessment that helps you identify your present job skills, identify occupations that match those skills, understand what skills are required for a given occupation, and determine what training and skills you need for a particular job.
To use SKILLS Assessment, on the Illinois Career Information System 
sign in page, use Option 3 to login and then from the left menu under Assessments and Links select SKILLS (English or Spanish). Another great way to identify your job skills is to make a list of skills you have learned through your job experiences, educational experiences, internships, volunteer activities, summer jobs, and hobbies. Writing down your job skills will also help you develop your resume. To view resume examples, visit the Prepare Your Resume section of Illinois workNet.
Below are some websites that provide information about and access to free self-directed assessments:
- The Riley Guide - Learn about a variety of assessment tools some are free and self directed and some require assistance and coast a fee.
- CareerOneStop: Skills Profiler - Complete an online form that will help identify your skills and occupations related to these skills.
- O-Net - The online Skills Search function is designed to help you use your skill set to identify occupations for exploration.
Having basic skills such as math, reading, and writing can be the determining factor in getting the job you want. To review or practice basic math, reading, and writing skills visit the links below.
- Math.Com The World of Math Online - provides a review of Basic Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and much more.
- Homework Spot - provides resources according to grade level and by subject - Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Math, Life Skills, and many more.
- Goodwill Community Foundation (GFC), Global Learning Website - offers free online tutorials covering the basics of computers, the Internet, Microsoft Office 97 through 2003, and life skills. The website also provides free online classes covering Microsoft Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- TypingTest.com - provides a free typing test which only takes a couple of minutes to complete. The test measures typing speed, accuracy and net speed. The website also provides four free typing games.
A job that allows you to work in your interest areas can be rewarding and enjoyable. To begin your job-search planning process, explore your interests by reflecting upon activities that you've done and really enjoyed and accomplishments that have made you proud.
Interests can be grouped into themes and scales such as realistic, artistic, enterprising, social or organizational. Ask friends, family, and co-workers what interests and passions they see in you, and what you are good at. Be honest with yourself and think hard.
To identify jobs that may match your interests, start by using the Countdown Interest Survey . This interest survey assists you in trying to identify jobs that you may like to further investigate.
For a more comprehensive evaluation of your occupational interests, examine the Illinois Career Information System (CIS) Interest Profiler. It is designed to assist individuals in identifying their occupational interests and how those interests relate to work. The Interest Profiler helps to identify an individual's strongest work-related interests and match occupations to an individual's job-related interests. To find out what occupations most closely match your occupational interests, follow these simple instructions:
On the Illinois Career Information System sign in page,
- Use Option 3 to login,
- Select the Interest Profiler link under the Assessment and Links header on the left navigation bar,
- Visit the Interest Profiler now to match jobs to your occupational interests.
If you have questions about the results received from the Interest Profiler or wish to discuss your occupational interests in further detail, contact or visit the trained staff at a Local Resource Room near you.