In considering for a job, what would you look for? Many would say salary, prospects for promotion, or even prestige. However, some psychologists believe that one should also consider one’s own personality and personal values before one hastens into a decision about jobs that you think would suit you. In this section, presented to you are work-related personality characteristics, and different values that are associated with work.
A computerized version of the Interests and Skills Assessment can help you learn more about your strengths and abilities which can be served a source of reference when you develop your career path. Based on John Holland's Theory of Vocational Development which maintains that people can be loosely classified into six personality categories:
There is an association between a person’s general tendencies, skills or abilities, and preferences or interests. For example, a Realistic type person is practical (general tendency) is also good at hands-on jobs (skills) and at the same time prefers to do manual work (preference) than perhaps work that requires a lot of imagining.
Categories need not be mutually exclusive. A practical person can do tasks which require mental effort.
Types of studies and careers can also be sorted into these same categories. For example, field biology would involve elements both in the Realistic and Investigative personalities, whereas, mathematics would involve more more of the latter.
This assessment will help you learn about which of the six areas tend to relate to your skills. Next, you can look at fields of study and careers that may be consistent with your abilities. Implicit in this exercise is that one is more likely to be satisfied with career choices that are consistent with one’s skills, interests, and values.
Be reminded that this is not a standardised test that has been validated for validity or reliability. The results, however, can be seen as guidelines that may help you identify important skills and interests and become more aware of how these are related to fields of study and career options.
Links
Skills and Interests assessment at CAIO
This values assessment exercise is devised to help you learn more about your work values. It may help you to clarify and discover more about the values you think are important. You may use this information as you proceed to pursue a course of study or to find a career of your choice. There are 8 major values that people consider when they look for or evaluate their job. They are:
Begin by exploring your top 2 to 3 values to learn more about how they relate to your tentative academic and career plans. Note that interpreting the scores is not a strait forward business, you may want to share your scores with a career counsellor to explore more in-depth your values and the the study or work paths that are consistent with them.
Be reminded that this is not a standardised test that has been validated for validity or reliability. So obtaining a score will not indicate how you are measured against a norm. There are no right or wrong answers nor do higher scores indicate a better person or performance. The results, however, can be seen as guidelines that may help you identify important values and become more aware of related college majors and career options.
Links
Values assessment at CAIO
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