Step 1. Know yourself

In order to choose your master, it is important to do some soul searching. If you know who you are, what you want, and what you find important in life, you will be better able to assess what suits you and what can help you to come to the right decision.

Soul searching

Maybe you already have a good idea of who you are and what you want, but it can still be handy to talk about it with others to help you get a clear picture. There are also a number of tests available that can help you. 

On the Leiden University Career Zone website you can find anything and everything to do with labour market preparation and career planning. There are tests available to help you gain a better insight in your preferred study and career trajectory, and, as a result, also with your choice for a master. 

Career choice – Interests/motivations, what are you curious about, what would you like to know more about? 
Competences – what are you good at, what comes easy for you, what skills would you like to develop further? 
Core characterisations – personality 
Work values – what is important to you, in your life and your work? 

But there is more: 
The Icares professional career-choice test, to help you create an overview of suitable job descriptions based on your interests. If you have already completed a bachelor at Leiden University, you can request to do this free test at the Career Service of your faculty. If not, contact the university you are currently studying at to request the test. 

Career Planning module 

The Career Planning module that is also available on the LU Career Zone. This can help you to navigate the master’s choice process. The more you know about your career wishes, the easier it will be to look for a master. 

This module starts with the chapter Know Yourself, in which you will delve into a number of aspects about yourself, such as work values and competencies. Next, you are asked to prioritise your results in your Personal Profile (Career Planning) document. This will enable you to create a clear picture of who you are based on the results of the previous exercises. By combining these different aspects you will be able to form an overall image, your personal profile.  

When you have a clear picture of who you are, you are ready for the next step: looking into the possibilities, the available options. Possibilities on the labour market, interesting job descriptions and tasks, and the corresponding master’s programmes.