CareerFocus online magazine Southwestern Community College
Summer 2003

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Which CAREER is you?
A simple self-assessment can help you start thinking about your options.
By Leslie Clark

Do you sometimes feel unsure about where your career plans are headed? If so, don't panic, because you are not alone. Many us feel this way about our current jobs or job planning, and don't realize that there are ways to turn things around. In its annual Labor Day survey for 1999, the Gallup Poll indicated that over 50 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs. In another Gallup survey, two-thirds of a group of adults said if they were starting all over, they would try to get more information about their career options. The first step: Self-assessment Whether you're starting your first job, planning your career, re-entering the job market, or considering your next career, it's important to get to know yourself through self-assessment. Here's your chance to take the first step in finding out which occupations allow you to best use your strengths and talents. Pick up a pen or pencil and take the quiz right.

Directions:
Check off the items you think you would enjoy in each section.
Mark as many items that apply.

"R" Section
—  Repair a car
—  Do wood working
—  Refinish furniture
—  Explore a forest
—  Arrest lawbreakers
—  Plant a garden
—  Build furniture
—  Run a race
—  Drive a truck 		"A" Section
— Sing before the public
— Design clothing
— Decorate a home or office
— Direct a play
— Write a story or play
— Design a poster
— Create a sculpture
— Arrange flowers
— Make videos
— Act in a performance		 "E" Section
— Sell cars
— Make a speech
— Be the boss of other
— workers
— Start a club
— Save money
— Sell things
— Lead a meeting
— Take charge of a project
— Sell magazines door to door
       
"I" Section
—  Study causes of disease
—  Do a science project
—  Study human anatomy
—  Study insects
—  Research solutions to
          environmental problems
—  Collect minerals and rocks
—  Study the solar system
—  Do math problems
—  Talk to a scientist
—  Study plants 		"S" Section
— Teach children
— Care for a sick person
— Teach a friend
— Interview clients
— Help a person overcome
          difficulties
— Be a hospital volunteer
— Help a charity
— Make people laugh
— Baby-sit  		"C" Section
—  Keep detailed records
—  Operate business machines
—  Organize a work area
—  Take telephone messages
—  Attend to details
—  Balance a budget
—  Use a word processor
—  Proofread a document
—  Create a filing system

Now, go back to the sections. Add up how many boxes you checked
in each section.
Totals:
R
 ____
I
 ____
A
____
S
 ____
E
 ____
C
 ____
What the letters mean
Each of these letters represents a personal interest category. The columns you have the most check marks in shows where your interests are the strongest. Listed below are some jobs related to each interest type.
R
 Realistic Careers: Mechanic, fire fighter, police officer, forester, chef, carpenter, landscape architect, military, athletic trainer, engineer.
I
 Investigative Careers: Biologist, psychologist, computer programmer, doctor, engineer, pharmacist, mathematician, dietician.
A
 Artistic Careers: Artist, musician, novelist, photographer, lawyer, interior designer, television announcer, actor, disc jockey, art teacher, reporter, architect.
S
 Social Careers: Social worker, counselor, teacher, nurse, minister, school administrator, occupational therapist.
E
 Enterprising Careers: Business owner, manager, sales person, travel agent, public relations, personnel director, Realtor©, florist.
C
 Conventional Careers: Accountant, secretary, banker, bookkeeper, math teacher, treasurer, surgical technologist, dental assistant.
Taken from The Career Interest Program Prentice-Hall, Inc. 2001

Something to think about
So, do you need to run off and apply for medical school just because you scored high in the investigative section? Of course not. Quizzes like these are not designed to tell you exactly which job is right for you, but rather to get you thinking about your preferences. You should also look to see if you scored high in more than one section. There are many combinations and possibilities out there. This is only one of many career assessment tools available through bookstores, the Web, and Southwestern Community College. To truly get a full understanding of how to best plan the perfect career for you, make an appointment with Southwestern Community College's Career Planning and Placement office by calling 800-447-4091.

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