Work and Careers in the 21St Century

M A N A G I N G Y OU R C A R E E R

. TA K I N G O W N E R S H I P F O R Y O U R O W N C A R E E R

. U N D E R S TA N D I N G Y O U R S K I L L S , M O T I VAT I O N S A N D N E E D S A N D H O W Y O U I N T E G R AT E T H E S E I N Y O U R C H O S E N C A R E E R / O R G A N I S AT I O N

. A LT E R N AT I V E WAY S TO D E V E L O P Y O U R E M P L O YA B I L I T Y O U T S I D E T H E W O R K P L A C E .

S P E A K E R : C A R O L E E VA N S , R IG H T C O U T T S

The Appendices attached to this presentation document can be completed prior to attending the seminar. I would encourage you to attempt these exercises – they shouldn’t take too long – so that you can gain maximum benefit from the seminar.

W O R K A N D C A R E E R S I N T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U RY

Over recent years we have seen unprecedented change in organisations, which has transformed work and career possibilities. There are some key drivers for change in the wider world of work. Some of these may have impacted already on you, others may do so in the future.

 Globalisation

 Competitiveness

 New Technologies

 Demographic Change

 Environmental & Political Concerns

These changes have had a major impact on career and work patterns. Some of these may be familiar to you.

Restructuring, the flattening Cultural change & Process change Outsourcing & of the pyramid, new ways of & efficiency consultancy delayering working drives & downsizing

Customer focus. Mergers, Empowerment, Short term acquisitions & responsibility & Ever increasing contracts & creation of ownership/stakehol customer portfolio new industries ders demands working & expectations

O L D PA R A D I G M S N E W PA R A D I G M S

 Employees were responsible to a manager  Employees are often part of a team, above and responsible for others below responsible for the team results (if a manager)

 Jobs were located in a particular  Work is cross-functional, performed for department or functional area many departments at one time

 Jobs had specific responsibilities outlined  Work defies definition; usually multiple in a formal job description tasks; job title may stay the same but the responsibilities change frequently

 Career path was well-defined, a career  Career paths, if there are any today, are ladder more like a lattice (XXX) where moves are made diagonally and horizontally in an organisation

 Work hard, be rewarded, keep your job  There are no guarantees for those who work hard and do a good job; sometimes they are rewarded, sometimes downsized anyway

 You don’t have to like your job, just do it  You must demonstrate your value to the organisation in each situation in which you find yourself

 Managers told you what to do and how to  Today’s managers support and empower do it their employees to determine what to do and how to do it

 Managers controlled or at least influenced  Each of us must self-manage our careers; job progress managers may not be around to assist us as in the past

 Large corporations were stable, paid well,  It’s too hard to predict the long-term had good benefits stability of any company these days; some of the biggest losses of jobs have occurred at major corporations. The greatest increase in new jobs is in small companies

Their “7 Key Trends” for the UK in the future, are as follows:

1. The new economy - fast growth, due to continuing globalisation, importance of technology and better economic management (though usual cycles and black spots) Also more radical transformation of jobs to fuel the ‘knowledge economy’.

2. The relationship economy - greater and greater importance of interpersonal relationships in work, with distance, culture issues etc.

3. The fulfilment economy - most jobs will become more fulfilling (if stressful). Through stimulation, creativity, independence, and achievement.

4. The all-age economy - people will start earlier (to fund education) and finish later though their mix & match leisure in a variety of ways at different times.

5. The outsourced workplace - this will enter an even more radical phase with all non-core business outsourced to organisations.

6. The self-managed workplace - people will manage their own work more and operate more like self-employed people.

7. The consumerist workplace - as customer expectations rise, their values will invade the workplace even more.

You need to consider what all this means for you.

Career theorists talk in terms of the ‘psychological contract’, or, in layman’s terms, the (often unspoken) deal between employer and employee. The old ‘psychological contract’ simply stated that if you did your job reasonably well, you would have a job for life.

The new ‘psychological contract’ is about a different type of relationship. Job security can no longer be guaranteed. Instead, the employer will need to offer other things to ensure the commitment and performance of its employees.

Employees themselves will have different set of needs and expectations which will need to be satisfied in return for high performance.

Think of this in terms of your own ‘psychological contract’ with your potential organisations.

In her book Strike a New Career Deal, Carole Pemberton represents this relationship using the Alignment Model. An adaptation is shown below:

I Offer Employers Offer

ALIGNMENT My Employer values s values

I Want Employers Want

Organisations and individuals both have values which drive what they both want and offer.

C A R E E R M A N A G E M E N T

As you can see, we need to self manage our careers in the changing work environment of today. Career management is for life, not just during transition.

What must you do to succeed? A positive outlook will do more than carry through this transition and beyond. It will be the bedrock of your campaign and, ultimately, the reason you succeed.

How do you manage a successful job search campaign? Begin at the beginning by sizing up your strengths and how you do your best work, clarifying your objectives and preparing a dynamic presentation. Then plan how you’ll market yourself and start building a network of contacts. Finally, polish your interview and negotiating skills. Be thorough and persistent in your efforts.

These seven common sense steps have led to a successful and satisfying career transition for thousands of individual candidates, and they will do the same for you. Remember: 1. Take a personal inventory - Identify past successes, current strengths, overall work style and personal preferences.

2. Refine your career objective - It must be clear, focused and realistic – based firmly on your greatest strengths.

3. Make a dynamic presentation of what you offer - Your CV and self-presentation must show you at your highest level of effectiveness. It must be powerful and yet adaptable to a variety of situations.

4. Create a self-marketing strategy - A sound strategy will enable you to use your time most efficiently, and will be essential to the successful outcome of your market campaign.

5. Be thorough and persistent in managing your search - Write effective letters; conduct productive meetings and follow up on opportunities. Your commitment to implementing the plan will ensure a successful outcome.

6. Build a strong contact network - Business relationships are vital campaign resources.

7. Polish your interviewing and negotiating skills - Effective interview skills can convert opportunities into job offers. C H A N G E & T R A N S I T I O N

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change” Charles Darwin

T H E C A S E F O R C A R E E R A S S E S S M E N T

Your life to date, including everything that you have achieved during your career, will have resulted in your unique bank of talents and strengths. You may be aware of these, but we all have a tendency to modesty and to play down what we offer to the marketplace. We all offer experience, skills, knowledge, personal characteristics, attitudes and achievements.

You also have your own unique set of values and drivers. It is vital to understand these to ensure that your future career decisions are based on a sound evaluation of what motivates and satisfies you.

Remember the Alignment Model? We will look primarily at your side of the model – Your Wants and Offers.

So why spend the time to do a career stocktake?

 To ensure you know what you want

 To ensure you have all the information and evidence for an effective CV

 To make informed decisions about options and opportunities

 To ensure you have all the information and evidence to answer interview questions

No doubt you could add more

Y O U R VA L U E S A N D I N T E R E S T S

“Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get” George Bernard Shaw

It may be useful to define what we mean by values.

Values are about worth, the things we hold dear, guiding principles, standards, beliefs, things that we prize. These are often the things we are committed to and live our life by and feel bad when they are compromised.

In career transition it is important to review what motivates you at work, what matters to you most and what you need from your working environment. Some of our values may stay throughout our lives, others may change through maturity or particular experiences.

Try the Values Activity in the Appendix. Scan this list of words quickly. Definitions are shown to help you decide, though you may have your own definitions.

VA L U E S & J O B S AT I S FA C T I O N

What is the relationship between values and job satisfaction? Research has shown that:

Shared Values + Shared Interests = High Job Satisfaction

Here we are back to the Alignment model! How does this relate to your experience?

I N T E R E S T S

Interests are the things we enjoy doing, the things that give us a buzz and make us feel motivated and challenged. Ability alone is of little use without adequate interest to back it up. 02922e4a60617d4eda5a7a9ccdcfaef9.docUnfortunately, it is these interests which are sometimes sidelined or even lost in the pursuit of pleasing others, who may be pushing us in another direction.

Often our interests remain consistent throughout our lives. It is even suggested that how a child plays and the things they use in play02922e4a60617d4eda5a7a9ccdcfaef9.doc can often be indicative of the type of occupation they may be best suited to if their interests are taken in isolation.

It is essential, therefore, that we are able to articulate clearly our interests and where these lie.

Occupational interests, which link interests to possible job types, are broken down into six main categories:

P PRACTICAL - Things focus

I INVESTIGATIVE - Ideas focus

A ARTISTIC - Ideas & People focus

S SOCIAL - People focus

E ENTERPRISING - People & Data focus

O/A ORGANISATIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE - Data & Things focus

Knowing in which area your interests lie and then aligning this with your potential future roles can sometimes be a useful exercise in ascertaining how much job satisfaction you can expect to derive from them. If it is not possible for this interest to be incorporated into your work role, it can still be satisfied through activities done outside the working environment. However, it is important not to forget the link with occupational interests and job satisfaction and motivation.

Remember, just because you are good at something does not mean you are still, or ever have been, interested in that particular area. It is always healthy to challenge and explore the alignment between your interests and skills.

Try the Career Chapters and/or the Interests Inventory Activities in the Appendix.

P E R S O N A L C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S & AT T I T U D E S

Our personal traits and attitudes stem from our values and interests and these are valuable to and valued by potential employers. It is often easier for others to recognise these in us, but you should develop your awareness, so you can sell these to the market place.

Some examples of personal characteristics are:

 Optimism

 Pragmatism

 Enthusiasm

 Energy

 Commitment

These can be demonstrated in various ways e.g. Commitment

 By consistently doing a good job

 Showing diligence and taking responsibility

 Showing high levels of personal motivation and initiative

What are your most marketable personal characteristics and attitudes?

Y O U R S T R E N G T H S

Our strengths are born out of the relationship between what we do well – skills and abilities and what we enjoy – interests.

Interests Skills & Abilities

Strengths

S K I L L S & A B I L I T I E S

We all have a unique set of skills and abilities. Identifying your skills and abilities may feel like ‘blowing your own trumpet but this is no time for modesty. We have a tendency to underestimate and underplay their value, but you must learn to identify, acknowledge and describe your skills, both in writing and in meetings/interviews.

Try the Identifying your Strengths Activity in the Appendix. Alternatively your consultant will explain how to complete the Skills Analysis Grid Activity.

T R A N S F E R A B L E S K I L L S & S T R E N G T H S

Many skills and competencies are transferable from one work situation to another and you will need to be able to both identify and sell these to prospective employers.

Often we describe our skills and strengths in rather too broad terms e.g. communication – this breaks down into a whole number of sub skills e.g. speaking, writing and listening skills.

Consider this example:

Transferable skill: Managing a team (leadership)

What did I do/How did I actually do it?  Understood the motivation and drivers of each team member  Agreed challenging realistic targets and milestones for review  Explained fully to staff what was required  Praised and encouraged achievement/motivated  Ensured other parts of the organisation knew about the effectiveness of the team  Led by example rather than by dictating

As a result the team felt my management style gave them confidence, experience and development. Our team consistently achieved work targets, seeking to exceed expectations. Low turnover rate and a good staff atmosphere existed.

How could it transfer?

Clearly, this talent will apply to many situations, and it is eminently transferable. The name of the job may be different, but the skills you employ will be the same. The key to keeping yourself employable is to develop and sustain a repertoire of transferable skills.

Y O U R A C H I E V E M E N T S

Another way of discovering your unique set of skills and strengths is through analysing your achievements. Achievements can be described as your

 track record  the evidence of your competence and effectiveness  your indication of potential for success in the future

An achievement is an activity that gave you pleasure, fulfilment and a feeling of success. It may have been at work, at home, in your community. It can be large or small in scope; it can be routine or extraordinary; work related or personal. It may be something that you just think of as “part of my job”. These achievements represent you at your best, sometimes overcoming difficulties, and believing in yourself and your ideas. The key is how YOU felt and the BENEFITS you brought.

Identifying and expressing these is vitally important, in order to:

 build self-confidence  develop a clear idea of your next career step  locate the job that fits you best  communicate your effectiveness in interviews and meetings

A useful starting point is to trace back through your career and personal history to identify achievements and to see what they indicate. Try to think of two or three significant achievements for each phase. We often play down our achievements as ‘just doing our job’, but achievements represent us at our best, sometimes overcoming difficulties and believing in ourselves and our ideas.

We will look at achievements further in the CV Development session when you will have the opportunity to write some achievement statements of your own, but let us look these now in terms of helping us to pull out our strengths.

How to identify an achievement

Start by describing very simply what the problem or issue was with which you were concerned. Sometimes this will have been a task where you worked on your own, or you may have worked in a team, perhaps as project leader or with responsibility for a specific task. Then outline the actions you took and the skills you employed. Finally, describe the outcome and benefits.

Challenge/Problem What Action/Steps How you went about it Results/Benefits So What- what you did that made a difference Look at the example on the next page.

M A N A G E Y O U R C A R E E R

Career management is for life, not just for career transition!

“In order that people may be happy in their work, these things are needed: they must be fit for it, they must not do too much of it; and they must have a sense of success in it” JOHN RUSKIN 1871

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F A H E A L T H Y C A R E E R

These will enable you to take ongoing responsibility for your career and maintain your optimum performance in the ever changing world of work These characteristics reflect career management competencies, which are the things you can do to ensure that you have a healthy career. The question is ”How healthy will your career be in the future?”

The fitness analogy is a useful one. Our career is a bit like our health. We often have good intentions, but fail to sustain our efforts. As with maintaining good health, there are career maintenance activities, which keep us agile, resilient and flexible.

The following characteristics are generic, and have been developed to reflect a wide range of types & styles of organisations.

Here are the 10 Characteristics of a Healthy Career:

Develop Career Purpose Balance your Life

Develop Employable Skills Manage your own Morale & Motivation

Be a Change Opportunist Be Visible & Manage Your Reputation

Be a High Performer Develop a wide Network of Contacts

Practice Continuous Learning Develop Your Organisational Awareness & Sensitivity

T H E C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F A H E A LT H Y C A R E E R

Career Health Check

D E V E L O P C A R E E R P U R P O S E Research tells us that individuals who identify goals and have a vision of their future are more successful in achieving what they want. If you aren’t sure what you are aiming for, how will you know when you have got there? You may argue that the world is changing so much that it is better to wait and respond. It is essential to be flexible, but having some purpose and action plan focuses our efforts. There will be key career decisions you need to make along the way. Establishing what is really important will help you make the right choices for you. This includes your career motivators, values, aptitudes, preferred work style and aspirations. Know yourself and know what you want.

1. What short, medium and long-term goals are you working toward?

D E V E L O P E M P L O Y A B L E S K I L L S A N D C O M P E T E N C I E S As organisations change, so does what is required. You need an appreciation of the core employable skills as well as specialist/technical skills required for your current role and anticipate those for future opportunities. These are likely to include the competencies involved in communication, commercial awareness, customer orientation, leadership or I.T. Be honest with yourself. What are your key strengths? Where are the development gaps? Be clear about your portfolio of skills and how they are valued by the market place. It doesn’t take long for skills and knowledge to get outdated in a fast changing world.

2. How often are you using your key strengths?

What is the scope for integrating more of your key strengths?

B E A C H A N G E O P P O R T U N I S T Managing change effectively is critical to career health. Chances are that your organisation will continue to reshape itself, shifting and flexing itself to meet the threats and opportunities in the fiercely competitive environment. You will need to anticipate and embrace change rather than merely respond (or worse, react) to it. You may not like all the changes, but career opportunities can be sought when you align swiftly with new organisational needs and realities. Be nimble and show a high capacity for adjustment. Organisations want people who adapt to change.

3. How do you demonstrate your change management commitment?

B E A H I G H P E R F O R M E R Being known as a high performer will enhance your employability. You will be judged by the results you have achieved and the difference you make. Consistently achieving or exceeding targets and producing high quality work will be evidence of a high level of performance. Being able to identify your achievements and demonstrating the benefits is key. Being a high performer does not necessarily mean working longer; working smarter is the key. This is about being effective rather than efficient.

4. How do you benchmark your performance?

P R A C T I C E C O N T I N U O U S L E A R N I N G Commit to lifelong learning. It is the key to keeping your knowledge and skills up to date and to remain competitive. Be prepared to devote time to personal development and encourage others to do the same. Understand your learning style and preferences for learning. Seek learning opportunities through cross team-working, special projects and mentoring as well as more traditional routes of learning.

5. How are you keeping your knowledge and skills up to date?

B A L A N C E Y O U R L I F E Most people would agree that they are working harder than they used to, and many experience a tension between work and home demands. How can you juggle work challenges with leisure interests, family commitments and self-development activities? Working longer will not necessarily help you to work more effectively. Enjoyment and balance are essential to avoid burnout. It is vital to consider the life balance picture that suits you. What are the things you hold dear? How do you recharge your energy levels? Career health relies on your overall well-being and use of resources – physical, mental, emotional and material.

6. How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

M A N A G E Y O U R O W N M O R A L E & M O T I V A T I O N Optimism and a positive attitude are infectious; so be aware of your self-motivation and morale, as it will make an impression on others. Manage your morale by keeping things in perspective. Seek support from others and ways of boosting your self-esteem and confidence. Steer away from negative people who drain your energy

7. How in tune are you with your own levels of motivation and morale?

B E V I S I B L E & M A N A G E Y O U R R E P U T A T I O N You may be highly employable in your organisation but if those in positions of influence are unaware of your capabilities you may be overlooked for development opportunities. It is important to understand how you are seen in the organisation and raise your profile. You need to find ways of communicating what you do or what you offer. This may sound like organisational politics, but think of it in a positive way that is beneficial both to you and your organisation. Be prepared to promote yourself, selling your USPs. Don’t be tempted to undersell yourself. Maintain an up to date personal profile or CV as part of this process.

8. What is your reputation in the organisation?

When did you last review your CV?

D E V E L O P A W I D E N E T W O R K O F C O N T A C T S Your career success will be on the strength of your networking relationships – both inside and outside the organisation. Networking is something we do instinctively, though giving it a name can make it appear rather Machiavellian. Networking is reciprocal and we network to gather / supply information, to identify / share resources, to raise our profile, to co-ordinate activities and to gain support. In career terms it keeps you in touch with two vital things, people and information.

9. What is your strategy for maintaining internal & external networks?

D E V E L O P Y O U R O R G A N I S A T I O N A L A W A R E N E S S & S E N S I T I V I T Y No man is an island. Be tuned in to the organisation. Your understanding of the key business drivers, the vision, values and priorities will help you to appreciate how this drives what the organisation both wants from and offers to its employees. Your ability to align with the organisation is the key to career health.

S U M M A RY

10. How do you keep attuned to the dynamic needs and drivers of your organisation? Most Career stagnation results from inattention rather than inability. Successful people work at being successful as well as working hard. Keep the Alignment Model and your psychological contract with your organisation in mind at all times – this will ensure your ongoing employability and career health.

I Offer Employers Offer

Employers My values ALIGNMENT values

I Want Employers Want

A P P E N D I X

A C T I V I T Y 1 Y O U R V A L U E S

Achievement Employee Location Public Contact Benefits

Aesthetics Excitement Loyalty Pure Challenge

Affiliation Fast Pace Make Decisions Recognition

Alignment with Friendships Minimise Stress Risk Boss

Artistic Creativity Glass Ceiling Mobility Security

Autonomy & Global Focus Moral Affiliation Self-Realisation Independence

Change & Variety Help Others Moral Fulfilment Stability

Chaos Impact Society Multicultural Supervision Affiliation

Community Influence People Physical Time Freedom Activity Challenge

Commute Intellectual Status Power & Authority Travel

Competition Knowledge Precision Work Work Alone

Creativity Legacy Prestige Work under Pressure

Dual Careers Lifestyle Profit & Gain Work with Others Integration

A P P E N D I X

M E T H O D

1. Think carefully about what those words mean to you. Now think about those words in the context of what you want from work. 2. List the words under the following headings. You may wish to use pencil as you may change your mind. 3. When you have finished, count up to ensure you have allocated all 52 values.

Must have High wants Wants Indifference Don’t want

A P P E N D I X

D E F I N I T I O N O F V A L U E S

Achievement Work where accomplishing important things, or involvement in significant undertaking, is a priority. Aesthetics Work in a setting that reflects careful attention to an optimal environment and attractive workspace.

Affiliation Work as a member of a particular organisation where membership is a source of pride.

Alignment with Boss Work with a boss who shares my vision for achieving goals.

Artistic Creativity Work that will allow me to engage in creative work in any of several art forms.

Autonomy/Independence Work where most of it is self-determined and where there is limited direction by others.

Change and Variety Have work responsibilities that frequently change in their content and setting.

Chaos Work in a loosely defined/undefined environment, where goals and priorities are unclear.

Community Activity Live in a geographic area where the community will support my particular interests and where I can offer a significant contribution.

Commute Work within an acceptable and specific distance between home and office.

Competition Engage in work that pits my ability against others where there are clear win-lose outcomes.

Creativity Create new ideas, programmes, services or organisational structures in a work environment where a high value is placed on this asset.

Dual-Careers Work in a situation that accommodates a meaningful career opportunity for my partner.

Employee Benefits Enjoy a comprehensive insurance, and/or other benefits package that meets my personal/family needs.

A P P E N D I X

Excitement Work where I may frequently experience a high degree of exciting challenge in the normal course of my work.

Fast Pace Work in circumstances where the usual pace of activity is high.

Friendships Work where the opportunity to develop close personal relationships with people may be expected as a result of the environment or activities.

‘Glass Ceiling’ Work in an environment that encourages all groups to achieve potential to participate meaningfully at the highest levels of the organisation.

Global Focus Work in an organisation that will potentially accommodate my desire to live / work abroad.

Help Others Work where I might help others in a direct way.

Impact Society Work where I may contribute to the betterment of the world or society.

Influence People Work that allows me to affect change through a leadership role where influence, not command and control management, is the preferred style.

Intellectual Status Work where intellectual prowess or expertise is highly recognised and valued.

Knowledge Engage in the pursuit of new knowledge, learning and professional development in an organisation that demonstrates a commitment to these values.

Legacy Be remembered for a specific achievement by my colleagues, community, family or others who follow in my footsteps.

Lifestyle Integration Work that will allow me to balance family, career, and self-fulfilment.

A P P E N D I X

Location Live and work where I will be afforded a significant lifestyle opportunity to do the things I enjoy most or where other personal/family preferences may be met.

Loyalty Work where a high level of reciprocal loyalty with the organisation and my manager/leader is a stated and real organisational value.

Make Decisions Work that involves having the authority and power to decide courses of actions, policies, etc.

Minimise Stress Work in an environment with a slow steady workload.

Mobility Work where there is reasonable opportunity to relocate when new work challenges are presented.

Moral Affiliation Work with people who have similar morals, values and ethics.

Moral Fulfilment Work in an environment that significantly reflects my own moral standards.

Multi-Cultural Affiliation Work in an environment with people from a broad range of ages, cultures, or ethnic backgrounds.

Physical Challenge Work in a position that affords an opportunity to engage in physical activity.

Power and Authority Control the direction of work activities that may determine the destiny of others.

Precision Work Work in situations where there is very low tolerance for error.

Prestige Work where I may be highly visible, where I may become well known; obtain recognition and status in my chosen field.

Profit & Gain Work where a strong likelihood of accumulating large amounts of money or other material gain is one of the primary outcomes.

A P P E N D I X

Public Contact Work where extensive day-to-day contact with people within or outside the organisation is consistently part of the job.

Pure Challenge Work which requires me to overcome impossible obstacles, solve difficult problems or win over extremely tough opponents.

Recognition Work where the quality of my ideas and contributions will be recognised.

Risk Work where the consequences of success or failure are high.

Security Work where there is reasonable assurance of keeping my job for as long as needed.

Self-realisation Work that allows me to realise the full potential of my talents and that is personally challenging.

Stability Work in a routine and structured position that is largely predictable and not likely to change significantly over time.

Supervision Experience a position that involves responsibility for planning and managing the work done by others.

Time Freedom Work according to my own time schedule, with the utmost of flexibility.

Travel Work in an environment that accommodates my preference for significant job related travel.

Work Alone Work where the opportunity to complete projects by myself, without any significant amount of contact with others is the norm.

Work Under Pressure Work in a situation where time pressure is prevalent and/or the quality of good work, done within a timeframe, will be judged by supervisors, customers or others.

Work With Others Work where trusted teamwork is the common goal; where close working relationships result from collaborative efforts

A P P E N D I X

A C T I V I T Y 2 C A R E E R C H A P T E R S

Think about your career in terms of chapters or phases. Give each chapter name and put it in the top box e.g. early M&S career. Then on a scle of 0-10, put an X in the box that corresponds to your level of satisfaction in each chapter. Finally reflect on what led to that satisfaction.

CAREER SATISFACTION GRAPH

Career Chapters VERY HIGH 10 S 9 A T 8 I 7 S 6 F A 5 C 4 T I 3 O 2 N 1 NONE 0 A P P E N D I X

A C T I V I T Y 3 I N T E R E S T S I N V E N T O R Y

For each of the following statements, indicate how much you agree or disagree with the statement by circling one number from 1 to 5 where:

1=Highly disagree & 5=Highly agree

1 I like fixing and repairing things. 1 2 3 4 5 2 I like to forget about everything else when I 1 2 3 4 5 am being creative. 3 I like helping people to develop and learn 1 2 3 4 5 things. 4 I can be relied upon to do what I am expected 1 2 3 4 5 to do. 5 I like making decisions. 1 2 3 4 5 6 I like to talk things through with people. 1 2 3 4 5 7 I like learning about new things. 1 2 3 4 5 8 I like making things with my hands. 1 2 3 4 5 9 I like organising projects, ideas and down to 1 2 3 4 5 the last detail. 10 It is vital to have beautiful and unusual things 1 2 3 4 5 around me. 11 Who I’m with is more important than where I 1 2 3 4 5 am. 12 I like exploring new ideas. 1 2 3 4 5 13 I enjoy trying to persuade and influence 1 2 3 4 5 people. 14 I like asking questions. 1 2 3 4 5 15 I like to use my imagination. 1 2 3 4 5 16 I like taking risks. 1 2 3 4 5 17 I enjoy working with figures. 1 2 3 4 5 18 I like hard, physical work. 1 2 3 4 5 19 I like to be different. 1 2 3 4 5 20 I like people to do what I ask of them. 1 2 3 4 5

21 I like to understand things thoroughly. 1 2 3 4 5 22 I like expressing myself on paper, through 1 2 3 4 5 painting, music or by building things. 23 I like to work out my own answers to 1 2 3 4 5 problems. 24 I like doing things outdoors. 1 2 3 4 5 25 I enjoy being with people. 1 2 3 4 5 26 I like clear structure and regular routine. 1 2 3 4 5 27 I enjoy using a great deal of energy and 1 2 3 4 5 resilience. 28 I like seeing art shows, plays and good films. 1 2 3 4 5 29 I enjoy getting people organised and excited 1 2 3 4 5 about a task. 30 I like to pay attention to what people want. 1 2 3 4 5 31 I enjoy getting the details right in my work. 1 2 3 4 5 32 I feel comfortable working with tools and 1 2 3 4 5 machines. 33 I enjoy working on problems. 1 2 3 4 5 34 I like helping people. 1 2 3 4 5 35 I like to be given clear directions. 1 2 3 4 5 36 I like to be very fit. 1 2 3 4 5

A P P E N D I X

S C O R I N G K E Y

Add up your scores for groups of questions as follows:

GROUP QUESTIONS TOTAL SCORE

P 1 8 18 24 32 36

I 7 12 14 21 23 33 A 2 10 15 19 22 28

S 3 6 1 1 2 5 3 0 3 4 6 1 1 2 5 3 0 3 4

E 5 13 16 20 27 29

O/A 4 9 17 26 31 35

Now rank your scores from the highest to the lowest. Take your three highest scores and note them below. These represent your three major interest types.

SCORE GROUP Highest Second highest Third highest

Now look at the next page at the “Interest Inventory Interpretation” to find out which are your main interest group types and what this may say about you. A P P E N D I X

I N T E R E S T I N V E N T O R Y I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

P - Practical: Things Focus

These people like to work with tools, objects, machines or animals. They like to develop manual, mechanical, agricultural and electronic skills. They like jobs which involve building and repairing things. They like using their hands. They use their bodies skillfully more than words, thoughts or feelings. They admire physical co- ordination, strength, agility and logic. They like being outdoors and dealing with concrete problems. They tend to be down to earth and matter of fact. They solve problems by DOING

I - Investigative: Ideas Focus

These people enjoy using their minds. They tend to be curious, studious, independent, intellectual, sometimes unconventional, and introspective. They like to develop skills in maths, biology and physical sciences. They like scientific and medical jobs. They like thinking through problems, trusting their own minds more than other people and things. They admire logic, use insight, enjoy intellectual challenges. They solve problems by

THINKING

A - Artistic: Ideas and People Focus

These people like to feel free from routine. They like to develop skills in language, art, music, drama and writing. They trust their minds, bodies and feelings, being more suspicious of things. They enjoy beauty, unstructured activity, variety, interesting and unusual sounds, sights, textures and people. They tend to be creative, talented and freewheeling, often non-conformist, sensitive, independent, introspective and expressive. They like jobs where they use their creative skills. They solve problems by being

CREATIVE

S – Social – People Focus

These people live through their feelings. Relying on gut reactions, they like activities that involve informing, training, teaching, understanding and helping others. They develop skills for working with people. They tend to be helpful, friendly, concerned leaders, sensitive, supportive, responsible, perceptive, genuine, tactful, empathetic. They enjoy being close to people, sharing problems, being in charge, unstructured activities. They like jobs such as teaching, nursing, and counselling. They solve problems by using their FEELINGS. A P P E N D I X

I N T E R E S T I N V E N T O R Y I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

Enterprising: People and Data Focus These people love projects. They like leading and influencing people, are often ambitious, outgoing, energetic, self-confident, independent, enthusiastic, sensitive, and logical. They develop skills to lead, motivate, and persuade people. They enjoy organising, managing variety, status, power and money. They solve problems by RISKING themselves and others.

Organisational/Administrative: Data and Things Focus These people enjoy orderliness and clear routines. They like activities that encourage organising information in a clear and logical way. They tend to be responsible, dependable, careful, logical, and accurate. They have an eye for detail. They enjoy order, security and certainty, identifying with power and status. They develop office and arithmetical skills. They like jobs involving systems, operating computers and word processors. They often like working in large organisations. They solve problems by following ROUTINES.

R E F L E C T I N G

What does that mean for you? First, don’t jump to conclusions! This is only one bit of analysis, and the information, though generally true for groups of people (i.e., people of Type E will tend to do and like the things mentioned), individuals differ.

But what this analysis should do is to prompt you to start thinking along the lines of “what job would really suit me?” It may be that your primary concern is to get any job that you are qualified for, but this is a good opportunity – perhaps the best you will ever get – to think of what you really want. So, don’t make your mind up yet, but keep in mind what the Interest Inventory may have told you about yourself. A P P E N D I X

A C T I V I T Y 4 I D E N T I F Y I N G Y O U R S T R E N G T H S

1. Place an X in the INTEREST column to indicate which of the following activities you really enjoy. 2. Place an X in the ABILITY column to indicate your strongest abilities. 3. Highlight anywhere your interest and ability overlap. 4. Mark your top 3 strengths.

Interest Activities Ability Research Analysis Interpretation Problem-solving Budgeting Planning Process Management Leadership Decision-making Follow through Mentoring Innovation Imagination Vision Project Management Empathy Listening Written Presentation Verbal Presentation Negotiation Initiative Flexibility Team working Facilitating Installing Operating

Were there any surprises?