Career Decision-Making

Who am I? What Can I do? What are my options? How do I get there?  These are the questions I posed last week to use as a framework for our career decision-making process.  In Susan Geifman's model, she further breaks down these questions into four areas as follows:

1. Self - What are my skills, abilities, accomplishments, interests values, preferred work setting?
2. World of Work- What are possible careers, job markets, employers, work environments?
3. Goal Setting- clarify, define, set clear objectives, make decisions, test reality.
4. Job Search- make action plan, network contacts, write resume, learn to interview and negotiate.  

It would make sense to approach this model in a linear fashion i.e. answering each question before going onto the next, but in the real world, the various quadrants overlap.  Still, it is better to assess yourself and research the market before writing your resume and going on interviews.  Preparation and organization will lead to a more focused and confident job candidate, you.

So, let's start at the beginning....Who are you?

One of the most respected and often used tests for determining personality type and how each type fits into an organization is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI.    If you have been around as long as I have, or if you have done any career counseling at all, you will have come across this assessment. Based on your preferences you are grouped into one of 16 types. Each type has different interests and values.

For example, I am an INFP. Here is a brief description of my type-

Full of enthusiasms and loyalties, but seldom talk of these until they know you well.  Care about learning, ideas, language, and independent projects of their own. Tend to undertake too much, then somehow get it done.  Friendly, but often too absorbed in what they are doing to be sociable. Little concerned with possessions or physical surroundings.

 What is your type?  This is a good place to start your self assessment.  If you want to know more about MBTI check out Myers Briggs .  If you want to take the assessment online go to Take MBTI.

 Next week we will look more closely at MBTI types, I have an interpretive guide if you know your type.

See you next Friday....