NWLB Round 2

Yesterday I went back to the Michigan Works! Southgate office to complete the first step after orientation to qualify for the Michigan No Worker Left Behind program.  This time it was to attend a Career Trends workshop.  It was pretty much what I expected – a waste of gas.  They make you go to their O*NET website, http://onetcenter.org , do a keyword search on careers that interest you so that you can learn more about what type of qualifications and education are necessary, as well as average salary and, most importantly, if that career is deemed “in demand”.

After playing around with the O*NET search engine it was time to use the Interest Profiler which will match your interests with the careers that are best suited for you.  The Interest Profiler consists of 180 statements of work descriptions and you can answer Like, Dislike, or Unsure.  (For example, Working with databases; Changing a car’s oil; Directing a play; Provide rehabilitation therapy for seniors; etc.)

After you answer L, D, or U to the 180 statements you can print out your Score Summary.  You are scored on six interest categories:

Realistic: People with Realistic interests like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.  They enjoy dealing with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.  They enjoy outside work.  Often people with Realistic interests do not like occupations that mainly involve doing paperwork or working closely with others.  (My score: 2)

Investigative: People with Investigative interests like work activities that have to do with ideas and thinking, rather than with physical activity.  They like to search for facts and figure out problems mentally, rather than to persuade or lead people.  (My score: 18)

Artistic: People with Artistic interests like work activities that deal with the artistic side of things, such as forms, designs, and patterns.  They like self-expression in their work.  They prefer settings where work can be done without following a clear set of rules.  (My score: 17)

Social: People with Social interests like work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development.  They prefer to communicate more than to work with objects, machines, or data.  They like to teach, to give advice, to help, or otherwise be of service to people.  (My score: 26)

Enterprising: People with Enterprising interests like work activities that have to do with starting up and carrying out projects, especially business ventures.  They like persuading and leading people and making decisions.  They like taking risks for profit.  These people prefer action, rather than thinking.  (My score: 18)

Conventional: People with Conventional interests like work activities that follow set procedures and routines.  They prefer working with data and detail, rather than with ideas.  They prefer work in which there are precise standards, rather than work in which you have to judge things by yourself.  These people like working where the lines of authority are clear.  (My score: 20)

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, it’s a shame that this couldn’t all be done from a remote location (i.e. home) through the internet via login/username and passwords.  Instead, I had to drive 40 minutes to Michigan Works! and sign a piece of paper documenting that I had attended and completed my Interest Profiler.

I did learn some things about myself though through the Profiler.  For starters, that I enjoy communicating, teaching, and helping others.  The Profiler also reinforced what I already knew about my displeasure for working with wood, tools, machinery, etc.  The rest of it is pretty much a toss-up with a slight leaning towards working with procedures, data, and precise attention to details.

My next step in the NWLB tango is to attend a Career Exploration Preparation workshop which is scheduled for next Thursday (8/13).  I’ll provide another update then.