Exercises to complete for “Developing a 4-5 Year Action ...



Used by permission. Exercises collected as is in the TRACK manual (Training and Raising Awareness in Career Knowledge). Dunkel, Wofford, and Bray. Copyright: 1989. Second Edition. UF Division of Housing.

Exercises to complete for “Developing a 4+ Year Action Plan”

Appendix A

VALUES

Values indicate what is important to us in our lives. They help us establish priorities and make choices. Our values are more compatible with some careers than with others. Clarification of values helps us to make compatible and satisfying career choices.

The following values clarification exercises are designed to assist you in determining your work and life values, job and non-job factors that are of importance to you, and assessing whether your values are compatible with career options you have identified.

Your strongest values are evident not only because you can identify and express them; they are also apparent in your choices, decisions and activities and other everyday behaviors. The following exercises will assess your values to the extent that you can identify and express them, but also the extent to which they are an integral part of your behavior.

CAREER VALUES RATING SCALE

Rate the importance to you of each of the following work-related values (On a scale of 0 to 4; 0 = no importance, 1 = slight importance, 2 = moderate importance, 3 = strong importance, 4 = highest importance.)

__Accomplishment: work that creates a feeling of accomplishment, achievement, or contribution

__Achievement: mastery of a field, advancement, personal growth

__Aesthetics: work involving the appreciation of beautiful things, ideas, etc.

__Autonomy: working independently, making decisions about and planning your own work

__Challenge: mastering difficult work and numerous tasks

__Close Supervision: always having supervision available, not being responsible for decision-making

__Creativity: contribution of your own ideas and judgment, originality, and initiative rather than following the ideas of others

__Helping Others (Altruism): contributing to the emotional, physical, and/or educational welfare of people as the main part of your occupation

__High Income: having an income beyond the amount required for basic necessities, supporting a standard of living above the average. Emphasis on material gain and accumulating money

__Influence: ability to change the attitudes, opinions, behaviors and other people

__Interpersonal Relations: work with enjoyable colleagues

__Intellectual Growth: intellectual stimulation gained from involvement in the abstract aspect of a professional or scientific area. Use of mental abilities to investigate, evaluate and solve problems. Increase in the understanding and contribution to the knowledge of a field

__ Leadership: to guide others in their work. Influence a group to work together productively and to accomplish the goals of an organization. Willing to accept responsibility when things go wrong, even if you are at fault

__Mission: work that is compatible with your personal values, attitudes and convictions

__Physical Challenge: work requiring physical coordination, agility or strength

__Physical Environment: stressing the importance of pleasant working conditions and surroundings

__Power and Authority: control the work activities of other people

__Prestige: being respected and admired because of one’s occupation. If people look up to you, seek your opinions, or your help in community affairs, you are a person of prestige

__Recognition: visible or public recognition of one’s work

__Risk: working in a situation where pressure, excitement, competition, and adventure exist

__Routine: having predictable job duties that do not change much; having a regular schedule and an uncomplicated routine

__Safety: working in a situation where risks, danger and stress are minimal, and that is not competitive

__Security/Stable Future: relatively free from fear of losing your job and income. Cannot be fired easily. No seasonal fluctuations in employment. Demand remains high despite economic conditions. Income remains stable and predictable. Occupation not likely to become obsolete due to technological changes

__Self-Expression: being able to communicate your ideas, attitudes, feelings, opinions, or artistic expression

__Upward Mobility: knowing there is opportunity for advancement

__Variety: occupations with variety offer many different kinds of activities and challenges, frequent change, and interaction with new people on a regular basis. Variety is the opposite of routine, predictability, or repetition

__Working Alone: having little or no daily contact with clients or customers. Doing projects by yourself without much contact with others

__Working in Field of Interest: opportunity to work in a specific field(s) of interest, as opposed to working in a field that is less interesting and pursuing primary interests during one’s spare time

__Working with Others: Having a close working relationship with a group, and/or daily contact with clients or customers

__Others: (Please list):

(Krishok and LeCompte, 1984)

Choose ten of the above values that are most important to you and list them here. Refer to your ratings of the values.

1) 6)

2) 7)

3) 8)

4) 9)

5) 10)

Narrow the above ten values to the five that have highest priority for you:

1) 2)

3) 4)

5)

Rank order the above five values in priority order:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

JOB FACTORS

The work values considered previously relate to broad areas of importance for you. The job factors listed below are more specific items of importance that relate to choosing an employer

and job. Consider both the general work values and more specific job factors in choosing your career and specific job situation. Rank the top five job factors of most importance to you.

Flexible hours Fringe benefits Growth potential of company

Hours per week Size of Company Prestige of organization

The job itself Training programs Educational opportunity

Co-workers Type of industry Frequency of moves

Travel Type of supervisor Others (please list)

Availability of mentors

Select your Five Highest Priorities Among Job Factors

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

NON-JOB FACTORS

The career choices you make will also influence your lifestyle outside of the work environment. Choose and rank the top five non-job factors that are most important to you.

Climate Proximity to family

Cost of living Continuing or adult education facilities

Public schools Recreational activities

Cultural activities Commuting distance

Rural community Metropolitan community

Suburban community Volunteer activities

Spouse/partner desires Proximity to friends

State/sales tax Church

Others (please list)

Select your Five Highest Priorities Among Non-Job Factors

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

GENERAL LIFE VALUES

General life values indicate things that are important to you in regard to your overall life style rather than just in relation to your work situation. Select three of the following life values that are most important to you, prioritize and list below. Consider how these values conflict with, compliment, and interact with your work values. Time conflicts between life and work values are one significant factor to consider.

Leisure: participating in recreational and other enjoyable leisure activities, and having sufficient time for those activities

Family: having a satisfying family life with spouse/partner and possibly children

Health: maintaining excellent health and minimizing physical problems; feeling healthy

Success: feeling that your life is successful in whatever way you define success

Love: feeling that you are cared about and are important to at least one other person and communicating the same feeling to that person

Culture: being knowledgeable about and enjoying music, art, theater, literature, and other cultural subjects and activities. Having time to spend on these activities, and being able to afford such involvement

Nature: enjoying and having time to spend with nature

Adventure: participating in exciting, adventurous activities involving some risk such as hang-gliding, sky diving, mountain climbing, etc

Freedom: being in an environment that allows maximum personal freedom to act, think, believe, express yourself and make choices you desire

Productivity: Accomplishing a variety of tasks smoothly and efficiently, resulting in a sense of competency and satisfaction

Religion/Spirituality: commitment to a strongly held set of beliefs, and the freedom to do so

1) 2) 3)

BEHAVIORAL VALUES CLARIFICATION

When you are aware of your values, you can make conscious decisions based on those values. Choices that are compatible with your value system are the most satisfying, and help you feel in control of your life.

Sometimes we live by a value system that is not clear to us. Our values may be more apparent through our behavior than through our ability to consciously recognize and express them. In addition, the values that we express verbally may be inconsistent with the value choices that we express through every day activities and decisions.

So far, the values clarification exercises you have completed have asked you to identify values from lists provided to you. The following questions ask you to confront situations or decisions that require value choices.

Please answer the following questions in the spaces provided. Then with assistance of a friend, identify the values indicated by your choices or behavior in these situations.

1) Briefly describe three critical decisions you have made in the last year:

a.

b.

c.

2) List two or three activities you participated in last semester or are participating in this semester:

a.

b.

c.

3) Identify three times in your life when you felt most alive and happy. What activities were you involved in that contributed most to your happiness?

a.

b.

c.

4) List three accomplishments that have been most satisfying in your life

a.

b.

c.

5) List goals you have achieved and goals that you have set for the future:

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

6) Describe types of situations that raise issues that anger you:

a.

b.

c.

d.

7) If you could write your eulogy, what would you most like people to remember about you and your life?

8) In what kind of situations have you felt most at odds with people around you regarding what you felt was important or what you considered to be a good decision or course of action?

9) Write the top five values you think are indicated by your answers to the above questions. Get a friend to help you determine what values are indicated by your answers.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

10) How are these values different from the life and work values identified in previous exercises? How would you explain the discrepancies?

11) Which of your career alternatives are most consistent with the values indicated by this exercise?

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Answer the following questions by referring to your responses to all the values clarification exercises.

1) Summarize the work values, life values, job and non-job preferences that are most important to you:

2) What possible conflicts could exist between your life and work values, and between your job and non-job preferences?

3) What are the prevalent values of individuals in the career alternative(s) you are considering? (List each alternative and corresponding values. Interview people working in these occupations and/or review printed career materials if you are uncertain about what these values are.)

4) Would your career alternative(s) compliment your life values, work values, job and non-job preferences? (List each career alternative along with your priority values that you think will be compatible with that option).

5) What concerns do you have about conflicts between your values and career alternatives you are considering? How will you resolve these conflicts?

CATEGORIZING YOUR INTERESTS

Through life experiences people learn to prefer certain activities over others. These interests can lead to competencies in these activities, as well as, to a unique set of personal characteristics. According to the Holland Theory of Vocational Choice (Holland, 1985), people and work environments can both be categorized by a combination of themes or set of characteristics. These themes, personal characteristics, or kinds of occupational environments are realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional.

People seek out environments that allow them to express their interests, values, perceptions, skills, abilities, attitudes, and characteristics, (represented by the above themes) and are generally most satisfied and successful in work settings that are compatible with them in these ways. People also tend to seek out others who are similar to themselves, thereby increasing the likelihood that a compatible environment will be created.

The six Holland themes that can be used to categorize people and work environments are described below. Choose the three themes that describe you best and rank order them. Considering the themes that best describe people with whom you would most like to spend your time, may also help you choose the categories that best describe you as well.

The combination of three themes that describes you best is called your Holland Code. It can be used to help you identify compatible occupations. However, thorough information gathering, investigation, consideration of pros and cons, compatibility, and preparation necessary to achieve any alternative suggested by your Holland Code is strongly recommended.

Carefully read the following themes that describe people and environments and choose the three letter Holland Code that best describes you (the first letter of each theme). Write that code here:

1) 2) 3)

HOLLAND THEMES

C-Conventional

Individuals categorized by this theme prefer jobs where they know exactly what they are supposed to do, using verbal and numerical skills that characterize office work. They fit well into large organizations, but do not seek leadership. They respond to power and are comfortable working in a well-established chain of command. They dislike loosely-defined job situations, preferring to know exactly what is expected of them. Such people describe themselves as conventional, stable, well-controlled, and dependable. They have little interest in problems that require physical skills or intense relationships with others. They are most effective at well-defined tasks, and they value material possessions and status. Vocational preferences are mostly within the business world and include bank examiner, bank teller, book keeper, some accounting jobs, financial analyst, computer operator, inventory controller, tax expert, statistician, and traffic manager. Although one word cannot adequately represent the entire theme, the word conventional summarizes this pattern.

S-Social

These individuals are sociable, responsible, and concerned with the welfare of others and human problems. They usually express themselves well and get along with others. They like to seek attention and situations that will allow them to be at or near the center of the group. They prefer to solve problems by discussions with others, or by arranging or rearranging relationships between others. They have little interest in situations requiring physical activity or working with machinery. Such people describe themselves as cheerful, popular, achieving, and good leaders. They prefer occupations such as school superintendent, clinical psychologist, teacher, marriage counselor, playground director, speech therapist or vocational counselor.

A-Artistic

These individual are artistically oriented and like to work in artistic settings where there are many opportunities for self expression. Such people have little interest in situations that are very structured or require physical strength. Instead they prefer problems or tasks that can be dealt with through self-expression in artistic media. They prefer to work alone and have a strong need for individual expression. They score higher on measures of originality than any of the other types. They describe themselves as independent, unconventional, original, expressive and tense. Vocational choices include artist, author, cartoonist, composer, singer, dramatic coach, poet, actor, or actress and symphony conductor.

E-Enterprising

These individuals are good with words which they put to effective use in selling, dominating and leading. Frequently they are in sales work, they are good at thinking up new ways of doing things, and at leading and convincing people. They see themselves as full of energy, enthusiastic, liking adventure, self-confident and dominant. They prefer social situations where they can assume leadership and direct others. They enjoy persuading others to their point of view. They are impatient with precise work involving long periods of time. They like power, status, and material wealth, and enjoy working in expensive settings. Vocational preferences include business executive, buyer, hotel manager, industrial relations consultant, political campaigner, realtor, many kinds of sales work, sports promoter, and television producer. The word enterprising summarizes this pattern of interests.

R-Realistic

These individuals can be described as rugged, practical, and physically strong. Such people usually have trouble expressing themselves in words or communicating their feelings to others. They like to work outdoors, and they like to work with tools, especially large machines. They prefer to deal with objects rather than with ideas or with people. They enjoy creating things with their hands and prefer occupations such as mechanic, construction work, fish and wildlife management, laboratory technician, some engineering specialties, some military jobs, agriculture or skilled trades.

I-Investigative

This theme centers around science and scientific activities. These individuals would prefer to work alone rather than in a large office with a group of people. They prefer to think through problems and work with ideas, words, and symbols in solving them. Such people enjoy loosely-defined problems and do not like highly structured situations with many rules. They frequently tend to be original and creative, especially in scientific areas. They prefer occupations such as design engineer, mathematician, biologist, psychologist, research laboratory worker, physicist, physician, technical writer, or meteorologist (Krishok and LeCompte, 1984).

After estimating your Holland Code, check the Dictionary of Holland Codes (Gottfredson, 1982) or the Occupations Finder to determine occupations compatible with your Holland Code. If you feel uncertain about the Holland Code you have estimated, you may want to follow-up by taking the Self-Directed Search or Strong Campbell Interest Inventory. Analyze the compatibility of any occupational alternative you are considering by determining the Holland Code for that occupation. Rearranging the order of the three letters of your Holland Code can produce additional alternatives. Be sure that a theme is relatively strong before arranging it in either primary or secondary position in your Holland Code (first or second place). In other words, if social and enterprising describe you well, and artistic also describes you, but not nearly as accurately, interchange S and E in the first and second positions of your Holland Code, but leave A in the third place.

Also remember that none of the above themes will completely apply to you. As long as most of the description is applicable, then you have probably made an accurate choice. If the Holland Code of an occupation you are considering contains none of the letters of the Holland Code you have selected to describe yourself, you may want to reconsider whether that occupation is an appropriate choice. An occupational environment does not need to completely match your Holland Code to be a satisfying choice for you. A career counselor can help you further analyze the meaning of your Holland Code and the match with occupational environments.

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