Professional Values And Skills

Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment

Introduction Understanding your values, knowing your strengths, skills and interests is key to helping plan your career within United. It will help you to determine whether your current job is the right fit, or maybe you want to look for other positions within the Company which might better fit your values, skills, and interests. In this section you will have an opportunity to assess your values and skills by completing the following activities: •

Professional Values Assessment

•

Skills Assessment

•

Motivation Assessment

•

Personality Assessment

•

"Who Am I" Assessment

•

Resources to Further Assess Your Values and Skills

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Professional Values Assessment The tool below will help you identify the things that motivate you in the work environment. Use this tool in your job search to identify the types of things you are looking for from your potential employer. •

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First, review the list of values below, and using a scale from 1-4 (1 for extremely important 4 for not important), to determine which values match with your own. 1.

Help Others: Be involved in helping other people in a direct way, whether individually or in small groups.

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2.

Public Contact: Have a lot of day-to-day contact with people.

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3.

Work With Others: Have close working relationships with a group; work as a team toward common goals.

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4.

Friendships: Develop close personal relationships with people resulting from work activities.

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5.

Competition: Engage in activities that pit my abilities against others where there are clear win and lose outcomes.

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6.

Make Decisions: Have the power to decide courses of action, policies, etc.

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7.

Work Under Pressure: Work in situations where time pressure is prevalent and/or the quality of my work is judged critically by supervisors, customers, or others.

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8.

Influence People: Be in a position to change attitudes or opinions of other people.

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9.

Work Alone: Do projects by myself, without a significant amount of contact with others.

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10.

Knowledge: Engage in the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and understanding.

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11.

Intellectual Status: Be regarded as a person of high intellectual prowess or as one who is an acknowledged expert in a given field.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment ___

12.

Creativity: Engage in creative work; create new ideas, programs, organizational structures, or anything else, without following a format previously developed by others.

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13.

Aesthetics: Be involved in studying or appreciating the beauty of things, ideas, etc.

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14.

Supervision: Have a job in which I am directly responsible for the work done by others.

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15.

Change and Variety: Have work responsibilities that change in content and setting.

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16.

Precision Work: Work in situations where there is very little tolerance for error.

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17.

Stability: Have a work routine and job duties that are largely predictable and not likely to change over a long period of time.

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18.

Security: Be assured of keeping my job, insurance, benefits, and reasonable financial reward.

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19.

Fast Pace: Work in circumstances where there is a high pace of activity; work must be done rapidly.

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20.

Recognition: Be recognized for the quality of my work in some visible or public way.

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21.

Adventure: Have work duties that involve frequent risk-taking.

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22.

Profit, Gain: Have a strong likelihood of accumulating large amounts of money.

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23.

Independence: Be able to determine the nature of my work without significant direction from others; not have to do what others tell me to.

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24.

Moral Fulfillment: Feel that my work is contributing significantly to a set of moral standards, which I feel are very important.

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25.

Flexible Schedule: Have work responsibilities, which I can work at according to my own time schedule; no specific working hours required.

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26.

Location: Be able to work in the geographic area of my choice.

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27.

Status: Have a position that is considered highly ranked.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment ___

28.

Travel: Have a job that influences my ability or desire to travel.

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29.

Free Time: Work the kind of schedule that allows me to pursue other personal activities.

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30.

Advancement/Promotability: Have access to opportunities for advancement and promotion.

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31.

Self-Development: Have opportunities to advance my skills and abilities.

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32.

Work Enjoyment: Have a job that gives me pleasure.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Rank Your Values After you have rated each of the values, identify which values you have rated as a 1. List all of those values below. Values

Next, rank these professional values according their priority to you. This list will indicate which values have to be met by an employer in order for you to feel satisfied and motivated in your job or career. Value #1: ________________________________________________________ Value #2: ________________________________________________________ Value #3: ________________________________________________________ Value #4: ________________________________________________________ Value #5: ________________________________________________________ Value #6: ________________________________________________________ Value #7: ________________________________________________________ Value #8: ________________________________________________________ Value #9: ________________________________________________________ Value #10: _______________________________________________________

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Skills Assessment Identifying what skills you possess will help you identify what types of jobs best suit you. Use the following tool to assess your preferred skills and to what level you feel confident in performing them. •

First, read through the list of skills, and using a scale from 1-4 (1 for most preferred and 4 for least preferred), rate each skill according to how they relate to your work environment.

•

After you have rated each of the skills, now identify which of the skills you are proficient at and have demonstrated in your previous employment experience. Highlight the skills by using a highlighter or by circling the skills you feel you can demonstrate proficiently.

•

Finally, review the list and identify which of preferred skills you rated a 1 or 2 and are also highlighted as skills you demonstrate proficiently.

After you have completed the assessment you will be able to identify those skills you want to use more often in your work environment. They are the things you enjoy doing and are skilled in. Finding a job that requires these skills will make your job a more pleasant experience.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment

Skill

Most Preferred 1

Activate Administer Analyze Appraise Communicate Conceptualize Conduct Contract Convince Coordinate Counsel Critique Delegate Design Designate Develop Direct Distribute Devise Draw Educate Employ Encourage Estimate Evaluate Execute Explore

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2

3

Least Preferred 4

Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Skill

Most Preferred 1

Facilitate Familiarize Finance Focus Formulate Gather Generate Guide Handle Highlight Hire Identify Illustrate Imagine Implement Improve Inform Innovate Launch Lecture Lead Maintain Manage Mentor Monitor Motivate Negotiate Network

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2

3

Least Preferred 4

Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Skill

Most Preferred 1

Observe Operate Organize Perform Persuade Plan Prescribe Prevent Process Produce Program Promote Purchase Recommend Record Recruit Refer Report Research Restore Review Reward Sell Select Service Solve Strategize Study

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2

3

Least Preferred 4

Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Skill

Most Preferred 1

Supervise Teach Train Translate Upgrade Work on Teams Work Alone Write

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2

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Least Preferred 4

Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Motivations Assessment Motivation plays a part in making career decisions because of built in rewards -either material or psychological. Knowing what matters to you may help you decide which interests to pursue in formulating a career. Use the following tool to assess what is important to you, what you value and what you need. •

The statements are divided into 13 distinct groups, each of which is a category of work motivations.

•

Read through each of the statements under the category and rate yourself as thoughtfully as you can. For example, if the statement is "I would like to have my work seen and admired by others," make it very close to "yes" if respect and recognition from others are very meaningful to you. Mark it close to "no" if your own approval of what you do provides you sufficient satisfaction.

•

Add up the scores from each of the statements under each category and total them.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment I. Achievement (Attaining mastery of a field, self-advancement, growth) Yes 7 7

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No 1 I enjoy seeing the results of my efforts. 1 I like to work toward broad and important goals. It is important to me that my work lead to better 1 opportunities. I am most satisfied if I have a chance to learn from 1 what I do. 1 When I do something, I like to do it well. 1 I would not want to waste my time.

Total: _____

II. Challenge (Handling difficult or complex work) Yes 7 7

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2 2

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No 1 If there is a difficult problem, I have an urge to tackle it. 1 Easy work bores me and hard work stimulates me. The work world seems to offer me the satisfaction of 1 solving tough problems. Without challenging work, I would feel useless and 1 unfulfilled. 1 I want some real intellectual challenge. 1 When I am challenged, I do my best work.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment III. Creativity (Contributing new ideas, being original and innovative) Yes

No

7

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2

1

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1

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1 1

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2

1

I am proud of my ability to offer ideas in many solutions. I like to come up with a new way to handle an old problem, or to implement a more efficient approach or technique. I like to try out original solutions rather than rely on conventional tactics and established procedures. I like to tackle problems that others prefer to avoid. I have creative talents that I want to develop and use. People tell me that I'm always coming up with ideas and solutions that are new.

Total: _____

IV. Dominance (Exercising leadership, directing, influencing others) Yes 7 7

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No 1 I like to use my leadership abilities. 1 I enjoy planning and organizing a program or activity. I will feel good about myself if I am responsible for 1 large enterprises. I would get a feeling of satisfaction from directing and 1 supervising other people's work. I know I have good leadership qualities which I could 1 put to use. I like to see things happen, change, develop as a 1 result of my efforts.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment V. Independence (Being free from supervision and restriction) Yes

No

7

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1

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1

I want the feeling that I can depend on myself for a decent living wage. I will want to have some part of my life that is independent of others. I just like the feeling of being independent. I do not like feeling that someone is dependent on me. I like to do things on my own, without having a lot of orders or directions. I welcome the chance to use my capacity for independent thinking and action.

Total: _____

VI. Interest (Finding a stimulating activity) Yes 7

6

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2

No 1 I want activity outside of my job to keep life interesting. Having only job responsibilities would leave me 1 unfulfilled. 1 I enjoy being busy at interesting work. 1 I want an absorbing career commitment. I want time for my home and for leisure as well as 1 work. 1 I would not organize my life just around my job.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment VII. Interpersonal Relations (Being with other employees, colleagues) Yes

No

7

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1

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1

I want the opportunity to be with people who share my interest. I enjoy the opportunity to meet people. The isolation of working at home would be depressing to me. I feel best when I'm with other people. I think that a career would enrich my life through interaction with interesting people. I like to be part of a team, to participate with others.

Total: _____

VIII. Money (Gaining in socioeconomic status, meeting material needs) Yes

No

7

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1 1

I base my job decisions on the amount of salary and fringe benefits. I tend to measure my worth as an employee according to my salary. I have to meet financial needs, sharing this responsibility with my spouse or providing for myself. It is important to me to have as high an income as possible. Getting money and material things is important to me. I need the money a job would provide.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment IX. Moral Values (Behaving in a way consistent with some moral code) Yes

No

7

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1

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1 1

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1

I would feel ashamed if I failed to use what I have learned. I believe that work builds character. If a person doesn't work hard, s/he is probably lazy. It is important to do work that helps make a better world. Everyone should work, to give back to society all s/he takes. Service gives me pleasure.

Total: _____

X. Recognition (Getting respect, prestige, social approval) Yes

No

7

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1

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1 1

I want to have my work recognized and valued by others. It is important to be acknowledged by others in my field. I want to work for a well-known institution. I want a job that is somewhat glamorous in the eyes of others. My title is important to me. Promotions are important to me.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment XI. Self-expression (Working in an area suited to the development of one's abilities) Yes

No

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2 2 2

1 1 1

I want to test myself on the job to confirm my sense of who I am. I would really grow if I got into the right work. A lot of my natural talent is wasted if I don't have a meaningful job. Being able to express myself is important to me. I want the opportunity to try out some of my own ideas. I want to grow as a person and develop my abilities.

Total: _____

XII. Social Welfare (Doing something that has meaning for others, working for society or another person's benefit) Yes 7 7

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2 2

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No 1 I need the feeling of helping someone directly. 1 I would be happiest working in a service organization. I would like to do a good and useful job anywhere I am 1 needed. I want to use my energies and abilities to help make 1 the world a better place to live in. 1 I like to help others, to be and feel useful. 1 Looking out for other's welfare is important to me.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment XIII. Variety (Preferring diverse activities, "changes of scenery”) Yes

No

7

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I want a career that would permit me to be involved in different activities of the business or professional world. I welcome changing activities and changing roles. I enjoy a variety of challenges rather than just a single area of concentration. I will need more stimulation and variety than I would get sitting at a desk all day. I dislike routine activities and thrive on variety. I don't like to spend too much time on the same type of activity.

Total: _____

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Rank Your Motivations After you have totaled each of the 13 groups, fill in the 6 with the highest scores. Motivation #1 ____________________________________________________

Motivation #2 ____________________________________________________

Motivation #3 ____________________________________________________

Motivation #4 ____________________________________________________

Motivation #5 ____________________________________________________

Motivation #6 ____________________________________________________

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Personality Strength Assessment To help you sharpen your focus on who you are, work through this checklist of personal characteristics. Your strengths are important to know about yourself, but your weaknesses matter too. Knowing your weak spots will help steer you away from certain career activities or fields, or may suggest areas which you wish to change by education, experiences or some kind of "restyling" of yourself. •

As you respond to the list, try to recognize all the qualities you possess -irrespective of whether they have been expressed until now.

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First, read each word and underline the ones that describe you as you are now.

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Next, look back over the list and place a check to the left of the words that are most highly descriptive of you. Check any that you missed at your first evaluation. Often, people fail to identify their strengths adequately.

•

As a final check, ask someone whose opinions you value to read through the list and check off the strengths that they see in you.

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Personality Strengths Academic

Cool

Humorous

Peaceable

Active

Cooperative

Idealistic

Persevering

Accurate

Courageous

Imaginative

Pleasant

Adaptable

Curious

Independent

Poised

Adventurous

Deliberate

Individualistic

Polite

Affectionate

Determined

Informal

Practical

Aggressive

Dignified

Intellectual

Precise

Alert

Discreet

Intelligent

Progressive

Ambitious

Dominant

Inventive

Prudent

Artistic

Eager

Kind

Purposeful

Attractive

Easygoing

Leisurely

Quick

Bold

Efficient

Likeable

Quiet

Broad-minded

Emotional

Logical

Rational

Businesslike

Energetic

Loyal

Realistic

Calm

Fair-minded

Mature

Reflective

Capable

Farsighted

Methodical

Relaxed

Careful

Firm

Meticulous

Reliable

Caring

Flexible

Mild

Reserved

Cautious

Forceful

Moderate

Resourceful

Charming

Formal

Modest

Responsible

Cheerful

Frank

Natural

Retiring

Clear-thinking

Friendly

Obliging

Robust

Clever

Generous

Open-minded

Self-confident

Competent

Gentle

Opportunistic

Self-controlled

Competitive

Good-natured

Original

Sensible

Confident

Healthy

Outgoing

Serious

Conscientious

Helpful

Painstaking

Sincere

Conservative

Honest

Patient

Sociable

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Spontaneous

Unaffected

Spunky

Unassuming

Steady

Understanding

Strong

Unexcitable

Sympathetic

Uninhibited

Tactful

Verbal

Teachable

Versatile

Tenacious

Warm

Thorough

Wholesome

Tolerant

Wise

Tough

Witty

Trustworthy

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment

"WHO AM I?" Self-Assessment Summary Using the assessments in this section, summarize the information about yourself as a way of identifying your career fit. 1. What interests me most is:

2. The skills that I am most confident in are:

3. Skills that I would like to develop are:

4. My most important work motivations are:

5. Personality strengths that best describe me:

6. From this information, I can conclude that I am most interested in working with People _______, Data _______, Things _______, or Ideas _______. (Check all that apply)

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Career Development Resources Professional Values and Skills Assessment Resources Websites Here are examples of Internet sites that offer additional resources for this topic. Career Decisions: Self Assessment: www.careerplanning.about.com/library/weekly/aa110297.htm Career Assessment: www.nycareerzone.org/graphic/assessment/index.jsp Books What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and CareerChangers (2001 Edition) by Richard Nelson Bolles Do What You Are: Discover the perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron-Tieger Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life by Carole Kancier, PhD. Career Change: Everything You Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore

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