Employment Spot

Choose a Career – Match Personality with Profession

Choosing a career is possibly one of the most important decisions of a lifetime. Whether you are fresh out of school or facing a mid-life career change, it is vitally important that you seriously consider your personality and interests before making career decisions. If you’re choosing a career in law based upon Ally McBeal, please read on. Get the honest scoop on yourself and your career possibilities.

• Vault Reports
  Provides an array of hard facts about hundreds of careers and industries. Thinking about investment banking? Read up on what you might expect from life as an investment banker, such as hours (long), pay (lots), social life (none) and work environment (stressful and fast paced).
• Career Browser
  Offers information on many occupations and industries, including job prospects and salary estimates. For example, educators can expect widespread job availability between now and 2005.
• Princetonreview.com
  A great site with reliable information on how to choose a career. Find expert career advice and take the Career Quiz to find a job that matches your interests.

Assess Yourself

Several fun and informative quizzes are designed to help you match personality with work environments and careers. Before going forward, read Richard Bolles’ (author of What Color is Your Parachute) tips on what to consider when taking these surveys. You’ll find these tips and many others at the Job Hunter’s Bible.

Some enlightening assessments include:

• Career Worksheet
  This tool from the College Board helps you identify careers that match your interests and abilities.
• The Career Interests Game
  This game is based on Dr. John Holland’s theory that people and work environments can be loosely classified into six different groups and one must recognize where he/she fits.
• Career Key
  Designed to determine your "Holland Code," this site links its list of occupations directly to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.