My Perfect Career

How to Choose the Right Career for You!How to Choose the Right Career for You!

Nancy Stubblefield, M.Ed.Nancy Stubblefield, M.Ed.Academic AdvisorAcademic Advisor

University College Advising CenterUniversity College Advising Center615-898-2339615-898-2339

2 Approaches to Career Planning

Traditional Approach• Passive, haphazard. Others choose the major for you or you just end up by

chance with a major. A part time job in school or first job out of college determines the direction your career takes. External circumstances are the main determinants - just go with the flow.

Take Charge Approach• You decide what you want your life to be. Choose the major and career

that will allow you to shape your life in the way you’d like and select jobs in keeping with your career choice. Active. Under your control to a great extent. You develop the plan.

FOCUS II is a key step to implementing a “Take Charge Approach”

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While In College: Fewer transfers & switching of majors Graduate on time More motivated & goal focused Higher academic achievement After Graduation: Better entry job with higher income More satisfied with the chosen career fieldLess career change, faster career advancement

(America’s Career Research Network Association-US Dept Education.)

Advantages For Students Who Have A Career Plan

Six Steps to Career Success

The Career Success Plan: Preparing for future career goals:

•ASSESSING your interests, values and skills•EXPLORING your career options and academic majors•BUILDING your job-search skills•EXPERIMENTING by gaining related experience•IMPLEMENTING your plan•PRACTICING life-long career management

Planful Decision Making

Weigh Evidence

GatherInformation

Identify Alternatives

Review DecisionAnd Consequences

Take Action

Choose AmongAlternatives

Identify Decision to be Made

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Focus Self Assessments

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Work Interest Profile

R I A S E C

Also known as Holland’s Theory because it was developed by Dr. John Holland beginning in the early 1950’s and is the basis for many of the career assessment instruments today.

Organizing Career Information

1. Most people can be categorized as one of six personality types - RIASEC.

2. There are six environments - RIASEC.

3. People search for environments that will let them exercise their skills and abilities, express their attitudes and values, and take on agreeable problems and roles.

4. A person’s behavior is determined by an interaction between his/her personality and the characteristics of the environment. P x E = Fit

Realistic

• frank• genuine• honest• thrifty• persistent• modest• practical• shy• natural• sensible

People who have athletic ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors.

Described as:

Investigative

• analytical• cautious• complex• critical • curious• pessimistic• precise• rational• quiet• logical

People who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate, or solve problems.

Described as:

Artistic

People who have artistic, innovative, or intuitional abilities, and like to work in unstructured situations, using their imagination or creativity.

• complicated • emotional• idealist• imaginative• nonconforming• original• expressive• disorderly• impulsive• creative• open

Described as:

Social

People who like to work with people - to inform, enlighten, help, train, develop or cure them or are skilled with words.

• cooperative• friendly• idealistic• social• sympathetic• tactful• warm/kind • understanding• helpful• responsible• patient

Described as:

Enterprising

• adventurous• energetic• outgoing• ambitious• sociable• self-confident• attention-getting• optimistic

People who like to work with people - influencing, persuading, performing, leading, or managing for organizational goals or economic gain.

Described as:

Conventional

People who like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carrying things out in great detail or following through on other’s instructions.

• careful• conforming• efficient• orderly• practical• thrifty• unimaginative

Described as:

Work Interest Profile Summary

Look at your Focus Work Interest Profile which will be similar to this one:

What is your 3-letter Code? (highest three)

Ex: E – C - S

About Your Code …

• Congruency – is the degree agreement between a person and an occupation (environment).

• Consistency – Codes closer to each other on the hexagon are more similar than those farther apart. Consistency has to do with the relationship between the first two letters of a code.

• Commonness - Some combinations of codes are more common while others are more rare

• Differentiation – Are two or three of the six areas higher (more distinctive) than the other areas?

Levels of Consistency

• Moderate or Medium level of consistency - the first 2 letters are alternate on the hexagon (e.g. RA)

• Low level of consistency - the first 2 letters are opposite on the hexagon (e.g. RS)

• High level of consistency - the first 2 letters are adjacent (e.g. RC)

Commonness

Some people have unusual code combinations that are not often found in their peer group, and combinations that link only to a few occupational alternatives.

Some combinations of codes are more common while others are more rare (e.g. AC or CA are rare).

Help with Rare Codes

• Look at occupations using only one or two letters of your code, instead of three.

• If the score of your 4th code is close, consider using it as one of your three.

• Review the description of the six areas. What do you think are your top three?

• Look up majors and/or occupations that sound interesting. What is the code listed for them? Take that code and look up others.

Work Interest Examples

Top Example: ASE are highest and fairly differentiated; all scores are low; ASE are all next to each other (consistent); Look at A & S with third being E,C or R.

Bottom Example: ARS are highest (differentiated); Other than A, all scores are low; R and S are opposites. Would look at Artistic occupations. Note: If Artistic had much less interest, it might be helpful to see an advisor.

Work Interest Examples

Top Example: EC are highest (differentiated); Other than E, all scores are low; ECS are all next to each other (consistent). Look at Enterprising occupations with some consideration for Conventional.

Bottom Example: ASR; A & S next to each other (consistent), R opposite. All areas have strong interest. Look at Artistic and Social occupations.

Next Steps

1. Use the “Narrow and Refine Results” option.

2. Explore Occupations and/or Industries.

3. Compare two occupations.

4. As you review, you will have the option of saving the occupation. This will show in your Career Portfolio.

5. You can add and remove items from the Career Portfolio.

Finally!

Use this as a spring-board for further research and exploration.

If you have a rare code or other concerns with your results, you may want to see an adviser. • Undeclared Majors = University

College Advising Center• Declared Majors = Career

Development Center