Carolyn Williams
Geologist
June 16, 2000
Career Inventory
Career Inventories
Architect
A career inventory will tell what career opportunities are best for you based on your interests, how you like to perform various tasks or how you relate to your environment or the people around you.� The tests are usually comprised of a few questions where a personal preference is required.� Based on the answers given, career possibilities are determined.� Though the tests are not fool proof, they can get you on your way to selecting a career, if you haven't already chosen one.
I'm old enough and far along in the game to know what sorts of careers for which I am best suited.� However, it was fun taking the three different tests just to confirm what I already knew.� I'm an organizer.� I tend to be very systematic and straightforward in the way I perform various tasks.� My last serious position in the working world was a Quality Control Manager.��� I loved the number crunching, the various studies involving data gathering and the travel that went along with the job.� Though the work could be tedious at times, it was never boring because it was different every day.� Enough of this; here are the results of my tests.
The Princeton Review Career Quiz, developed by the creators of the "Birkman Method," consisted of 24 questions.� The results were given for interests and usual style for completing a task, which were then categorized into four color groups.� It was determined that my interests and usual style colors were both yellow.� My interests fall mainly toward ordering, maintaining and organizing.� My usual style is structured, systematic and loyal.� Possible career choices could be Anthropologist, Bookkeeper or Film Editor.
The Holland Game was a little different.� It suggested that you imagine walking into a room, and there were six groups of people doing their own thing.� Of these six groups, select three that you would most likely gravitate to: your first, second and third choices.� My choices were Conventional (The Organizers), Realistic (The Do-ers) and Investigative (The Thinkers).� After reviewing the descriptions of these three categories, I noted that they contained a number of things that did describe me. My favorite pastimes are working outside in the flower garden, ordering and reading books and even "practicing Clutter's last stand," of which I am trying to get away from.�� Possible career opportunities were Computer Operator, Mathematician and Quality Control Manager.
The last inventory was What Career is For You?� The Self-Evaluation Inventory contained 21 questions.� The questions were related to three groups:� People related, data related and things related preferences.� The results revealed I relate to people in a mentoring, helping manner.� I tend to compile, analyze and compare data.� Career opportunities included Office Manager, Warehouse Manager and System Analyst.
Many of the careers mentioned, I would never consider.� A Funeral Director is just not my kind of job, but I could really get excited about being an Internal Auditor or a Horticulturist.
Some people don't have a clue of what they would like to be when they grow up.� The career inventories can help them.� There may not be a single career that you would want to go into, but at least you can find out what are your interests.
Works Cited
Astronomer
Holland, John L. "The Career Interests Game." MU Career Center. Date accessed 12 June 2000.
<http://www.missouri.edu/~cppcwww/holland/r.shtml>.
"The Princeton Review Career Quiz." Review.Com. Date accessed 12 June 2000.
<http://www.review.com/birkman/birkman.cfm>.
"What Career is for You?" Job Search. Date accessed 12 June 2000.
<http://207.178.211.90/jsearch/unique/27485/jshome2e.html>.
Check out Thomas Nelson's Career Center for more information on career choices.
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