Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Have You Ever Felt Like there was a Missing Link in Your Life?


By Marilyn Albert

The key to job satisfaction, ultimately success is to link your work personality to your work environment. Whether you are dissatisfied with your job, or can’t figure out what you want to be when you grow up, this session is for you.

Contrary to popular belief, the world of work is not as random as it may appear. Tire of hearing well meaning relatives who give ancient career advice from a different time and economy? Aunt Jenny’s advice about her son, your cousin once removed, may be more than you can handle right now. Nobody, knows what is in your head at this time. So, until you learn a little more about how the work world is structured, ease up on you near misses, shaky interviews, and what-was-I-thinking(?), self-talk. Not only is will this information help you in choosing a career path, it can help you stay in a job that currently isn’t a good fit by learning more about others around you.

It’s time to try and fit everything I know about career assessment in three minutes. All this information is online on NBC Channel 15 website. You can print all the documents and take a quick self-assessment within minutes. The read through the accompanied documents to sort it all out.

Let’s begin with the basics:

1. There are six different work personalities and environments.
Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. You either fit in one of three of these or you don’t. Nobody, is one perfect type, we are all a combination of three of these work personalities and work environments.

2. People can either choose an environment they are interested in working in (such as a hospital, school, tall office building in the city) and then find a job they are interested in that environment.
Example: working in a hospital. There dozens of different types of jobs in a hospital besides doctors and nurses. There are social workers, technicians, accounts, graphic artists, therapists, interpreters, etc...)

3. Or, it could be the other way around. Your personality is such that it can work in a variety of environments. Basically, the work personality chooses or creates the environment.
Example: Writer. Writers work in journalism, public relations, advertising, television, the blogosphere, etc. They work as freelance or work for a specific company.

Following are the six work personalities and work environments that all occupations fall into. Find your work personality and understand your work environment. Link this information in you educational choices, volunteer opportunities, resume, interviews and career choices. See how the world or work can change, in a good way, for you.

We won’t have time to go through all this so put the next 6 abbreviated items on the screen and I can go through the talking points. Viewers will have to go the website for the full text.

Realistic: prefers concrete problems, see the results of their labor, avoid abstract situations

Investigative: autonomous, prefers complex problems, analytical

Artistic: creative & good problem solvers, flexible, avoids structure

Social: supportive, philosophical, nurturing

Enterprising: lead, persuade, economic gain, manage, sell

Conventional: routine, organized, structure, data, repetition


The Realistic Personality Type (prefers concrete problems, avoids the abstract)
Likes to see the results of their labor and concrete problems. Sees themselves as very practical in nature. Has good skills in working with tools, mechanical drawings, machines or animals. Values practical things you can see and touch -- like plants and animals you can grow, or things you can build or make better. Prefers physical activities.

Realistic Type Work Environment (see the results of their labor)
Values people who are practical and mechanical -- who are good at working with tools, mechanical or electrical drawings, machines, or animals. Usually, excels in athletic skills and enjoys the outdoors.

Examples of occupations that have a Realistic environment are:
Farmer, Forester, Fire, Fighter
Police, Officer, Flight, Engineer, Pilot
Carpenter, Electrician, Diesel Mechanic
Athlete, Truck Driver, Locksmith


The Investigative Personality Type (autonomous)
Prefers complex problem solving and using their analytical skills. Likes to study and solve math or science problems. Has good skills at understanding and solving science and math problems. Values science, and sees self as precise, scientific, and intellectual.

Investigative Type Work Environment (prefers complex problems, analytical)
Values people who are precise, scientific, and intellectual -- who are good at understanding and solving science and math problems; as well as, complex psychological problems. They prefer a sense of autonomy (don’t fence me attitude).

Examples of occupations that have an Investigative environment are:
Chemist, Mathematician, Meteorologist
Biologist, Dentist, Physician
Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Medical Technician
Architect, Surveyor, Psychologist

The Artistic Personality Type (creative & good problem sovlers)
Prefer creative and flexible environments. Good at problem solving. Has the ability to think of things over and over again until they see things differently or can create a new way doing things. Likes engage in creative activities and values things like art, drama, crafts, dance, music, or creative writing. Has good artistic abilities in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art. Sees self as expressive, original, and independent.

Artistic Type Work Environment (flexible, avoids structure)
Values people who are expressive, original, and independent -- who have good artistic abilities in creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art.

Examples of occupations that have an Artistic environment are:
Dancer, Book Editor, Art Teacher
Clothes Designer, Graphic Designer, Comedian
Actor, Disk Jockey, Writer
Composer, Musician, Social Media Marketng


The Social Personality Type (supportive, philosophical)
Likes engage in things to help people - like teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information. Has good skills at teaching, counseling, nursing, or giving information. Values helping people and solving social problems; and, sees self as helpful, friendly, and trustworthy.

Social Type Work Environment (the process is more important than a decision)
Values people who are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy -- who are good at good at teaching, counseling, nursing, curing, giving information, and solving social problems.

Examples of occupations that have a Social environment are:
Counselor, Parole Officer, Social Worker
Dental, Hygienist, Nurse, Physical Therapist
Teacher, Librarian, Athletic Trainer


The Enterprising Personality Type (lead, persuade)
Likes to lead and persuade people, and to sell things and ideas. Good at leading people and selling things or ideas;
Values success in politics, leadership, or business; and, sees self as energetic, ambitious, and sociable.

Enterprising Type Work Environment (economic gain, manage, sell)
Values people who are energetic, ambitious, and sociable -- who are good at politics, leading people and selling things or ideas.

Examples of occupations that have a Enterprising environment are:
Auctioneer, Sales Person, Travel Agent
Recreation Leader, Judge, Lawyer
City Manager, Sales Manager, Bank President
TV Newscaster, Customs Inspector, Camp Director
Hotel Manager, Real Estate Agent, School Principal

The Conventional Personality Type (routine, organized)
Likes to work with numbers, records, or machines in a set, orderly way. Is good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way. Values success in business; and, sees self as orderly, and good at following a set plan.

Conventional Type Work Environment (structure, data, repetition)
Value people who are orderly, and good at following a set plan -- good at working with written records and numbers in a systematic, orderly way.

Examples of occupations that have a Conventional environment are:
Court Clerk, Secretary, Bookkeeper
Bank Teller, Post Office, Clerk, Mail Carrier
Typist, Title Examiner, Computer Programmer

References:
Making Vocational Choices, John J. Holland.
Dictionary of Holland A Occupations Codes, Gary D. Gottfredson, John J. Holland.