Skills and Experience Assessment

Now that we've debunked the myth of needing extensive experience and emphasized the importance of enjoyment, how can you assess your skills and experience to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey? How can you start making little changes now, that'll help 'future you'?

One of the tools I like to use is a simple matrix, jot down all the things you do in your day job, things you've done in the past, including any volunteer experience, hobbies etc. Rate each thing on a scale - how good are you at this thing, and how much do you enjoy it? 

Next, have a look at the overall picture - are there anything in here that surprises you? It might be something you used to love, isn't so high up on the enjoyment scale anymore now that you've gained experience elsewhere? 

The next step is to draw 2 lines across your matrix:

Identify the items in each box - are there steps you can take right now that can make your day job/ life a bit easier & enjoyable?

• Outsource: these are the things you're not in love with doing - is there someone else that could do these in your place? Can you pay someone else to do them? There are dozens of websites like Upwork, Fiverr & Task Rabbit where you can find people to do a specific job
• Learn: these are the things that you're enjoying, but lacking the skills / experience, are there ways for you to carve out more time to spend on these things? Formalise training through courses etc? 
• Do less: these are often the things 'we've always done' or inherited tasks we've picked up due to a change in circumstances at work. Are there ways to realign the roles & responsibilities within your work environment to distribute these things to get them off your plate. 
• Do more: Can you create opportunities to do more of these things? Volunteer yourself for a project, volunteer your time somewhere else 

You’re enough.

Remember, every successful entrepreneur started with little to no experience in their particular venture. 

Don't let the myth of needing extensive experience hold you back from investigating if self-employment is right for you, right now. 

Take a moment to review your skills and experiences, and notice the things you really enjoy doing, that you’d like to do more of. 

If you have identified that you need “one more thing” that you need to learn more about, make a plan to get the experience/ qualification, so you can start moving forward. 

There are things you can do right now that will get you closer to where you want to be.