MANAGING YOUR CAREER

 TA K I N G O W N E R S H I P F O R Y O U R O W N
CAREER

 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 T O 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
PLACE.

SPEAKER: C A R O L E E VA N S , R I G 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.
WORK AND CAREERS IN THE 21ST
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 of the Cultural change & new Process change & Outsourcing &
pyramid, delayering ways of working efficiency drives consultancy

& downsizing

Customer focus.
Mergers, Empowerment,
Ever increasing Short term
acquisitions & responsibility &
customer demands contracts &
creation of ownership/stakeholders
& expectations portfolio working
new industries
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  Employees are often part of a

manager above and responsible team, responsible for the team
for others below results
(if a manager)

 Jobs were located in a particular  Work is cross-functional,

department or functional area performed for many departments
at one time
 Jobs had specific responsibilities
outlined  Work defies definition; usually
in a formal job description multiple tasks; job title may stay
the same but the responsibilities
change frequently
 Career path was well-defined, a
career ladder  Career paths, if there are any
today, are 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 do it  Today’s managers support and
empower their employees to
determine what to do and how to
do it
 Managers controlled or at least
influenced job progress
 Each of us must self-manage our
careers; managers may not be
around to assist us as in the past
 Large corporations were stable,
paid well, had good benefits
 It’s too hard to predict the long-
term 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.

WORK AND CAREERS IN THE 21ST
C E N T U RY

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 values Employers
values

I Want Employers
Want

Organisations and individuals both have values which drive what

they both want and offer.
WORK AND CAREERS IN THE 21ST
C E N T U RY

CAREER MANAGEMENT

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.
CHANGE & TRANSITION

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

THE CASE FOR CAREER ASSESSMENT

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 LU 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 LU 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?
INTERESTS

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. 445074378.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
play445074378.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.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS &
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?
YOUR STRENGTHS
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

SKILLS & ABILITIES

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.
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS & STRENGTHS

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.
YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
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.
MANAGE YOUR CAREER

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

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY CAREER

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
CAREER

Career Health Check

DEVELOP CAREER PURPOSE
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?

DEVELOP EMPLOYABLE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

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?

BE A CHANGE OPPORTUNIST
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.
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
CAREER

3. How do you demonstrate your change management commitment?

BE A HIGH PERFORMER
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?

PRACTICE CONTINUOUS LEARNING

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?

BALANCE YOUR LIFE

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?

MANAGE YOUR OWN MORALE & MOTIVATION

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
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A H E A LT H Y
CAREER

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

BE VISIBLE & MANAGE YOUR REPUTATION

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?

DEVELOP A WIDE NETWORK OF CONTACTS

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?

DEVELOP YOUR ORGANISATIONAL AWARENESS & SENSITIVITY

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 UMMARY

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
APPENDIX

ACTIVITY 1 YOUR VALUES

Achievement Employee Benefits Location Public Contact

Aesthetics Excitement Loyalty Pure Challenge

Affiliation Fast Pace Make Decisions Recognition

Alignment with Boss Friendships Minimise Stress Risk

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 Affiliation Supervision

Community Activity Influence People Physical Challenge Time Freedom

Commute Intellectual Status Power & Authority Travel

Competition Knowledge Precision Work Work Alone

Creativity Legacy Prestige Work under Pressure

Dual Careers Lifestyle Integration Profit & Gain Work with Others
APPENDIX

METHOD

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

APPENDIX

DEFINITION OF VALUES

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.
APPENDIX

DEFINITION OF VALUES

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.
APPENDIX

DEFINITION OF VALUES

Location
Live and work where I will be aff orded 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.
APPENDIX

DEFINITION OF VALUES

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
APPENDIX

ACTIVITY 2 CAREER CHAPTERS

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
APPENDIX

ACTIVITY 3 INTERESTS INVENTORY

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 1 2 3 4 5
when I
am being creative.
3 I like helping people to develop and 1 2 3 4 5
learn things.
4 I can be relied upon to do what I am 1 2 3 4 5
expected
to do.
5 I like making decisions. 1 2 3 4 5
6 I like to talk things through with 1 2 3 4 5
people.
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 1 2 3 4 5
down to
the last detail.
10 It is vital to have beautiful and 1 2 3 4 5
unusual things
around me.
11 Who I’m with is more important than 1 2 3 4 5
where I am.
12 I like exploring new ideas. 1 2 3 4 5
13 I enjoy trying to persuade and 1 2 3 4 5
influence 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 1 2 3 4 5
them.
21 I like to understand things 1 2 3 4 5
thoroughly.
22 I like expressing myself on paper, 1 2 3 4 5
through
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 1 2 3 4 5
routine.
27 I enjoy using a great deal of energy 1 2 3 4 5
and resilience.
28 I like seeing art shows, plays and 1 2 3 4 5
good films.
29 I enjoy getting people organised and 1 2 3 4 5
excited about a task.
30 I like to pay attention to what people 1 2 3 4 5
want.
31 I enjoy getting the details right in 1 2 3 4 5
my work.
32 I feel comfortable working with tools 1 2 3 4 5
and 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

APPENDIX

SCORING KEY

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 11 25 30
34 6 11
25 30
34

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.
APPENDIX

INTEREST INVENTORY INTERPRETATION

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.

APPENDIX

INTEREST INVENTORY INTERPRETATION

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.

REFLECTING
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 diff er.

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.
APPENDIX

ACTIVITY 4 IDENTIFYING YOUR STRENGTHS

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
W ere there any surprises?