Lesson 1: Knowing Yourself Module 3: FINDING A JOB

Personality Your personality has an effect on your happiness with your job; your career choices should be aligned with your personality. Lesson Overview: –What are my likes and dislikes? –In my personal and professional life, what is important to me? –Recognizing your strengths and skills –How your skills and preferences are reflected in your work

What is my personality? Exercise 1: Personality, Preference, and Career Happiness Directions: Take a few minutes to think about your personality and interests and answer the first question in the space provided. Think about such things as activities you enjoy, past jobs where you felt successful, etc. You will then have the opportunity to share your ideas with the group. What are your interests? What activities do you enjoy? In your personal and professional life, what is important to you? What past work experiences have made you happy?

Personal Likes and Dislikes Exercise 2: Directions: Take a few minutes to chart out some of the tasks you have enjoyed in your past work experiences and chart them appropriately. Example: I enjoy the opportunity to work with others, I like working in quiet spaces, I dislike working with food, etc.

Assessing our Skills and Competencies Exercise 3 What are my skills? What do I have to offer an employer? Technological: working with computers and machinery. Interpersonal: working with people. Physical: working with our hands and body.

Matching our Personality to our Profession Exercise 3: Scenario 1 Mary has just begun employment as a telemarketer. Initially, she was very excited about the new opportunity. The company has good benefits and she looks forward to offering exciting new products to consumers. She will be making a commission on each product sold, and she finds the products useful. Despite these perks, after her first week she is beginning to dislike the job, and her attitude about the new job is beginning to manifest negatively in her daily interactions with customers. Some facts about Mary: Mary enjoys routine and repetitive tasks. Mary has not had experience in customer service or sales. She doesn’t like when the customers are unhappy. Her stomach is upset each time she begins to make a call. To make sure the job is a good fit, Mary must be aware of her job duties and her own personality. What job duties and skills are used by a telemarketer? What personality traits are necessary to perform the listed job duty?

Matching our Personality to our Profession Scenario 2 Mary has decided that telemarketing is not in her future and had begun to look for a new job. Using the following facts about Mary, along with her previous experience in telemarketing, identify the marketable skill that Mary possesses and brainstorm some job fields where she may have better success. Facts about Mary Mary is an excellent communicator orally but has some difficulty with written communication. Mary had raised three children and is a dependable care-giver. Mary likes to work on her computer at home, but does not like to be distracted. Mary likes working with people, and has always been told she was a good listener. Mary likes to work independently, and is good at accomplishing tasks without supervision. Mary thought that she would like sales, but could not de- personalize the complaints of unhappy customers. Are there any career options for Mary based upon the above listed skills? Are there any careers that she should avoid due to her likes and dislikes?

Matching our Personality to our Profession Please look back on past exercises and, based upon your preferences, likes and dislikes, identify marketable job skills that you possess. Note the experience that let you to this conclusion. Are there any career paths that would not allow you for success based on your identified skills? In which jobs would you have success?