If your list of resolutions for 2023 includes taking stock of my career path, changing jobs, making a career change, or finding my way in the world of impact, then this article may be of interest to you! These resolutions are indeed among the reasons why working people may want to do skills assessments. Are there any other reasons to take one? Would you be legitimate to do it? When should you do it? We talk to you about it!
What is a skills assessment?
Via a structured methodology, accompanied by one or more coaches, in groups and/or individually, the realization of a skills assessment allows you to take a step back and take stock of your professional situation. It often takes place in three phases, to help you draw up an objective assessment of your situation and move from reflection to action:
- A 1st preliminary phase of introspection: to take stock of your skills and aptitudes, your acquired experience, what you know how to do, what you like to do.
- A 2nd phase of investigation: what professional environment corresponds to you? In which sector of activity would you like to develop your skills?
- A 3rd phase: to define a professional project
An assessment generally costs between 1200€ and 2000€ and lasts between 2 and 6 months, at a variable rate.
Assessment is possible for everyone:
- For an employed person, its cost can be covered by the company or by the money available on their personal training account (CPF).
- As a job seeker, the cost can be covered by Pôle Emploi.
- For students, the assessment must be self-financed. However, some assessments offer financial aid.
The best reasons to take a skills assessment
1# Your professional life no longer suits you
Do you feel like you've run out of work? Are you bored in your job? Do you want to make a career change?
Maybe it's time for you to start a personal work via the skills assessment to identify what doesn't suit you anymore and understand your professional desires.
2# You wish to make a professional evolution in your organization
Carrying out an assessment can allow you to specify the acquired skills that you could use as part of a professional evolution, and to identify training to develop those required in your new position.
💡 At the employee's initiative, an assessment can be financed by his or her own means or CPF. However, in the context of a desire for internal evolution, it is possible to make a request to his employer.se to carry it out on his working hours and have it financed by the company.
3# You have a new professional project in mind
By doing an assessment, you will highlight the skills you have and that you will be able to develop to undertake this new project.
💡If you have been employed for at least 2 years, including 1 year in the same company, you can take time off from your job to undergo an assessment via the Professional Transition Project (formerly Individual Training Leave).
4# You are a student and you are looking for your professional orientation
To take stock of the skills you have acquired in your school, student and community experiences, and to become aware of possible opportunities, taking stock when you are young can help you clarify your professional orientation.
👉The skills assessment Chance is suitable for students, as it allows you to pay the skills assessment in several monthly instalments!
👉If you are interested in another review on jobs_that_makesense, Don't hesitate to ask the organizers of the assessments directly what financing solutions they can provide you with.
5# You want to go into a positive impact job
In 2022, according to a survey conducted by Audencia and jobs_that_makesense, among employees and students, for 57% of respondents, "the quest for meaning" corresponds to the desire to contribute to the challenges of the ecological and/or social transition. To meet this growing demand and help those who want to build a meaningful professional project, you can take a skills assessment with impact. Yes, it exists!
👉 Hisse&Haut, Cap Positif, Komunii are positive impact assessments.
When to do a skills assessment?
Do you feel that you have a good reason to take a skills assessment? But you still have to be in a professional and personal situation that allows you to do so, don't you? To know when to do a skills assessment, here are our 5 recommendations for the best times to do it.
1# When you have decided to take time for yourself
Ideally, don't start an assessment if you are completely underwater and overworked. The first step in conducting an assessment is to take a break and give yourself time to mature the thoughts that may arise during the skills assessment sessions.
2# When you are mentally and physically ready
Giving yourself time also means giving yourself the mental availability you need to reflect on your professional life. Indeed, if you are in bore out, brown out or burn out, your motivations may not be the right ones to do one and this could add an additional mental burden. Especially since a professional assessment is bound to touch on your personal life, and sometimes, it can be a bit overwhelming.
3# When your professional activity allows it
Leave, agreement from your employer to carry out a skills assessment on your work time, flexible schedule... If you wish to carry out a skills assessment in person, you will need to set aside dedicated time in your schedule. You can ask your employer to agree to a skills assessment and even have it financed by your company's OPCO (organizations responsible for financing professional training) or the Fongecif. If you get a refusal, you will have to do it outside of work time. There are also 100% online skills assessments with sessions that can be taken whenever you want, which can help you in terms of flexibility. Another option is to request a customized coaching session with a coach who can adapt the assessment sessions to your schedule.
💡 Good news, the majority of our partner skills assessments can be done online!
👉To learn more about the Opco and the Fongecif, you can read our article on the financing of a skills assessment.
4# When your company has a development plan
Formerly called "training plan", the skills development plan is set up at the initiative of the employer and aims to improve the skills of professionals in their jobs through training. With this plan, the company can provide for skills assessment and validation of acquired experience (VAE). If you wish to do so, it is time to ask your employer for a skills assessment!
To take action
👉Here are all our partner skills assessments
To go further
👉How to take a skills assessment?
👉How to ensure your professional reconversion without loss of salary?