Instructions: You have been asked to help design a career assessment program for your customers. What are one or two assessments [formal or informal] you would use with your customers? Make one original post and then respond to one classmate’s post. You will make a total of two posts.
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1.If I were designing a career assessment program, I would start with the O*Net interest profiler mainly because of how the results will be used by the client. Because it is an O*Net service, the interest profiler links nicely with the O*Net career clusters and it’s easy for clients to follow up with their results by learning more about specific occupations they are interested in using the website. In addition, the profiler is free, generally accessible for clients, simple to administer for career services providers and the results are formatted in a way that is easy for clients to understand.
O’Net interest profiler will be a good option for us to incorporate into our program for young people who need help narrowing down their focus. It is similar to the Career Scope in terms of what its purpose is, but I like the alignment to the O*Net career clusters. It’s also pretty quick to complete and free.
2.If I were creating a career assessment program for my customers, I would like to use a combination of an interest/value inventory and an abilities assessment. The interests and values inventory assessment can be beneficial to help identify patterns or themes that spark interest in an individual. When participating in activities related to career exploration and decision-making, I believe it’s important that the person has a genuine interest in the career/educational pathway they plan to pursue. A value inventory can also help align the personal values of the customer to the work values in a certain field. Super’s Work Value Inventory would be a useful tool to help a client explore their values and explore career options that best align with their personal values.
I agree with using O*net because it is free and easy to use, low barrier for usage. I just wish there were better/updated career options under each category. I also believe that a if a person is genuinely interested in a career and their values align they will be more successful. It is different working with customers that just need a job to get by. They are looking for anything to earn an income.
I find O*NET to be a good start for those who already have an idea on what they want to pursue. However, I agree with Dixie about the job titles/career options needing a lot of updating. Quite a number of the job titles don’t match what’s on the market today, nor do the descriptions. Plus, some of the job titles/career options seem duplicated under different titles with different numbering. To truly be an effective career tool, the job database could use an overhaul to reflect the jobs and industries available in 2023.
.If I were creating a career assessment program for my customers, I would like to use a combination of an interest/value inventory and an abilities assessment. The interests and values inventory assessment can be beneficial to help identify patterns or themes that spark interest in an individual. When participating in activities related to career exploration and decision-making, I believe it’s important that the person has a genuine interest in the career/educational pathway they plan to pursue. A value inventory can also help align the personal values of the customer to the work values in a certain field. Super’s Work Value Inventory would be a useful tool to help a client explore their values and explore career options that best align with their personal values.
If I were to help design a career assessment program for customers, it would be a combination of using O.net for a very high-level view of interests and skills and then assessing the customers using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory. My assessment program would target customers in transition so I would need to know their situation, self, support and help them develop strategies to be successful.
Learning about their situation and why they are in transition will open options for resources either for training or for support services. Learning about the customer and their current mental/physical/stress level/confidence, etc. will help with developing a strategy and how much the individual can handle (school, training, job search). The customer’s support system is crucial to their success and confidence. Once I get a good picture of the customer’s situation we can proceed with a pathway for success, developing attainable short-term goals and thinking of long-term goals for a career not just a job.
I personally am not a big advocate of O.net. The results give a start to conversations about career options, but I have never had a customer really excited with the occupations O.net presented.
The combination of the applications of using the O’Net Interest Profiler coupled with delving into the components of Schlossberg’s 4S model with a customer appears sound. Armed with the background knowledge of an individual during their time of transition should greatly impact and strengthen the findings of the O’Net Interest Profiler.
I agree completely! Using ONET alone is usually met with a level of distrust. Its not very valuable for clients to learn they may be interested in being a surgeon when they’ve worked in HR for 20 years. Its just not really attainable.
I think focusing on transitions and setting the client up for an initial transition by taking stock of options and then planning for further pivots later on is a great way to construct a larger career path without losing sight of the next, more realistic move. The real benefit of adding in a focus on transitions will be the ability to stay open to new opportunities. Being aware of potential transitions as they appear is probably the best lesson you can provide.
Dixie, I appreciate your comments and insights about using the ONET Work Interest Profiler for a beginning high-level view of assessment as a tool to have conversations with the client. It is a good low – barrier access tool as you suggest. Your second method using Schlossberg’s Career Transition 4S Assessment is a really interesting to me as a secondary strategy to the ONET assessment. I like it because some of my older clients are in career transition, not really wanting education to launch in a new direction. They can really be helped by the Situation-Self-Supports and Strategy process.
I have been discussing Super’s – Career Life Rainbow with clients recently as it helps to see all the roles they play and design a picture of how they would like for it to look differently in the future. The Career Rainbow seems to be a really holistic approach to explain how the different parts of life work together as we enter new stages of our career and life, It is exciting to learn about all these theories as we consider how to best help each client along their career journey.
Scott
For my assessments I would try to focus on interests and economic realities. I think the ONET interested profiler is a good tool to use at first for interest identification, but it falls short on application. For most clients a list of careers that sound interesting, even when you can narrow down the list with a skills assessment, can still be too broad. I would implement structured interviews with questions based around general life goals. Where does someone want to live geographically? Do they need to be saving for a house or retirement? Are they open to starting at a lower wage and working up, or do they need a higher wage now?
Financial needs are often just as much, if not more so, of a driver as interests. What use is loving your job if you can’t sustain your desired lifestyle or vice versa? So rather than focus on just interests, or just finance, as a career advisor I would try to couple the two to get job satisfaction that leads to a larger sense of life satisfaction.
I agree with you on how the ONET interest profiler falls short on application! I also really like how you are being very intentional in designing your questions so that you are not only assessing your clients’ career interests and values, but also their financial needs and goals!
I like how you would ask your clients additional questions about their findings in O*net to better understand their career needs. I also agree on the financial aspect and how that can drive one’s choice in choosing that career path especially if they’re low income.
1) The customers that I work with are generally low income; with diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. Most have at least high school educations; some with college educations; however the education is not always administered in the United States. Most all speak and read English to varying skill levels.
The type of instruments that I would use in working with my customer base would be that of the O’Net Interest Profiler; the 60 question Paper and Pencil version; along with the Skillscan Card Sort.
Both of these instruments utilize Holland’s R-I-A-S-E-C Interest code theory; a theory that I support. The Interest Profiler is designed to measure the six types of occupational interests; Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. The Skillscan Card Sort is designed to help users identify their transferable skills and links them to career matches via O’Net Career Lists.
Both of these instruments are inexpensive to utilize. Both instruments are informal assessments that when used in these formats are easy to use; and do not require computer experience or technical skill.
Finally both instruments measure well for Validity and Reliability as both reflect the user’s selections.
I agree because I work with a lot of ELL clients as well. For those ELL clients who have higher English proficiency, I would use O*NET Interest Profiler along with Paper and Pencil version as well as with Skillscan Card for them. As needed, I and my co-workers would interpret for them, so that they can easily understand these assessment forms/words/terminologies. Importantly, using RIASEC interest code theory by Holand would make my clients’ assessments easier to understand for them. At the end, they would have better career/job decisions from these assessments.
Absolutely, Craig, I couldn’t agree more! It’s super crucial for us to really, really get to know the people we’re helping and make our assessment that work for them. We shouldn’t ever think that everyone knows how to use computers and the internet. So, I totally love the thought of having a good old-fashioned paper-and-pencil version of our assessments. It’s like being super-duper thoughtful and this way, we’re making sure everyone, even those who might not be so tech-savvy, can still get the help they need. It’s all about being fair and understanding to everyone we’re working with!
When considering career theories that are foundational to my delivery of career services, one theory stands out in my awareness now, and in the past. This is Hollands Trait-Factor Theory (and RIASEC Holland Hexagon Model). It is often used in the “party game” exercise where people of similar interests get together to share common interests and experiences. Next, the group members change to meet with the group that shares their second interest, then next the third interest. I find the Holland Hexagon very useful in self-assessment to help explain how the RIASEC Traits relate to one another, but also to work environments. The use of this informal assessment results in options for further career exploration. The theory states that personality types (traits) are linked to particular types of work environments. The hexagon diagram also helps explain the nature of complementary and opposite personality traits based on relative positioning of the traits on the Holland Hexagon Model.
Based on Holland’s Trait-Factor Theory, it is so useful to have clients complete the ONET Interest Profiler, then discuss their preferred interests (Traits) as they relate to career choices (Work Environments). When this is overlaid with results of a skills inventory and values assessment, it can be really helpful to guide and inform career choices for the future.
That said, I also really like Krumboltz’s work around Happenstance. I have been discussing the advantages of being open to new possibilities when exploring career options. Being curious, open and asking questions can really help uncover the problem that needs to be solved.
Leading the client to brainstorm ways to solve the problem and come up with action steps to discover the solution on their own. Sometimes showing up, being present on the journey with openness can lead to an amazing outcome that is better than one could have imagined by themselves. Don’t presume it is best to have a rigid career plan in place up front (as may be suggested by family or others) or make a quick decision by taking a few assessments that a client may feel predetermine the fate of their career. Instead, it may be best to guide a client to discover the best solution through Happenstance.
This is well illustrated when customers who attend my networking workshops volunteer to share their positive networking experiences. There is often the feeling of wonder and amazement about how things work together while networking. A positive attitude and openness to exploring opportunities promotes an inviting environment for productive networking. When we just “show up” in our authenticity and share our career direction and aspirations with others amazing things can happen. We just have to put aside our fears, doubts and negative thoughts to be open to what comes into our awareness when engaging with others. This suggests that engaging with others through networking is a most powerful and beneficial career development activity.
I would use Formal Assessment (O*NET) and informal Assessment for those who are higher ELL, native-born and other clients to get/gather more information about their work and personal lives, so that I can have a better picture of their lives and what career/job would be best to fit their personalities, goals and dreams. I would give my clients different options by using different career development theories from John Holland’s Traits and Factor, John Krumholtz’s Social Learning, Donalds Super’s Development and Nancy’s Transition as well as Strength-Based Theory for different clients’ background levels, beliefs, races, work and life experiences.
I agree with this. I think changing it up is critical to extracting the desired information from the client to better serve them. I also like that you acknowledged and considered a barrier when selecting an assessment. It is highly important to ensure all clients have a level of comfortability in what could be an already tough process and event to navigate.
For my clients that are just beginning their career exploration, I’d like to try using the Super’s Life-Career Rainbow assessment. I deeply value the component of self-assessment in clients’ career journey, as it is invaluable for them to take some time to reflect on their current and past experiences to identify their skills, interests, and values. By mapping out the current Rainbow, I want them to assess their current state of priorities and interests, and by mapping out the future Rainbow, I want them to set some future goals that they want to work towards. I think that this is a great way to start the discussion around where they are now and where they want to get to, as well as how they might be able to get there.
One formal assessment that I have always enjoyed using is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment. This assessment wasn’t covered in our reading, but I just want to mention that it is a very helpful tool that allows the clients to learn more about their own skill set, strengths, and areas for improvement. It provides different report types, one of which is a career report, and clients can gain in-depth information on how different skill sets align well with different occupation types. The downside of this assessment is that career services providers need to go through a certification training to be able to offer this to their clients and the assessment also costs money for the participants to take it.
Although I haven’t used Super’s Life-Career Rainbow assessment, I feel it would be very valuable. You have done a good job explaining the benefits of using both the current Rainbow and mapping out a future Rainbow as well. I don’t think that it would be a good fit for all my clients, but I agree that is a great way to start a discussion to learn more about what is happening in their lives now and where they want to head towards in their future.
I believe that both Hollands theories and the Myers Briggs Type indicator assessment can be used together to look at our personalities and the different type of careers that may suit us best. Taking the top interest themes in the Holland theory and combining them such as SIA or CIR, they would correlate with the MBTI types. Unfortunately, the downside you mentioned keeps most of us from using it.
I haven’t tried the Life Career Rainbow, myself but it seems like something that can be very useful to use as a tool. Because you know the clients you serve, I like how you explained how and why this would be a benefit to them. I agree with you that this tool would be helpful with setting future goals and a great transition/starter into discussing where they’re at currently and where they want to be in the future, allowing them to think deeper about a plan to get them there. Great job!
I, too, share similar approach of individual assessment of their needs and preferences toward their short- and long-term career goals. And again agree not one assessment fit all. There were times, our program assessment doesn’t reflect some customers whom I came across. I now have more tools, have a deeper understanding of different types of career development theories, trait-and-factor theory by Holland, Confucius learning theory by Krumboltz, developmental theory by Super, and transition theory by Schlossberg. I can put a name behind each assessment that I use. I am glad we are introduced to the Chaos theory.
I would design a career assessment program for my clients that would be a combination of theories and assessments because people are coming with different needs, values, interests, and abilities. I generally work with people who are in transition with their careers and The Transition Theory by Nancy Schlossberg fits in well along with the ONET assessment based on Holland’s theories.
Using the 4S model to understand more about a person’s situation, self, and support would help clients be able to develop strategies of success. In most cases, changing careers is not an easy or clearcut path and understanding the different variables that one might be facing is crucial. Helping to guide someone through these different areas can be the difference of success and failure.
Along with Schlossberg’s 4S model, using Holland’s RIASEC theoretical model (Realistic-Investigative-Artistic-Social-Enterprising-Conventional) will provide a high-level view of how somebody might fit in to different environments and vocations. Using this assessment seems to get interesting reactions from clients depending on where they are in their lives. While some say that it has helped to validate their choice of new career, others are surprised by the results and don’t necessarily agree, and still others have used it to completely rethink.
I feel that using these assessments is helpful in identifying new options, validating choices that they may have already made, and are also beneficial for the client to learn more about themselves.
You are absolutely correct that using multiple strategies and theories in combination will give the client a broader overview of choices. I like how you mention that clients have different reactions to their outcomes.
Since I work with a variety of clients ranging in age and work experience, I would design an assessment for transition success and strengths, This assessment would help clients navigate life transitions effectively by combining Schlossberg’s 4S Model from Transition Theory with the CliftonStrengths StrengthsFinder. It would focus on understanding personal strengths and strategies for managing change.
It’s important for clients to identify their top strengths via StrengthsFinder, which allows them to gain insights into their innate talents and capabilities across various areas. They would then delve into Schlossberg’s 4S Model to analyze their current life transition, assessing the Situation, Self, Supports, and Strategies in the context of their current transition. By integrating these assessments, clients would understand how their strengths could be harnessed to cope with and thrive during transitions. I find this approach to be holistic and could help provide a roadmap for successfully leveraging their unique strengths when navigating life changes (be that being laid off, or switching job industries, or seeking their first job after graduating college, etc.).
I like the idea of having 2-3 assessments in our toolkits that we can pull out and use with clients depending on what stage of life they’re in, all of which should emphasize strengths. In my experience, the StrengthsFinder assessment can be difficult to interpret and put into proper context so I think combining it with the 4S model and/or more traditional assessment like the O*Net interest profiler can paint a clearer and more holistic picture, as you say.
Assessment Part One:
In working with clients of a younger population I would see value in using a personality assessment, the Career Interest Profiler, and O*NET. I believe at this stage in their ability to choose a career or educational pathway it is important to explore and be confident in self-discovery first. Coupled with the O*NET assessment, this would support identifying a current interest relative to the occupations available. As with any assessment it would be used in response to the barriers and situations the person has experienced. As the chapter outlined that can vary based on where a person is in their lives so ensuring that I listen and identify based on that would be ideal. Typically. In programming, there is a selection of one type of assessment to use in a program model for all. Therefore, O*NET would be the first choice. I’d also use the 4-S model to assist people in navigating their next pathway. I found the exercise to be very useful. Being able to articulate what has worked or not worked from a situational standpoint can be very helpful. The 4-S model structures what could feel like chaos and can be used to support the clients with other resources as well. It may also help them identify their networks in the process.
I think how you are helping the younger population to explore where their interests could lead them by using O*NET and the profiler. That generation likes to dig in and research. O*NET website is a great place for them to dive in and explore, based on what they Profiler shows. Maybe they don’t want to be a doctor, but they can see what else is out there. That’s why O*NET is so useful because the client can do it themselves. Forgot to say that in my post.
For my Ticket to Work clients, I use O*NET Interest Profiler because many of these clients are having to start over after being diagnosed with a disability. They feel stuck because they can’t do what they did before. Having them use the Interest Profiler is a good springboard for them. They can see what occupations match their interests and many times reminds them of other interests and other skills they have. Having a structured interview is also needed to talk about what they can realistically do now and discuss the pros and cons of identified possible careers. Then drilling down to identify jobs that meet their parameters, training that might be needed and what accommodations they can get to be successful on the job.
I was pleased to see Akim mention the Myers Briggs type assessment. I have often used it in the past with new staff to learn more about their strengths, areas of improvements, to understand them better and measure their compatibility with the team.
Assessment One
In order to help design an assessment for my customers, I must acknowledge that my customers are, for the most part, homeless, low income and with a high school diploma. In addition, they need income right away so that if they even received training that was paid for, they cannot afford to take the time out to learn new skills when they could be earning a living.
Even so, I will use formal or informal assessment to collect data about customers. One goal is to assist the customer to gain self-knowledge and then be better able to make decisions as they continue on their career path.
As a career service professional, I have certain responsibilities. I need to follow the ethical guidelines provided by the professional association; have the basic principles of the assessment; knowledge of the details of the assessment instrument to be used; how to administer the assessment properly; how to prepare the customer and how to interpret the results properly.
Now I have to make the decision as to whether to use a formal or informal assessment. I think that this boils down to time and money. The informal assessment would take more time whereas the formal assessment would cost more money and would require more knowledge and skill from the career service provider.
However, assessments do not usually stand alone. There is a relationship with theories. Theories can help a career service provider know how to assist customers to identify what is important to them and what to consider when making a career decision.
For the aforementioned, I would select the Holland model of RIASEC – realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprise and conventional. I find using this on myself was very insightful and fun. Then I would use the O*NET as the informal checklist type. The O*Net is free and easy to use.
If I had to give a personality test to my customers I would use the paper Mosaic test. This allows them to think about themselves what they like and how they act. Then you get to score yourself on not how many you got right but where you fall in RAISEC. This will show you your personality type and what job or career may suit you the best. Then I would also use the O*net online assessment so they can put names to the types of careers they can explore.
I would use both O*Net and the Mosaic Test. I think they both go hand in hand and could help narrow down a client’s career pursuit. I would use O*Net to get a generalization of what their interests are and their career needs. O*Net is free and user friendly.
I would also choose the Mosaic Test. This no pressure test allows clients to take the time to process what’s being asked of them so they can reflect and provide thoughtful answers. The Mosaic Test gives client’s the opportunity to dig deep and contemplate the things they find interest in and how they behave/work in a professional setting.
One of the aspects that I really enjoy about this test, is that the client is involved in the entire process, including scoring. They are encouraged to take the initiative and see based on their answers what personality type they are and what jobs/fields work best for those with that personality type. This test is not about how many answers a client answered correctly or incorrectly, it’s specifically designed to help them find a field of interest(s) based on what engages their attention professionally and how they operate in a professional setting.
Both the O*Net and Mosaic Test align with RAISEC interest code theory. RAISEC is designed to measure the 6 personality types.
1. Artistic
2. Conventional
3. Enterprising
4. Investigative
5. Realistic
6. Social
By using RAISEC, this will help clients to understand the assessment, therefore hopefully will give a better outcome at finding the best job/ career possible.
For my customers that I serve in the last 10 years at the YWCA, many are displaced, lack of support system from immediate family, came from diverse social and economic background, I would design a career assessment program focus on their strengths, their interests, and their preferences career of choice. I would mirror the design like Nancy Schlossberg theory. Her focus is on different live transition. “Nancy Schlossberg focuses on transitions in multiple life roles, triggered by events and nonevents. “
My design doesn’t require much training. The interviewers should have the helping skills. The helping skills are attending, listening, reflecting, encouraging, and questioning. These helping skills will help build relationships and rapport that enable the interviewee open up to share what their skills, knowledge, strengths and abilities are.
This informal assessment should breakdown into multiple main sections.
The first section assesses why the client came to a career office for consultation.
The second section is to identify client strengths and what client identify needs to move toward the career path.
The third section is to identify the resources and the support system client needs for short- term employment to satisfy the Maslow hierarchy of needs, like food and shelter; and long-term employment to sustain the basic needs. In general, clients might not have stable housing, food security, transportation, childcare and some skills to perform the job they want.
The four section is to assess client’s current income and expenses and what client needs to make ends meet each month. At worksource, we use the Washington’s Self Sufficiency calculator, which helps identify what is the wage per hour, per month or annual salary client need based on the city they currently residing in or the city they would like to live in.
Overall the goal of the career assessment is to let my customers recognize their strength to make informed decision toward career goals, so they can gain stable live, more rewarding career, and as a result become more self-sufficient.
As a practitioner who works primarily with adult refugees and immigrants, I would want an assessment as free from cultural bias as possible, and one that is accessible to customers for whom English is a second/third/etc language. I like the way the O*Net interest profiler categorizes occupational tasks and think it is overall very user friendly, so I would design an assessment that builds upon it by adding questions about preferred working styles and environments. For clients who lack work experience (particularly youth clients and recent graduates) or are unsure of the career path they want to pursue, I might incorporate something akin to a Meyers-Briggs test that can assess personality types and tie those in with occupational categories. Admittedly this would require more time and a well-trained facilitator who can adequately prepare and interpret results with clients. The Holland code quiz is a useful framing but I think some of the questions are too open-ended and some clients may find it difficult to accurately assess something as broad as “are you imaginative?” I would design an assessment with questions that are more contextualized and provide simple examples or definitions of each trait/behavior client’s are being asked to assess within themselves.
Ryan, I wholeheartedly concur with your perspective on the importance of having an assessment that is both free from dominant culture bias and user-friendly. The O*NET Interest Profiler, as you’ve mentioned, does indeed align with these critical criteria.
Ali, I agree that it’s very important to have a user-friendly assessment tool. And the O*NET Interest Profiler is a great example of such a tool, which can be easily and successfully used by native English speakers and immigrants.
Ryan, I wholeheartedly concur with your perspective on the importance of having a user-friendly assessment that is free from dominant culture bias. The O*NET Interest Profiler, as you’ve mentioned, does indeed align with these critical criteria.
Great discussion, everyone! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Looking for a few more of you to chime in here– we want to hear from all of you! Your experience and your perspective are valuable.
I usually start with Onet to get an idea of what type of general career a client may be interested in. But there is always more to an individual’s story, and it takes a personal approach to assess. Asking probing questions about not just past employment or training, but also interests and hobbies, can help shape additional options based on transferrable skills.
I agree with you, Heather. We have the same thought process, to help an indivdual assess their abilities. It actually helps them think breakdown their own experiences and skills, to help find that good fit job.
For the last decade, I have not personally worked with clients, but the clients we have served come from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. Majority of them are refugees with limited English proficiency, or individuals whose income is below 175% of the poverty line. They have varying levels of education, ranging from high school diplomas to college degrees obtained overseas. Although most of them speak and read English, their proficiency levels vary.
1. We will be utilizing the offline ONET Interest Profiler as one of our assessment tools. This version of the tool is an excellent option for those who prefer a traditional paper-based approach to career exploration. Since many of our clients may not have advanced computer skills, this tool is an ideal choice for them.
2. CareerOneStop provides a range of self-assessment tools to help individuals explore their interests, skills, and career options. Their assessments cover a variety of aspects such as interests, skills, values, and work preferences. Based on the user’s responses, these assessments may provide personalized career suggestions and resources. These tools are valuable resources for job seekers, career changers, and anyone looking to improve their understanding of their career prospects and opportunities. Users can access these assessments for free on the CareerOneStop website to support their career planning and decision-making processes.
Alis Your approach seems thoughtful and tailored to the diverse needs of your clients. The offline ONET Interest Profiler offers accessibility, especially for those with limited computer skills and i think that’s really nice. And CareerOneStop’s varied self-assessment tools sound comprehensive, addressing interests, skills, values, and work preferences. This combination provides a well rounded strategy for clients with diverse backgrounds and varying proficiency levels. Great choices!
Based on my experience working with diverse jobseekers, I recommend a comprehensive approach to career assessment that combines various tools and methods discussed in our course. This multifaceted approach involves using the O*NET Interest Profiler, Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, and informal conversations to establish trust and rapport with clients. The primary objective of this approach is to assist clients in gaining a clear understanding of their current situation, developing self-awareness, leveraging available resources, and identifying a support system as they work toward achieving their career goals. Ultimately, the goal is to enable clients to attain economic self-sufficiency and overall life satisfaction.
Schlossberg’s Transition Theory-based Assessment is a key component of this approach, primarily focused on clients who are undergoing significant transitions in their careers or lives. It delves into the following essential components:
Situation Analysis: Understanding the reasons behind the client’s transition, offering insights into their resource needs, such as training or support services.
Self-Analysis: Assessing the client’s current mental and physical state, stress levels, and confidence. This evaluation helps determine the client’s capacity for activities like schooling, training, or job searches.
Support System Assessment: Recognizing the pivotal role of the client’s support system in their success and self-assurance.
Strategy Development: Formulating a personalized pathway for success that includes achievable short-term goals and long-term career objectives.
This holistic approach offers a comprehensive view of the client’s circumstances, empowering them to develop a tailored strategy for their career development journey.
In addition to Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, I also recommend to incorporates the ONET Interest Profiler, which aligns with Holland’s R-I-A-S-E-C Interest Code Theory. The ONET database associates each occupation with specific interest codes, corresponding to the preferences and interests of individuals who excel in those fields. The R-I-A-S-E-C categories include Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Clients can utilize the O*NET Interest Profiler to match their personal interests and preferences with the interest codes associated with various occupations. This process aids in identifying careers that resonate with their unique personality traits and inclinations.
By integrating these assessment tools and theories, career counselors and job seekers gain valuable insights into the alignment between individual interests and specific job roles, ultimately facilitating informed career decisions and goal attainment.
If I were asked to help design a career assessment program for my clients, I would use an informal assessment, such as transferable skills activities; checklists of interests, values, abilities; interviews; etc. I would also use some useful, Internet based informal assessment tools: My Skills My Future, My Next Move, My Next Move for Veterans that has been developed by O*Net.
One assessment I would include is a skills inventory questionnaire, helping clients identify their strengths and areas for development. Additionally, a personality assessment, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, it could provide insights into their strengths, preferences and potential career fits based on this self report. These combined would offer a holistic view for career planning.
I have many ways to help an individual, but the most common is the use of Onet to help break down their tasks. Next would be to have conversations that show interests in their likes and dislikes, to help find which career options best fit the individuals needs. Its also important to ask what their dislikes are as well, so an individual isn’t put in a position theat they feel stuck.