©Turning Points Diane Ducat1
SELF-ASSESSMENT
TAKING STOCK OF YOUR SITUATION
NameRicardo Barriga – CEP 121.0433 03/11/2008 (checked by yellow highlight)
OVERVIEW
In this activity you will lay the groundwork for solving your career dilemma. You will discover the amount of information you need, identify which of the three databases to consult, and select some factors that require your initial attention. There are four tasks in this assessment.
Task 1Describe Your Career Dilemma
✍Describe your career dilemma.
-Make your description as specific as possible.
-Provide details about your life situation. Life situation factors include your family situation and your life roles, where you want to work and live, your current economic situation, and your dreams.
As far as I can see the only career dilemma I am facing is my age. I am thirty three years old and as
the days continue to fold my age is the only career dilemma I face. Unfortunately due to a family
life change, my career was placed on hold back in 2000. In 2001, my daughter Alexandra was born
and my responsibilities only grew. I was now responsible for my own family and at the time, school
was just not an option. Now my life has changed. I am divorced and this class is the most crucial
piece of the pie. I must design a fool proof plan that will allow me to become a medical doctor by
the age of forty. As for the rest of my life, I am fully dedicated to school, my part time job and
nothing else. I must also figure into my equation financing school. Otherwise I’m ready to go!
Task 2Complete Your Assessment
Consider your career dilemma carefully. In order to solve it, you may want to get to know yourself better. You may want to get a better idea of your interests, values, and skills. You may require information about several career fields, job opportunities, or the current job market. You may want to get a better idea of possibilities for transfer to senior college, graduate training, or other ways to further your education. You will probably want to obtain more information in several areas.
Instructions
Keeping your career dilemma in mind, circle the best response to each item.
T = TrueF = False? = Uncertain
Personal Identity Database
1.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about my personality.
2.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about my values.
3.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about my career interests.
4.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about my skills.
5.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about the kind of life I want and the kind of person
I would like to be in the future.
6.In order to solve this dilemma, I need to know moreTF?
about career management skills — like how to set
priorities, avoid procrastination, and take action.
Career Database
7.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about my career field.
8.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about several career fields.
9.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the nature of work in certain careers.
10. In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the entry requirements in certain careers.
11.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the rewards and benefits in certain careers.
12.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the job market and outlook for the future in certain
careers.
Education Database
13.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about transfer to a senior college.
14.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about graduate programs.
15.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about which majors are appropriate for my goals.
16.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about which academic programs are offered in colleges
or graduate schools I am considering.
17.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the schools’ admission requirements.
18.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the types of students who attend these schools.
19.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about the cost of further education and possibilities for
financial aid.
20.In order to solve this dilemma, I need more informationTF?
about other ways to further my education.
Task 3Identify the Information You Need
To assess your need for information, review the questionnaire above.
1.Get a general idea about the amount of information you need.
2.Identify the types of information that will be most useful to you. What databases are important to search?
- The databases most important to me are the Career Information and the Education Databases.
3.Identify the most important pieces of information to search for first.
A. General Overview of the Amount of Information You Need
How many items did you check as “True” or “Uncertain?”
I checked __(14)___ items out of the 20 items as “True” or “Uncertain.”
Are you surprised by the number of items you checked as “True” or “Uncertain”? It is not uncommon to check more than 10 items. Most students realize that to solve their career dilemmas they will need a lot of information.
B. Types of Information - Organized by Database
Now examine the questionnaire in terms of each of the three databases.
Personal Identity Database
If you circled items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 as “True” or “Uncertain,” you need more information about you. You need to conduct a self-assessment of your values, personality, interests, and skills.
If so, check the box below.
□I need more information about myself.
Career Database
If you circled items 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 as “True” or “Uncertain,” you need more information about careers.
If so, check the box below.
□I need more information about careers.
Education Database
If you circled items 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 as “True” or “Uncertain,” you need more information about colleges, graduate schools, or other types of further education.
If so, check the box below.
□I need more information about further education.
Task 4Plan Your First Information Search
Congratulations! Taking Stock of your Situation requires you to be honest with yourself. This process is not always easy. It is tempting to find excuses and avoid looking at our career dilemmas. Reaching this point means that you have made important career progress.
However, some students feel a little discouraged at this point. Why? It is not uncommon for students to check the need for information in all or most of the areas. So, they feel lost. It is important to realize that if you stop the process here, you will remain confused about your career dilemma.
What do you need to do next? Search for information.
□I plan to use the Career database.
□I plan to use the Education database.