Evaluation Methods to Recognize Abilities and Aspirations
Self-evaluation instruments are research-backed questionnaires, surveys, or assessments that help individuals examine their competencies, values, personality characteristics, and professional interests. As a mentee, using these tools effectively can help you gain clarity about your capabilities, pinpoint areas for improvement, and establish purposeful objectives for your development.
Why Self-Assessment Matters
When integrated into your mentoring experience, self-evaluation methods can:
- Increase your self-awareness about natural talents and potential blind spots
- Provide concrete data to discuss with your mentor
- Help create focused development plans aligned with your aspirations
- Serve as benchmarks to measure your progress over time
Selecting the Right Assessment Instruments
Consider these validated tools that mentees commonly find valuable:
- StrengthsFinder – Identifies your dominant talent themes
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – Reveals personality preferences
- 360-Degree Feedback – Gathers perspectives from multiple colleagues
- Skills Assessment Matrices – Evaluates competency levels in specific areas
Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
- Choose appropriate tools based on your current objectives and available resources
- Complete assessments honestly without overthinking initial responses
- Analyze results systematically by looking for patterns and surprises
- Share findings with your mentor to gain their interpretation and advice
- Create an action plan that builds on strengths while addressing gaps
- Schedule follow-up assessments to track your development over time
Real-World Application
Consider this scenario: After completing a StrengthsFinder assessment, a mentee discovered their top strength was “Strategic” thinking but scored lower in “Discipline.” They worked with their mentor to:
- Leverage strategic abilities in project planning
- Develop systems to improve consistency in follow-through
- Partner with colleagues strong in execution
Practical Checklist for Mentees
- Research and select 1-2 assessment tools relevant to your goals
- Block uninterrupted time to complete each assessment thoughtfully
- Highlight 3-5 key insights from your results
- Prepare specific questions about findings for your mentor
- Identify one strength to maximize and one area to develop
- Set 90-day milestones to apply what you’ve learned
Integrating Findings into Mentoring Sessions
To make the most of your assessment results:
- Share relevant reports with your mentor before meetings
- Ask targeted questions like “How might I apply this strength in my current role?”
- Request your mentor’s observations about how results align with their experience of you
- Discuss potential blind spots the assessments may have revealed
Tracking Progress
Establish a simple tracking system to monitor your development:
- Maintain a journal of assessment results and reflections
- Note specific examples of applying strengths in your work
- Record improvements in development areas
- Schedule quarterly reviews of your progress
References: HR Brain AI, Workplace Strategies, University of Michigan HR, Insight7
