Career Interests
Each person
has developed personal preferences for certain types of activities and
environments. Most people who enjoy their work have some intrinsic
interest in the activities with which they are connected.
The six general
areas of vocational interest developed by psychologist John Holland are
described below. Think about your past experiences and your current
activities. Then rank these work environments from (1) to (6), from
the one which best describes you (1), to the one which least describes
you (6).
Realistic
For people
who like activities that are practical and concrete. They like to
work outdoors and to work with tools and machines using their physical
skills. They often seek work relating to nature and the outdoors,
mechanics, construction or military service.
Investigative
For people
who enjoy scientific and intellectual pursuits. They enjoy gathering
information, uncovering new facts or theories and analyzing and interpreting
data. They often seek work relating to academic research, medical
facilities, or computer related industries.
Artistic
For people
who value aesthetic qualities and like opportunities for self-expression.
They prefer unstructured and flexible environments. They often seek
work relating to art, music, drama, writing or in libraries or museums.
Social
For people
who enjoy working with people to inform, help, train or develop them in
some way. They enjoy working in groups, sharing responsibilities
and are good communicators. They like to solve problems through discussions
of feelings and interactions with others. They often seek work relating
to teaching, counseling or recreation.
Enterprising
For people
who enjoy influencing, leading or managing others for organizational goals
or for economic success. They enjoy persuading others to their viewpoint
and prefer social tasks where they can assume leadership. They often
seek work relating to business management, sales or politics.
Conventional
For people
who enjoy systematic activities requiring attention to accuracy and detail,
often associated with office work. They enjoy working for large organizations
and are comfortable with an established chain of command. They often
seek work relating to financial institutions, accounting firms, or other
large businesses.
Working With
People
Many individuals
say that working with people must be an important part of any career they
pursue. There are many different aspects to the concept of "working
with people". The exercise below is designed to help you focus on
those which are important to you. Check those ways which appeal to you.
Add to the list others which are important to you.
Then indicate
the three ways of working with people that you would most enjoy and be
proficient at, and the three you would least enjoy.
-
Influence
the attitudes, ideas of others
-
Gather information
through direct contact with people
-
Help people
with personal problems
-
Instruct
other people in various tasks or skills
-
Supervise
and be responsible for the work of others
-
Consult or
advise others (even though not directly responsible for them)
-
Confront
others, present them with difficult decisions
-
Investigate
people by obtaining information about them
-
Provide service
to others: giving information, performing physical or highly technical
tasks
-
Mediate between
contending parties
-
Organize
others, bring people together in co-operative efforts
-
Make decisions
about others
-
Entertain
or perform for enjoyment
-
Understand
people and study their behavior.
ENJOY MOST
1.
2.
3.
ENJOY LEAST
1.
2.
3.
I Want to
Work With Information
The present
time is called the "information age". Most jobs require information
retrieval and usage. Many occupations demand the development of new
information. Using information can take many forms. You can
analyze, maintain and explain data. You can interpret ideas.
You can learn facts and prepare reports. Check those ways that you
would like to use information. Add other ways.
-
Develop and discuss
ideas and theories
-
Make decisions
based on definite rules and measurements
-
Explain/interpret
ideas and concepts
-
Use materials/equipment
in work, e.g., computers, wall charts, overhead projectors, blueprints,
etc.
-
Work with survey
data or other information on public opinion
-
Conduct investigations
and research
-
Work with documents
and records.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
PREFERENCES
Satisfaction
with your job often comes from a compatibility of other factors meeting
your needs. In the following exercise, look at the elements of lifestyle
in a geographic area.
Location: e.g.,
rural, small town, large metropolitan center, climate, safety/security
of neighborhood, accommodation/amenities: e.g., close to work, family,
sports complex, continuing education programs.
Other Interests:
e.g., starting own business, opportunity for civic/volunteer work.
Describe your
preferences for the job and organization, e.g., size of organization, amount
of bureaucracy, challenge, responsibility, shift work, travel on job, and
prestigious job, nature of physical surroundings, amount of personal work
space and equipment provided, training/personal development programs, feedback
from supervisors, contact with co-workers, financial compensation, no/minimal
relocation, type of technology in use, dress code, etc.
Links to
More Information
Explanation
of Holland's RAISEC Codes
http://www.ksu.edu/acic/career/holland/hcode.html
Career Information,
Interest Assessment, Job Listing Sites
JobHuntersBible.com
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/counseling.shtml
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