Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Job-hunting tips from the June 5, 2006 issue of
QuintZine.
Writing on BostonWorks.com, Penelope Trunk flouts the kind of mentality job-seekers demonstrate
when they take career assessments and try to get to know themselves better so they can choose the
right career. Instead, Trunk suggests there's no way to know a career is right for you unless you try it.
Rather than figuring yourself out, Trunk says "You should just start doing something." She indicates that
it's not so bad if it turns out to be the wrong job for you because you'll still learn from it and take something
away with you. Trunk doesn't mention that there are ways to try out jobs before making a long-term commitment --
such as job shadowing, internships, and informational interviews.
Read Trunk's full article.
An unusual -- but extremely useful -- form of career assessment is one that measures not your
internal personality, values, skills, and so on, but explores what external observers think of you.
The 360Reach assessment enables users to request feedback from an unlimited number of
respondents during a 30-day period. The people selected to provide input can give feedback about
your rational and emotional attributes, your greatest strength and greatest weakness, the team role
that most suits you, etc. They can also provide any additional comments they want to share.
360Reach includes two projective exercises to validate data and enable
you to gain richer insights into what those around you think about you.
Register here for teh 360Reach assessment.
Career fulfillment specialist Patricia Soldati tested 30 career assessments and offers these tips:
There is no single gold standard despite the fact that every company touts its assessment as such.
It takes considerable time and a sizable investment to create an assessment that is credible,
predictive, and clear in interpretation.
Most of the Internet freebies lack, or at least, don't publish such credentials; the old
saying 'you get what you pay for' probably applies. The upshot: online freebies are
more fun than fact; many are simply a teaser with limited reporting -- as
enticement to pony up for a fuller assessment.
Higher-priced assessments don't necessarily mean better or more valid; they may be
more proprietary and therefore, require a greater level of interpretation and support.
Career experts unanimously recommend taking several tests for a well-rounded,
vocational picture. You end up with expanded self-awareness, more options, and less
risk than by taking a single assessment.
Professional interpretation of results is one of the best investments you can make in
your career-change process.
Soldati's favorites: For personality assessment, the classic Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI); for interests and preferences, the Strong Interest Inventory, and if you think
you want to run a business, add Strong's Entrepreneur Assessment. She also likes the
Motivational
Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP).
Writing on BostonWorks.com, Penelope Trunk flouts the kind of mentality job-seekers demonstrate
when they take career assessments and try to get to know themselves better so they can choose the
right career. Instead, Trunk suggests there's no way to know a career is right for you unless you try it.
Rather than figuring yourself out, Trunk says "You should just start doing something." She indicates that
it's not so bad if it turns out to be the wrong job for you because you'll still learn from it and take something
away with you. Trunk doesn't mention that there are ways to try out jobs before making a long-term commitment --
such as job shadowing, internships, and informational interviews.
