When planning out your career path, it is helpful to learn ...



When planning out your career path, it is helpful to learn about yourself – who you are, how you like to work, what is important to you in your career. This exercise will help you explore your interests, values and personal style (or personality).

interests

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This questionnaire will help you identify your Holland Code, which is a set of three interest categories that are most appealing to you from a career perspective. Knowing your interests can help you identify career paths that you might find most satisfying. Please check off the following activities that are most of interest to you (as many as you like):

R

farming/gardening

auto mechanics

carpentry

building things

fixing electrical appliances

driving a truck

I

math

astronomy

physics

doing puzzles

building working models

doing experiments

A

being in a play

drawing or painting

learning a foreign language

going to concerts

creative writing

playing an instrument

S

studying foreign culture

community service

teaching children

helping people

making new friends

belonging to a club

E

socializing at a party

working on a sales campaign

buying materials for a store

selling a product

being with leaders

giving speeches

C

word processing (on computer)

using a cash register

typing reports

following a budget

keeping detailed reports

filing letters and reports

Add up the number of checkmarks in each letter category. The three top categories will make up your Holland Code (i.e., SEA).

your code:                  

*If you find that you have a tie and that none of the interest groups stands out as particularly strong, this simply means that you have a wide variety of interests. You may find that careers from a number of groups appeal to you.

Here are some descriptions of the different interest categories as well as some possible career opportunities that exist within OFG. Please note that these lists only include a selection of options to get you started in thinking about your career path – it is not intended as an exclusive list.

|R - realistic |S - social |

|These individuals tend to be physically strong, athletic and well |These individuals tend to be good communicators, understanding and |

|coordinated. They enjoy building or repairing things, working with |helpful. They enjoy working with others, particularly being able to |

|machines and being outdoors. |make a positive impact. |

| | |

|food clerk (a number of departments) |food clerk (all departments) |

|warehouse clerk |cashier |

|receiver |manager (working with people) |

|department manager (more hands-on) |human resources assistant/specialist |

|I - investigative |E - enterprising |

|These individuals are scientific, curious, introspective and |These individuals thrive on challenge, competition and leadership. |

|analytical. They enjoy building on their expertise, working |They enjoy persuading others, meeting new contacts and achieving |

|independently to advance intellectual ideas. |personal and business goals. |

| | |

|corporate brands – product development |manager (selling) |

|quality assurance specialist |buyer |

|IT - programmer/analyst/project manager |merchandising specialist |

|resource protection officer or investigator |customer product manager/merchandiser |

|A - artistic |C - conventional |

|These individuals are often expressive, innovative, and sensitive. |These individuals prefer organized, calm environments with routine |

|They enjoy creative interests, trying new things and expressing |tasks. They enjoy being able to find practical, efficient solutions |

|themselves through their work (artistically). |to problems, working in stable, secure environments. |

| | |

|merchandising manager (designing displays) |cashier |

|marketing coordinator |office clerk/manager |

|communications specialist |accountant |

|photographer |treasury services representative |

There are a number of other career paths available within OFG. Check out the office organization chart or retail success paths for more information. Knowing what your interests are will help you to determine if one of these careers is a good fit for you.

Understanding what is important to you in your workplace is key to ensuring your career satisfaction. If your career and your values are consistent with one another, you are more likely to be happy in your job.

In the table below, read the description of each value and rate how important this value is to you in your career and how well your current or desired job meets this value (scale of 0-5, where 0 is non existent and 5 is to a large extent). The closer these scores are to each other, the more likely you will feel that your job is meeting your needs.

|career anchor and description |importance |match to job |

|security/stability | | |

|You prefer steady, predictable work and a long-term employment relationship. You strongly |      |      |

|identify with the company you work for and gain satisfaction from belonging to this | | |

|organization. | | |

|autonomy/independence | | |

|You have a need to do things your own way; although you will work to achieve organizational |      |      |

|goals and objectives, you will want to decide how this is to be done. You prefer to work | | |

|autonomously and enjoy being able to chart your own path. | | |

|technical/functional competence | | |

|You are motivated by being able to apply your talents at work and by being regarded as an |      |      |

|expert by others. It is important to you that your job remain challenging, otherwise you may | | |

|become bored. Once you find your area of specialty, you will want to continue working within | | |

|this area. | | |

|managerial competence | | |

|You are motivated by career advancement, achieving higher levels of responsibility within the |      |      |

|company. Rather than seeking out an area of specialization, you prefer to have a breadth of | | |

|knowledge about several functional areas and to be an expert instead in the overall business. | | |

|entrepreneurial creativity | | |

|You have a need for creative challenges, and enjoy the opportunity to create or shape your own |      |      |

|business, department or product. You are motivated by having ownership over the area you work | | |

|in and by having it become self-sufficient and successful. | | |

|sense of service/dedication to a cause | | |

|You enjoy working in a job where you can directly serve, support or contribute to the |      |      |

|well-being of others. You enjoy making a difference through your work; this sense of helping | | |

|others is more motivating to you than the monetary rewards of your job. | | |

|pure challenge | | |

|You are motivated by challenge, by being able to overcome anything or anybody. You enjoy |      |      |

|solving problems, making sales, beating competitors and surpassing targets or standards. It is| | |

|important to you to have variety in your work, as these diverse tasks help you to develop your | | |

|competencies. | | |

|lifestyle integration | | |

|You are less motivated by what you do at work than by what you do outside of work. This does |      |      |

|not mean that you are not interested in a meaningful career, but it will be important for you | | |

|to have flexibility so that you can balance your family, friends, hobbies and other outside | | |

|activities with your work. | | |

The following exercise will help you to determine your personality type. Your type will help you learn more about how you like to work, and what types of work you are likely to find rewarding.

For each of the questions, please select the answer which best describes you. At the end of the exercise, we will help you tally your scores to identify your personality type.

1. At a party do you:

a) Socialize with many people, including those who are new to you

b) Socialize with a few people, preferring ones you have met before

2. Do you describe yourself as:

a) Realistic

b) Philosophical

3. Are you more interested in:

a) Facts

b) Similes

4. Do you place more emphasis on:

a) Being fair minded

b) Being kind hearted

5. Do you tend to be more:

a) Unemotional

b) Sympathetic

6. Do you prefer to work:

a) With a deadline in mind

b) With fluid timelines and schedules

7. When making decisions, are you:

a) Fairly careful

b) Somewhat impulsive

8. In a social setting, do you:

a) Stay late, getting more energized as the event goes on

b) Leave early, finding the experience more draining

9. Do you believe that you are more:

a) Sensible

b) Reflective

10. Are you more compelled by:

a) Hard data or facts

b) Complex ideas

11. Do you find it easier to be:

a) Fair

b) Nice

12. When you meet someone new are you:

a) Distant and detached

b) Engaging and friendly

13. Do you tend to be more:

a) Punctual

b) Leisurely

14. Does it bother you more to have things:

a) Incomplete

b) Complete

15. Among friends, do you find that you:

a) Keep up-to-date on what is happening

b) Fall behind on news

16. Are you more interested by:

a) Specifics

b) Concepts

17. Do you prefer authors who:

a) Say what they mean

b) Use analogies to illustrate their point

18. Is your natural style to be more:

a) Impartial

b) Compassionate

19. When decision making, are you more likely to be:

a) Impersonal

b) Emotional

20. Do you prefer to:

a) Get things settled

b) Keep your options open

21. Are you more:

a) Quick to agree to a time

b) Hesitant to agree to a time

22. When you call someone on the phone, do you:

a) Improvise

b) Rehearse what you’d like to say

23. Do you believe that facts:

a) Stand alone

b) Need interpretation

24. Do you prefer working with:

a) Practical data

b) Abstract ideas

25. Do you find that you are more:

a) Cool headed

b) Warm hearted

26. Would you rather be known as:

a) More just than merciful

b) More merciful than just

27. Are you more comfortable:

a) Planning timelines

b) Postponing

28. Do you prefer to make:

a) Written agreements

b) Handshake agreements

29. When in social situations, do you:

a) Initiate conversations

b) Wait for someone to talk to you

30. Do you believe that traditional common sense is:

a) Fairly trustworthy

b) Misleading

31. Would you say that children need to be more:

a) Practical

b) Imaginative

32. Would others characterize you as:

a) Tough minded

b) Tender hearted

33. Is your tendency to be more:

a) Firm

b) Gentle

34. Are you more likely to keep things:

a) Planned

b) Open-ended

35. Do you place more importance on things being:

a) Defined – “That’s just the way it is.”

b) Variable – “It depends…”

36. Do you find interactions with others to be:

a) Stimulating

b) Overwhelming

37. Do you find yourself to be more:

a) Practical

b) Theoretical

38. Which of the two ideas is more attractive to you:

a) Perception what is

b) Conception of what could be

39. Which do you find more satisfying:

a) To discuss an issue thoroughly

b) To arrive at agreement on an issue

40. Which guides you more in making decisions:

a) Your head

b) Your heart

41. Are you more comfortable working on a:

a) Contract

b) Casual basis

42. Do you prefer for things to be:

a) Neat and orderly

b) Optional

43. Do you prefer to have:

a) Many friends with shorter interactions

b) Fewer friends with longer interactions

44. Would you prefer to have:

a) Substantial information

b) Credible assumptions

45. Do your interests lie in:

a) Production

b) Research

46. Do you find you are more comfortable being:

a) Objective

b) Personal

47. Do you value being:

a) Unwavering

b) Devoted

48. Are you more comfortable with:

a) Final statements

b) Tentative statements

49. Are you more comfortable:

a) After a decision has been made

b) Before a decision has been made

50. Do you:

a) Find it easy to speak with people you do not know

b) Have difficulty making conversation with people you do not know

51. Are you usually more interested in:

a) A particular situation

b) A general case

52. Do you feel more:

a) Practical

b) Innovative

53. Which of the two do you find more appealing:

a) Logic and reason

b) Feelings and emotions

54. Do you find yourself to be more:

a) Fair

b) Sympathetic

55. Do you believe it is preferable to:

a) Plan out all the details

b) Just let things happen

56. Do you have a tendency to:

a) Get things decided

b) Put off making a decision

57. When the phone rings, do you:

a) Rush to get to it first

b) Hope someone else will answer first

58. Do you prefer to have a:

a) Strong sense of reality

b) Good imagination

59. Do you find yourself more interested in:

a) Fundamentals

b) Implications

60. In when making a decision, do you tend to be more:

a) Neutral

b) Charitable

61. Do you think of yourself as:

a) Clear headed

b) Good natured

62. Are you more likely to:

a) Schedule your plans

b) Be spontaneous

63. Would others describe you as:

a) Preferring routine

b) Go with the flow

64. Do you tend to be:

a) Approachable

b) Reserved

65. Which of the following is more fun for you:

a) Hands-on work

b) Blue-sky dreaming

66. What type of writing do you prefer:

a) Literal

b) Figurative

67. Would you say that you are:

a) Unbiased

b) Compassionate

68. Do you feel that it is more important to be:

a) Just

b) Lenient

69. Are you more likely to:

a) Make a snap judgement

b) Delay making judgement

70. Is your tendency to be more:

a) Deliberate

b) Spontaneous

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Record your responses to each question in the table below and total the number of responses for each number (1-8). Please note that there are two columns for numbers 3-8, so please add together your totals for both columns to reach your final score.

| |a |

|Like interactive environments |Like quiet, private space for concentration |

|Impatient with long projects |Comfortable with long-term projects |

|Develop ideas through discussion |Develop ideas alone through reflection |

|Like group and team activities |Like to work alone, occasionally in groups |

|Breadth of interests - variety |Depth of interests - similarity |

|“What You See Is What You Get” |“Still Waters Run Deep” |

|Sensing |INtuitive |

|Gather information via the five senses |Gather information via the sixth sense |

|Concerned with present realities |Concerned with future possibilities |

|Proceed step-by-step or piece-by-piece |Proceed in burst of energy |

|Enjoy applying perfected skills |Enjoy the challenge of learning |

|Prefer routine with minor improvements |Prefer change, sometimes radical |

|Practical |Innovative |

|Precise |General |

|Literal |Figurative |

|Trust experience |Trust inspiration |

|Accounting and Mechanics |Science and Computers |

|“See the Trees” - Detail |“See the Forest” - Big Picture |

|Thinking |Feeling |

| Decide by objective, impersonal analysis | Decide by impact on people/values |

|Detached and firm-minded |Involved and amicable |

|Head |Heart |

|Focus on task and objectives |Focus on people and harmony |

|Competitive |Cooperative |

|Like thought-provoking environments |Enjoy jobs where they can help |

|Judging |Perceiving |

|Scheduled |Spontaneous |

|Structured |Like flexibility in the job |

|Decide quickly in the desire for closure |Always attuned to incoming information |

|Enjoy ending tasks |Enjoy starting tasks |

|Plan |Adapt |

|Like to control and regulate events |Like to experience and understand events |

The following page will offer you a more specific look at the careers that people of your personality type are most likely to find rewarding.

Personality type theorists believe that although there are sixteen different combinations, given the four scales discussed on the previous page, there are four main groups - or temperaments - which have similar fundamental motivations.

In the table below, we will explore the general career interests for each temperament, as well as some specific interests for each type.

|SJ – Guardians |SP – Artisans |

|Finding Membership and Belonging |Finding Freedom and Action |

|These individuals find it important to belong to a group and to make |These individuals are often independent, preferring a life of action |

|positive contributions to their community. |and freedom. |

|ESTJ – Tend to seek leadership positions; enjoy using technical |ESTP – Prefers action careers, such as emergency response (police, |

|skills; may be interested in running their own business. |EMT) or military, as well as business, such as finance or sales. |

|ISTJ – Accurate and precise; enjoy business, civil service or |ISTP – Fast hand-eye coordination and analytical skills; some possible|

|professional positions. |careers include chiropractor or optometrist, computer programmer, |

|ESFJ – Provide for the welfare of others; have well-developed social |pilot, banker. |

|skills; may enjoy health care, business. |ESFP – Enjoy conversations with others; charismatic; may be drawn to |

|ISFJ – Keep things running smoothly; often work behind the scenes; |sales, sports or entertainment. |

|enjoy health care, education and social service. |ISFP – Driven by values and aesthetics; may find them in medical, |

| |social services or education careers; some are driven to express |

| |artistic talents; others choose service industry or clerical roles. |

|NT – Rationals |NF – Idealists |

|Finding Knowledge and Competence |Finding Meaning and Unique Identity |

|These individuals are strong visionaries, with the passion and ability|These individuals are driven by seeking the greater good and living in|

|to make that vision come to pass. |alignment with their values. They seek to have a life of meaning and |

|ENTJ – Strong leadership tendencies; driven towards reaching goals; |to help others. |

|analytical abilities; possible careers include project managers, |ENFJ – Good at building relationships; drawn to education, social |

|financial planners or labour relations leaders. |services, training, counselling or clergy. Need to connect with |

|INTJ – Focused on an internal vision; good problem solvers; enjoy |others and make a difference. |

|intellectual puzzles which translates well to technical positions such|INFJ – More private, but still value making a difference; may be found|

|as research or engineering. |in education, religion, social work, or in the arts. |

|ENTP – Enjoy bouncing ideas off of other people; prefer work that |ENFP – A natural confidant, this type excels as a mediator, teacher, |

|involves new ideas and contact with others; drawn to politics, |counsellor or reporter. Want to experience the whole of life and may |

|marketing, public relations. |change careers more often than other types. |

|INTP – Store large amounts of information and have strong analytical |INFP – Driven to express their own unique vision of the world through |

|capabilities; drawn to professions such as medicine, law, financial |music, art, entertainment or dance. Can also find reward as a |

|analysts. May be drawn to express themselves creatively through their|professor or teacher, social worker, counsellor or human resources |

|career. |professional. |

Adapted from – “Finding Your Passion or What Makes a Job Right for You?”, 2011.

The Five Commandments of Preferences

Each of the 16 preference combinations represents a distinct work interest type with a style different in many characteristics from each of the others. When reviewing and considering the preference descriptions, it is important to remember the following caveats:

1. No assessment of any kind is 100% accurate in predicting every behavioral characteristic or preference of an individual. An assessment like this is only one lens through which to view human personality, preferences, and interests.

1. How you really perceive yourself is more important than what is predicted by theory. It takes real life and self-awareness to validate your preferences. Remember that you are the one who gives credence to your career interests.

2. Do not necessarily rely completely on the assessment score to determine your preferences. If the score for the two pairs in any of the dimensions was close and you are uncertain about which you really are, read the style descriptions for both of the preferences.

3. No one preference is better than any other preference - only different! Societies of the world, organizations, families, teams, or other collections of human beings function better with every preference style. In addition, you use all the functions and attitudes at different times.

4. Your strength maximized becomes a liability. It is perfectly natural for us to rely on that part of us with which we feel the most comfortable. But by doing so, we can further neglect other parts of ourselves, which eventually become uncomfortable, underdeveloped, and unskilled. After all, a big part of career management means career self-development!

Adapted from Type Talk at Work, 1992 Delacorte Press, and Otto Kroger Associates, 1996

Knowing what you have learned from these assessments will help you determine whether a career path is a good fit for you. The career planning questions exercise may help you decide what you would like your future career to look like.

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personal exploration

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