Employment skills test

Confidence (questions 1-5)

A low score of 10 or less.

Build your confidence by volunteering or attending Lambeth's Confidence for Work course. Repeating things you feel unsure about usually helps to increase your confidence. Practice doing job interviews, join a group, meet new people or volunteer. New situations help build up your confidence.

Communication (questions 6-11)

A low score of 12 or less. 

If English isn't your first Language, consider taking an ESOL course. Or are you more worried about your writing? Take an ICT course. Lambeth has many options for adult learners. Volunteering or joining a group will help you practise communicating with people in different situations – improving your skills.

Administration and Organisation (questions 12-17)

A low score of 12 or less. 

Try using reminders. Make lists, keep a diary, use a calendar. You can do all these things on your smartphone. Break work down into small tasks. Try writing down 3 small chores you would like to complete in a day or a week. Trello is a useful tool for listing tasks. Create 3 columns: one for your tasks, another for tasks you are doing and a third one for completed tasks.

Set aside time to catch up on admin like emails or replying to letters from your children’s school. This way you won't feel overwhelmed. 

Information Technology (questions 18-22)

A low score of 10 or less. 

Think about doing an IT course. There are many Lambeth courses available online these days. Some of them are free. Check your local adult learning provider. There are also lots of great digital tips on websites such as The Good Things Foundation.

Being Proactive (questions 23-27)

A low score of 10 or less. 

Consider volunteering. Most employers are impressed by people who have used their free time to do something proactive – like improving their skills through training or helping others. If you volunteer for a charity like LEAP, you can bring your children with you. Every individual brings their own skills, so never feel like you don’t have anything to offer. Just think, in 6 months you will have gained a new experience or skill making you more employable. What have you got to lose?

Reliability and punctuality (questions 28-32)

A low score of 10 or less. 

Try leaving early for appointments to make sure you are on time and don't feel stressed. Show that you're realiable by keeping to commitments. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier, and prepare things like your clothing the night before. Don't wait until the last minute to contact people if you're going to be late or miss an appointment. It's all about getting into good habits.

Teamwork (questions 33-37)

A low score of 10 or less. 

Get involved in a group activity. Check the council website for ideas. What role can you play? Could you organise events or develop your digital skills while helping the group? 

Look after your own needs too, so that you are able to give time and energy to supporting the team. Be patient with others and respect what everyone brings to a group. Reflect on your experiences. What have you learnt about yourself and from others? Think about and discuss what has worked well and not so well in the team and examine the reasons why.

Thank you for taking this assessment. We hope you have found it both interesting and useful.