TEST YOUR JOB KNOCK-OUT POTENTIAL

Some aspects of your background may create doubts in the mind of a prospective employer and lead him/her to eliminate you from consideration for a job. Test yourself to determine how "not-so-hot" your background may be. Read the following statements and circle the number to the right that best represents your degree of agreement or disagreement with that particular statement.

    1 = Strongly agree
    2 = Agree
    3 = Uncertain
    4 = Disagree
    5 = Strongly disagree

I have no work experience at all.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have work experience, but it is doing very different work from what I want to do.
```
1	2	3	  4	5
```
My grades in school were not very good.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have no high school diploma or GED.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have been fired from one job.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have been fired from more than one job.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have held several jobs in the last year.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
The jobs I have held have each been very different from each other in terms of the work to be done and skills required.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I don't have a past employer who would give me a good reference.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```
I have been convicted of a felony.
```
1	2	3	4	5
```

TOTAL _________________________

If you circled a "1" or "2" for any of these statements, you may raise a red flag in the eyes of most employers. If your total score is between 10 and 35, you will most likely appear to have a not-so-hot background in the eyes of most employers. You'll need to develop interview strategies to overcome your job market weaknesses.