Prompt #1:  Summarize your results and any particular “aha moments” that you may have had when working through the “interests-based” assessments on the AzCIS website.  What particular career clusters stuck out to you?  With respect to the interest profiler, how did your interests score in the artistic / conventional / enterprising / investigative / realistic / social categories?  How could you use interests-based assessments to help move your career and your life forward?  If you have taken any other interests-based assessments in the past, please comment on those, and any relevant connections to the AzCIS assessments.

 

          My biggest “aha moment” in reviewing the interest-based assessments was in seeing how low my score was in the social section. Having been a manager and team leader for so long, I’ve come to really appreciate the social aspects of my job. I enjoy helping others develop in their abilities and appreciate the dynamic nature of feedback in a team environment. I think that this category was based on several responses to questions about teaching children and individuals with special needs (disabled). While I enjoy teaching others, I do so within the context of shared understanding and ability to incorporate logic into development conversations. Logic, however, is often unhelpful in teaching younger kids – just ask my six-year-old!

 

          The assessment, however, did identify my comfort with the Conventional elements of my life. It is true, I do appreciate structure and clearly defined lines of authority. In my mind, clear structure helps create a clear path for communication. In turn, clear communication fosters an environment of innovation and empowerment. This aspect links more closely to the Enterprising aspect of my interest which rated second highest in this assessment.

 

Prompt #2:  Summarize your results and any particular “aha moments” that you may have had when working through the “skills / work values-based” assessments through the AzCIS website.  What are your top skills?  Are these the skills that you highlighted in your e-portfolio (from OGL 498 Pro-Seminar I)?  Comment on any differences there, and how you might improve, or add to, the skills section of your e-portfolio based on this new perspective.  Also, be sure to comment on your Holland Personality Types scores, and how your skills and interests compared in that regard. How could you use skills-based assessments to help move your career and your life forward?  If you have taken any other skills-based assessments in the past, please comment on those, and any relevant connections to the AzCIS assessments.

           

            The Skills/Work Values-based assessment identified my top skills as: dependability, efficiency, stress tolerance, attention to detail, and directing/leading. These skill preferences are reflected very accurately in relation to my Holland Personality Types scores as I was rated highest in the areas of conventional, enterprising, and social. In my view, efficiency and attention to detail are a huge part of the conventional element as it leads to clear structure and execution of priorities. Likewise, attention to detail and stress tolerance are critical elements of being able to excel in enterprise. Dependability and directing/leading are certainly social elements that must exist in effective relationships.

 

          In terms of improvement, though, I definitely have room in the area of being artistic. While I am willing to accept my desire for logical structured environments, I recognize the value of innovation in our lives (professional and personal). Being able to support a more artistic view of the world around me might help broaden my perspective and allow me to be more in tune with new experiences.