(Part 2)
Finding the perfect career is an extremely personal journey. Each of us has our own internal model of what is important, meaningful and interesting in our work life. Some need to express their highest ideals and others simply want to find something they enjoy doing.
What is clear from research and opinion polling, however, is that for most of us a paycheck is not a significant enough motivation for career satisfaction. So how do you find that job that not only pays the bills but also fuels your passions and gives you a renewed enthusiasm for your work-life?
Career assessment is a wonderful tool to foster exploration and provoke discussion about career alternatives.
The original concept of career assessment was theorized by Frank Parsons in his book “Choosing a Vocation” in 1909. His contribution to career development later became the foundation for one of the foremost assessment tests referred to as trait and factor. “The term trait refers to a characteristic of an individual that can be measured through testing. Factor refers to a characteristic that is required for successful job performance”. According to his theory, when the trait and factor match, then a successful career has been chosen.
Parsons relied on interviewing clients on several different areas of their lives since there were no standardized tests early on. He would start with an inquiry of what you enjoy doing (interests), then ask how well you do it (aptitudes and achievements) and finally he would talk through aspects of your life that were important to you (values). All of this would then conclude with a thorough discovery of your personality. Once all these traits were organized, then careers were matched according to the obvious factors.
Today, a wide variety of sophisticated approaches can be used to assess everything from personality typing (Myers-Briggs) to work environment (Values Testing), to family work history (Career Genogram). Each of these tests can give you definitive answers on suitable careers and clear insight into what will make you the happiest at work.
Although self-assessment testing is referred to as the first and most crucial step in career selection, the understanding of particular occupations is also very important. Specifically, it is valuable to know requirements for success, compensation, advancement opportunities and work culture. The more you know about a particular job, the better you can forecast if this is the right career for you.
Here are some additional thoughts if you are considering going back to work, changing jobs, or just want to investigate work options.
• Talk to a career counselor or coach. When considering a new career, often you just need a fresh perspective and someone to listen with an open mind.
• Research a job through informational interviewing. Call a company that specializes in the career you are thinking about and ask as many questions as possible. Go in and see someone in personnel.
• Shadow. Spend the day with someone who is already doing what you are thinking about. The reality of the day-to-day operations may give you a new point of view on that particular job.
• Take a class. NYU, Fairfield University, Norwalk Community College and Darien Public Schools all offer continuing education courses in a variety of subjects from how to become a published author to starting your own business.
• Spend some time on the World Wide Web. Get a realistic picture of incomes and job requirements. Here are some website you may not know about:
Onet – #1 site for occupational information – hosted by the Department of Labor
Women@Work Network - women returning to the workplace who are still concerned with balancing family priorities
Idealist.Org - job placement in the not for profit segment
• Try Vocation/Vocations, a company that enables you to “test drive your dream job”. They will set you up in the actual drivers seat of any number of hundreds of professions. For one to three days you will experience total immersion in the career of your choice. You can experience life as a country singer, run your own Bed & Breakfast or be a sports announcer.
Career selection is really both an art and a science. It is well worth taking the time to contemplate all of your options. Dream jobs really do exist, you just have to find the one that works best for you.
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