Portfolio
Part 1
Due:
October 31st
Name: ______________________________________
A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision
is drudgery, a vision and a task is the hope of the world.
- Church of Sussex, England - 1730
Part 1: Laying Out a Big Picture/Dream List
I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
- Thomas Jefferson
An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted.
- Arthur Miller
The beginnings and endings of all human undertakings are untidy.
-John Galsworthy, author, Nobelist (1867-1933)
In this first exercise you are learning the skill of mind-mapping by looking at where you are now and
perhaps where you will be in the future. In order to see where you might want to go, you must first think
about what your present roles and patterns center around. You must then question what you want different
and/or add to your life dream.
Section A: Brainstorming
Read John Goddard’s dream list on pages 2 and 3 as an example of what one person wrote. Your list may
not be as extensive, and that’s alright. Take your time to really think about what you want to accomplish in
life.
On the page 4, write a dream list of your own. List every long- and short-term dream you have or can
remember of the things or activities you would like to have accomplished or been involved with before you
die. List as many as possible; don’t worry about whether it is possible or too expensive or that you don’t
have the ability. Do not limit your brainstorming by concerns about time or money!!!! Use the following
categories to assist you in thinking of areas to consider.
Personal
Examples: health, fitness, travel, new leisure or hobbies, education, personal development, adventure,
alternative lifestyle, spiritual growth, church activities, community involvement, volunteer activities
Work
Examples: earnings, positions, second careers, advancement, training/education, certifications
Relationships
Examples: family activities, marriage, friendships, type of home, exploring your roots
Financial
Examples: income, financial independence, net worth, savings, expense control, building capital, kid’s
education, retirement, specific things you want
Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without
knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity! -Gilda Radner
You can't wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.
-Navajo Proverb
A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the
image of a cathedral.
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (1900-1945)
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation,
which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
-Confucius, philosopher and teacher (c. 551-478 BCE)
We don't understand life any better at forty than at twenty, but we know it and admit it.
-Jules Renard, writer (1864-1910)
The Goddard List -Taking Stock: Separating Fantasy from the Possible!
I have learned this at least by my experience: that if one advances confidently in the direction of
their dreams, and endeavors to live the life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success
unexpected in common hours. – unknown, by shared with me by my father (often)
His mother had often said, when you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action.
She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehemently: when you desire a
consequence you had damned well better take the action that would create it.
-Lois McMaster Bujold, writer (1949- )
At the age of 15, John Goddard, in 1940, wrote down 127 of his dreams he wished to accomplish before
his death. In 1972, at age 47, he had accomplished 103 wishes of his original dream list. What have you
dreamt about doing and how many of your dreams have you fulfilled? Read through the list and discuss
with the group some of the things you have wished about doing during your lifetime.
The tragedy of life is not death; rather, it is what we allow to die within us while we live.
- Norman Cousins
Goddard’s Master Dream List
Rivers
- Nile River
- Amazon River
- Congo River
- Colorado River
- Yangtze River, China
- Niger River
- Orinoco River, Venezuela
- Rio Coco, Nicaragua
Study Primitive Cultures in:
- The Congo
- New Guinea
- Brazil
- Borneo
- The Sudan (Nearly buried
alive in a sandstorm)
- Australia
- Kenya
- The Philippines
- Tanganyika (Now Tanzania)
- Ethiopia
- Nigeria
- Alaska
Climb:
- Mount Everest
- Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina
- Mt. McKinley
- Mt. Huascaran, Peru
- Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Mt. Ararat, Turkey
- Mt. Kenya
- Mt. Cook, New Zealand
- Mt. Popocatepetl, Mexico
- The Matterhorn
- Mt. Rainier
- Mt. Fuji
- Mt Vesuvius
- Mt. Bromo, Java
- Grand Tetons
- Mt. Baldy, CA
- Carry out careers in medicine
and exploration (Studied premed,
treats illnesses among primitive
tribes)
- Visit every country in the world
(Thirty to go)
- Study Navajo and Hopi Indians
- Learn to fly a plane
- Ride a horse in Rose Parade
Photography:
- Iguacu Falls, Brazil
- Victoria Falls, Rhodesia
(Chased by a warthog in the
process)
- Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
- Yosemite Falls
- Niagara Falls
- Retrace travels of Marco Polo
and Alexander the Great
Explore Underwater:
- Coral reefs of Florida
- Great Barrier Reef, Australia
(Photographed a 300 pound clam)
2
- Red Sea
- Fiji Islands
- The Bahamas
- Explore Okefenokee Swamp
and the Everglades
Visit:
- North and South Poles
- Great Wall of China
- Panama and Suez Canels
- Easter Island
- The Galapagos Islands
- Vatican City (Saw the Pope)
- The Taj Mahal
- The Eiffel Tower
- The Blue Grotto, Capri
- The Tower of London
- The Leaning Tower of Piza
- The Sacred Well of Chich nItza, Mexico
- Climb Ayers Rock in Australia
- Follow River Jordan from Sea
of Galilee to Dead Sea
Swim in:
- Lake Victoria
- Lake Superior
- Lake Taganyika
- Lake Titicaca, S. America
- Lake Nicaragua
Miscellaneous:
- Become an Eagle Scout
- Drive a submarine
- Land on and takeoff from an
aircraft carrier
- Fly in a blimp, balloon, and
glider (Only a glider so far)
- Ride an elephant, camel,
ostrich, and bronco
- Skin-dive to 40 feet and hold
breath two-and-a half minutes
underwater
- Catch a ten-pound lobster and
ten-inch abalone
- Play flute and violin
- Type 50 works a minute
- Learn water and snow skiing
- Make a parachute jump
- Go on a church mission
- Follow the John Muir trail
- Study native medicines and
bring back useful ones
- Bag camera trophies of
elephant, lion, rhino, cheetah,
cape buffalo, and whale
- Learn to fence
- Learn to jujitsu
- Teach a college course
- Watch a cremation ceremony in
Bali
- Explore depths of the sea
- Appear in a Tarzan movie (He
now considers this an irrelevant
boyhood dream)
- Own a horse, chimpanzee,
cheetah, ocelot, and coyote (Yet
to own a chimp or cheetah)
- Become a ham radio operator
- Build own telescope
- Write a book (on Nile trip)
- Publish an article in National
Geographic Magazine
- High jump five feet
- Broad jump 15 feet
- Run mile in five minutes
- Weigh 175 pounds stripped
(Still does)
- Perform 200 sit-ups and 20 pullups
- Learn French, Spanish, and
Arabic
- Study dragon lizards on
Komodo Island (boat broke down
within 20 miles of the island)
- Visit birthplace of Grandfather
Sorenson in Denmark
- Visit birthplace of Grandfather
Goddard in England
- Ship aboard a freighter as a
seaman
- Read entire Encyclopedia
Britannica (Has read extensive
parts in each volume)
- Read Bible from cover to cover
- Read the works of Shakespeare,
Plato, Aristotle, Dickens,
Thoreau, Rousseau, hemingway,
Twain, Burroughs, Talmage,
Tolstoy, Longfellow, Keats, Poe,
Bacon, Whittier, Emerson (Not
every work of each)
- Become familiar with the
compositions of Bach,
Beethoven, Debussy, Ibert, Lalo,
Mendelssohn, Milhaud, Paganini,
Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Respighi,
Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky,
Tchailovsky, Toch, Verdi
- Become proficient in the use of
a plane, motorcycle, tractor,
surfboard, rifle, pistol, canoe,
microscope, football, basketball,
bow and arrow, lariat, and
boomerang
- Compose music
- Play "Clair de Lune" on the
piano
- Watch fire walking ceremony
(Bali and Surinam)
- Milk a poisonous snake (Bitten
by a diamondback during a photo
session)
- Light a match with .22 rifle
- Visit a movie studio
- Climb Cheops' pyramid
- Become a member of the
Explorers' Club and Adventures'
Club
- Learn to play polo
- Travel through the Grand
Canyon on foot and by boat
- Circumnavigate the globe (Four
times)
- Visit the moon ("Someday, if
God wills.")
- Marry and have children (Has
five children)
- Live to see the 21st century
(He'll be 75)
Adapted from Life Skills: Taking Charge of Your Personal and Professional Growth", by Richard J. Lieder and John
Goddard - Life Magazine: "One Man's Life of No Regrets" 1972
You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created.
-Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel laureate (1879-1955)
I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy
playing on the seashore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier
shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.
-Isaac Newton, philosopher and mathematician (1642-1727)
A guidance counselor who has made a fetish of security, or who has unwittingly surrendered his
thinking to economic determinism, may steer a youth away from his dream of becoming a poet, an
artist, a musician or any other of thousands of things, because it offers no security, it does not pay
well, there are no vacancies, it has no "future".
-Henry M Wriston, 11th president of Brown University (1889-1978)
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Create Your Own Dream List
Personal
Work
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7
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Relationships
Financial
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Part 2: Final Large Mind-Mapping Due at the end of the semester: December 5th
Everything you've learned in school as `obvious' becomes less and less obvious as you begin to study the
universe. For example, there are no solids in the universe. There's not even a suggestion of a solid.
There are no absolute continuums. There are no surfaces. There are no straight lines.
-R. Buckminster Fuller, engineer, designer, and architect (1895-1983)
This mind-map should be done on at least an 11” by 17” or larger paper. Read the handout: Step One: Lay
Out the Big Picture. During this semester you will be asked to learn and practice using mind-mapping through a
number of smaller mind-mapping exercises. At the end of the semester, you will hand in a very detailed map of your
past, present and your future in as part of your final grade. It is expected that you put a great deal of thinking into
this project. If you have questions on mind-mapping, please contact me by phone or make an appointment. The more
you think and make connections, the more your brain understands and moves in directions that will benefit you in the
future. You can also check on the Internet at http://www.uwsp.edu/career/HPW107/web.htm
Be creative - the more you put in - the more you get out of it. * See Part 33 of Portfolio 2 for further
explanations.
Part 3: Questions
I keep six honest serving men / They taught me all I knew: / Their names are What and Why and When
/ And How and Where and Who.
- Rudyard Kipling
Judge a person by their questions rather than by their answers.
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
– Voltaire
- Albert Einstein
Section A: On a separate piece of paper, make a list of a hundred questions that are important to you. Your
list can include any kind of questions as long as it's something you deem significant: anything from "How I
can save money?" or "How can I have fun?" to "What is the meaning and purpose of life?" or "What type of
work will make me happy and successful?" Attempt to do this in as few sittings as possible. Once you are
done, look for major and minor themes: relationships, education, work, fun, money and/or meaning of life? *
PICK AND PRIORITIZE THE TOP 10 QUESTIONS FROM THE LIST OF 100.
Section B: Review where you are in your career development and come up with 5 useful questions that you
want to have answered by the end of this course. First list the question, then rewrite it as a goal (I will
learn ..... by “when” .....). If you cannot think of any questions than talk with your instructor! You need to
learn to ask question and you can not afford to be stuck at this point of your career development.
1.
I will learn
by
2.
I will learn
by
3.
I will learn
by
4.
I will learn
by
5.
5
I will learn
Never confuse motion with action.
by
-Benjamin Franklin, statesman, author, and inventor (1706-1790)
If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with
doubts, he shall end in certainties. -Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626)
Part 4: Building Your Future from Positive Memories
Book:
Trip:
Movie:
Place at home:
Fairy Tale:
Study Area:
Person:
Topic Area:
Possession:
Teacher:
Gift:
Clothing:
Wall Hanging:
Hat:
Picture:
Coat:
Place:
Toy:
Music:
Jewelry:
Sound:
Stuffed Animal:
Food:
Animal:
Taste:
Car:
Restaurant:
Actor/Actress:
Experience:
Comedian:
Activity:
Game:
If you had to pick just one of the above experience to symbolize you which one would it be and why?
6
Part 5: Mind Map of Your Happy Memories – The Past
 Develop a logo or symbol that represents happiness to you. It should be something that
represents good things or feelings for you.
 Sketch your logo in the center of the area below.
 On lines radiating from the center add lines to print key words and/or draw symbolic images
that represent details of those experiences. You should complete at least 10 separate
experiences from your past that have been happy for you. You can use any of the items in the
previous exercise to generate experiences. Add detail lines to your map!!!!
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
7
-Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, musician, Nobel laureate (1875-1965)
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Part 6: Weekly Questions for Class - Keep up with the questions!
If you don't execute your ideas, they die.
-Roger von Oech, author and consultant
In order to effectively prepare for any learning experience, it is best that you develop questions to guide your
quest for information. Questions will assist in building a relationship of acquired information to your own life
and experiences. This section below will assist you in thinking about how to develop different types of
questions. Practice with the using these in your weekly questions.
Questioning for Quality Career Thinking and Decision Making
Recalling
Who, what, when, how ________________?
Comparing
How is ______similar to/different from _________?
Identifying Attributes and Components
What are the characteristics/parts of ___________?
Classifying
How might we organize ____ into categories?
Ordering
Arrange ______ into sequence according to _______?
Identifying Relationships and Patterns
Develop an outline /diagram/web of _____________?
Representing
In what other ways might we show/illustrate
_________?
Identifying Main Ideas
What is the key concept/issue of __________?
Retell the main idea of _________ in your own words.
Identifying Errors
What is wrong with _________________?
Inferring
What might we infer from _______________?
What conclusions might be drawn from ___________?
Predicting
What might happen if ____________________?
Elaborating
What ideas/details can you add to ______________?
Give an example of _________________?
Elaborating
What ideas/details can you add to ________?
Give an example of ___________________?
Summarizing
Can you summarize ___________________?
Establishing Criteria
What criteria would you use to judge/evaluate _____?
Verifying
What evidence supports _______________?
How might we prove/confirm ____________?
Before each class, develop a well thought out question you might ask yourself or the instructor. Be
prepared to be called upon during class to share your question.
Class
2
Date
September 19
3
September 26
4
October 3
5
October 10
6
October 17
7
October 24
8
October 31
Questions for Class
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of discussion.
-Plato, philosopher (427-347 BCE)
A painting is never finished - it simply stops in interesting places. –Paul Gardner, painter
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Nothing contributes so much to tranquilizing the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul
may fix its intellectual eye.
-Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, author (1797-1851)
Part 7: Personal Contacts
Networking with people is one of the best ways to learn about life, develop job realities and develop
opportunities for possible internships, part-time jobs, and future jobs. Push yourselves to meet and build a file
of people who might assist you. Remember sometimes you get more by giving and helping others.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Last Name
Last Name
First Name
First Name
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Address
Address
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
City, State, Zip
City, State, Zip
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Phone
Comments:
Phone
Comments:
Email
Email
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Last Name
Last Name
First Name
First Name
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Address
Address
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
City, State, Zip
City, State, Zip
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Phone
Comments:
Phone
Comments:
Email
Email
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Last Name
Last Name
First Name
First Name
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Address
Address
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
City, State, Zip
City, State, Zip
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Phone
Comments:
Phone
Comments:
Email
Email
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Last Name
Last Name
First Name
First Name
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Address
Address
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
City, State, Zip
City, State, Zip
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Phone
Comments:
Phone
Comments:
Email
10
Email
Part 8: Mind-mapping – Where you are now! The Present Demographics
 Be complete with your information – work towards having an accurate view of who and
where you in your life.
11
"It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in themselves."
- Carl Gustav Jung|
Part 9: Job Searchin the Internet
12
List 5 Internet sites you have located that may be helpful in your career development. Include the name of the
site and the Internet address. You may be asked to share your sites during class, so make them good ones.
Check our site if you get stuck:
http://www.uwsp.edu/career/studentsAndAlumni/exploringMajorsCareers/usingTheInternet.aspx.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Part 10: (Section A) Priorities Where You Want to Live Geographically
Prioritize the following: (one being the highest value)
The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately
or in the long run.
-Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)
____ Low crime
____ near family
____ clean water & air
____ recreation/leisure nearby
____ good health care
____ good weather
____ good school system
____ strong arts
____ low cost of housing
____ good transportation system
____ low taxes
____ population size of area
(Section B) Best Places to Live – By Preference Search (Find the “best” places based on basic
factors) Complete, print, and attach results to portfolio. Go to http://www.bestplaces.net/fybp/ ,
http://www.findyourspot.com/ or any other quiz you can find on the internet. The most important part is the
process of reading and answering the questions. Ask if you have questions about finding a site.
(Section C) Write a short description of your ideal geographical area. Be specific!
Part 11: People You Admire
There are people throughout our lives that we admire and respect: some may be even considered heroes and/or mentors.
Some may be friends, family, or people you have never met personally. They may be people who are living or dead.
The following websites may give you ideas of “famous” people who you may admire:
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http://www.time.com/time/2006/time100/ , http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/a-z-list-of-americanmasters/386/ , and http://www.who2.com/job/index.html .
List 10 people and briefly summarize what characters you like about these people.
1.
6.
2.
7.
3.
8.
4.
9.
5.
10.
Summary:
Part 12: Mind-Mapping - Explore Your Goals - Present Dreams of the Future
 On the next page begin by drawing your logo again.
 In this version do a more organized map of your life goals – adding color and vivid
images of your life areas. PUSH YOURSELF!
 Print key words and/or draw images that express your branches in depth for each of the
following areas.
 People: What relationships are most important to you? What qualities would
your relationships have ideally?
 Career: What are your ultimate career goals? What are your short term goals?
What would your ideal job or career be?
 Finances: How much money do you need to support your goals and priorities?
 Home: What is your ideal living environment – structure and geographic
location?
 Possessions: What stuff is important to you now and in the future?
 Spirituality: What kind of relationship do you want to have with your god?
What do you need to do to be more in tune with your beliefs?
 Health: What shape would you like to be in? What quality of energy would
you like to have in life?
 Fun: What would provide you the greatest delight in life?
 Service: How do you see yourself helping others?
 Travel: Where do you want to go?
 Learning: If you could learning anything you wanted, what would it be?
 Self: What kind of person would you like to be? What qualities would you like
to build and strengthen?
Re-examine all that you have been told . . . dismiss that which insults your soul.
-Walt Whitman
14
In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will
understand only what we are taught. - Baba Dieum
Part 13: Working Conditions
There is no disguise that can for long conceal love where it exists or simulate it where it does not.
-Francois de La Rochefoucauld
15
Think of what type of workplace you would like to spend your working day. Below are various qualities
of the workplace divided into 5 main categories.
1. Prioritize the qualities in each category - 1 is the highest.
2. Choose your top 10 qualities from all 5 categories
3. Write a short description of your ideal work site based on your top 10 qualities.
Management Characteristics
Salary/Benefits
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
Honesty/fair/ethical
Respect
Objectivity
Openness
Cooperation
Goal orientation
Flexibility
Scheduling
Use of Skills/Interests
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
Encourages growth/autonomy
Provides varied experience
Supports efforts
Acknowledges achievements
Open to transfers/promotions
Offers educational opportunities
Provides training/development
The Community
________
________
________
________
________
________
Work Environment
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
________
Salary
Medical/dental
Fitness facilities
Life/disability insurance
Vacations/holidays
"Business of living" time
Maternity/paternity leaves
Child care
Profit sharing
Moving\travel expenses
Flextime
Retirement benefits
Travel benefits
Location/setting
Appearance of buildings
Work station
Cafeteria
Restrooms
Colors
Fresh Air
Furnishing/equipment
Safe/environmentally conscious
Compatible coworkers.
Friendliness
Orderliness
Windows
Medical/dental facilities
Acceptable schools
Transportation
Cost of living
Other Amenities
Recreational/cultural facilities
Top Ten List
1.
2.
3.
4
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Part 14: Myers/Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
-Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)
List your MBTI type: ____ ____ ____ ____
List 1 example of a work preference from each of your functions areas (E-I, S-I, T-F, J-P) found in your
handout on MBTI (Effects of Preferences in Work Situations) and write a brief explanation of how these
work preferences may affect your satisfaction on the job. Additional Information: go to the Career
Exploration Portal: http://www.uwsp.edu/career/career_portal/ , under assessments.
1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________
Write a brief statement about what you have learned about yourself and how the MBTI may help you
investigate possible careers.
Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.
-Hal Borland, journalist (1900-1978)
To be well informed, one must read quickly a great number of merely instructive books. To be
cultivated, one must read slowly and with a lingering appreciation the comparatively few books that
have been written by men who lived, thought, and felt with style.
-Aldous Huxley, writer (1894-1963)
Part 15: Clarify Your Core Values
Your goals are often identified by asking and contemplating questions such as: What do you want? Your
values are answered by dealing with the – “Why do you want it?”
 Look at each of your goal areas in the last mind-map exercises (Parts 8 & 11) and
consider why you want this? Why is it important to you? What will the realization of
this goal bring to your life?
 Contemplate these questions as you go through your list:
 How much of what you want is determined by your conditioning – the messages
you internalized from your parents, religious leaders, and others?
 How much is determined by your reaction or rebellion against your
conditioning?
 How much is based upon your essence – who are you really inside, independent
of conditioning or reaction?
As you contemplate these questions core values will emerge. From the list below, you may add to this list,
mark the top ten values. Then prioritize this list of ten. Next create a symbol or image that represents
your core set of values. Don’t worry about your art ability. It can also be a picture you find in a magazine.
Achievement
Beauty
Competition
Ecology
Family
Fun
Humility
Insight
Knowledge
Loyalty
Order
Perfectionism
Recognition
Security
Spontaneity
Teaching
Winning
Adventure
Charity
Creativity
Excellence
Fashion
Generosity
Humor
Integrity
Leadership
Money
Originality
Playfulness
Religion
Sensitivity
Stability
Time
Wisdom
Authenticity
Community
Discipline
Excitement
Freedom
Growth
Imagination
Justice
Learning
Nature
Passion
Pleasure
Respect
Serenity
Status
Tradition
Working
Image/Symbol
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Awareness
Compassion
Diversity
Expression
Friendship
Honesty
Independence
Kindness
Love
Novelty
Patriotism
Power
Responsibility
Spirituality
Subtlety
Truth
Top Ten List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.
Part 16: WICareers
This program is located on the local UWSP network at: http://www.uwsp.edu/career/wisCareers.aspx
List and describe 3 occupations that came up through your computer search. Include information as
general description, working conditions, education requirements, salary, outlook, and 1 source of
additional information. Use WICareers as a way to sort through examples of careers you have never heard
or know about. It may not locate the one and only career for you but it is excellent for finding beginning
information.
Occupation 1: ________________________________
Occupation 2: ________________________________
Occupation 3: ________________________________
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
-Confucius, philosopher and teacher (c. 551-478 BCE)
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Part 17: Career Satisfaction Profile
Complete the following profile on at least 2 different job possibilities. Plot your answers on the scoring
key, marking each job in a different color or type of line.
Career #1: ______________________________________________
How do you feel about .....?
Not at All
Satisfied
1. School subject required for
this area/field
2. Skills required
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
3. Personal interest in this
kind of field
4. Starting and potential
salary
5. Opportunities to grow and
develop new skills
6. Location of work Example: urban or rural
7. Tasks to be performed
1
2
3
4
5
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2
3
4
5
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2
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5
1
2
3
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5
1
2
3
4
5
8. Type of work environment
Example: in or outside
9. General motivation for
this kind of work
10. Future in this area/field
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Somewhat
Satisfied
Very
Satisfied
Career #2: ______________________________________________
How do you feel about .....?
Not at All
Satisfied
1. School subject required for
this area/field
2. Skills required
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
3. Personal interest in this
kind of field
4. Starting and potential
salary
5. Opportunities to grow and
develop new skills
6. Location of work Example: urban or rural
7. Tasks to be performed
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
8. Type of work environment
Example: in or outside
9. General motivation for
this kind of work
10. Future in this area/field
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Somewhat
Satisfied
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Very
Satisfied
Career #3: ______________________________________________
How do you feel about .....?
Not at All
Satisfied
1. School subject required for
this area/field
2. Skills required
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
3. Personal interest in this
kind of field
4. Starting and potential
salary
5. Opportunities to grow and
develop new skills
6. Location of work Example: urban or rural
7. Tasks to be performed
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
8. Type of work environment
Example: in or outside
9. General motivation for
this kind of work
10. Future in this area/field
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Somewhat
Satisfied
Very
Satisfied
Scoring Key Chart your numbers from the above careers. Use different colors or lines to show the differences between the
careers. Visually graph at least 2 careers on this chart.
Very Satisfied
Somewhat Satisfied
Not at all Satisfied
Questions:
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subject
2
skills
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interest
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salary
5
growth
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location
7
tasks
8
environment
9
motivation
10
future
How do the jobs compare? Do you agree?
What insights do you get from this exercise?
Adapted from Life Skills: Taking Charge of Your Personal and Professional Growth, by Richard J. Leid
21
Part 18 : Campbell Interest and Skill Survey
Look over http://www.uwsp.edu/career/ciss/index.aspx for additional occupations, major and minors related to
CISS results. Hybrids represent jobs that add together areas like FBI accountant, sport medicine, math teacher,
patient lawyer, …. Press yourself to look for unique combinations.
He who would leap high must take a long run.
-Danish Proverb
What are your Occupational Orientations (page 2)
Pursue
Develop
Explore
Avoid
What are the hybrids of these put together? What combinations do you find? Ex: Helping/Creating
What are your top Basic Skills and Interests? ( Basic Interest and Skill Scales – page 3)
Pursue
Develop
Explore
Avoid
What are the hybrids of these put together? What combinations do you find? Ex: Fashion/Animals Care
What are your top Occupations in each of the following areas? (Occupational Scales – pages 4 – 10)
Pursue
Develop
Explore
Avoid
What are the hybrids of these put together? What combinations do you find? Ex: medical lawyer.
What are your thoughts and feelings about your direction after analyzing the results of the CISS?
What are your thoughts and feelings about the CISS? Useful or not and why?
22
Part 19: Mind Mapping of the Future
Many live in the ivory tower called reality; they never venture on the open sea of thought.
-Francois Gautier, journalist (1950- )
What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
- Johann von Goethe
"All of our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." – Walt Disney
Draw out a mind map of the career fantasy you had in class. Start with a logo that represents your future. Project yourself
10 to 20 years into the future. Include the area of: marriage and family, geographical location, type of housing, type of
occupation (what, where, how large), lifestyle, material belongings, recreational and social activities, etc....
Be specific and push your imagination!!!!
People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea , at the long courses of rivers, at the
vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.
-Saint Augustine (354-430)
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Part 20: Contemplate Your Purpose/Meaning of Life
Some people seem to know what their purpose is, but many young and older people do not have a clear sense of purpose in
their lives. What is your purpose in life? Below are some ways to contemplate purpose.
 Do stream of consciousness writing on “What my purpose is not!” This will help you clarify the negative
spaces around what you are about. Play with the opposite of what you are not about.
 Experiment with writing a “Statement of Purpose” in 25 words or less. Once you have it, study and rewrite
it until you feel comfortable with your focus.
 Look up Meaning of life: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life
Write a 25 word description of your Purpose in Life.
Part 21: Nothing Happens Until Something Moves
The world is made up of thousands of choices everyday and dependent upon which you make and push
yourself to make you create your opportunities and thus your life. Below make a list of 10 actions you
could do today that would change life towards in a positive direction and then make a list of 10 actions
that would create negative outcomes in your life.
1.
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Patience is also a form of action. -Auguste Rodin, sculptor (1840-1917)
Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.
-Viktor Frankl, author, neurologist and psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor (1905-1997)
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Part 22: Work Values: Check out Work Values in the WISCareers.
People gain satisfaction both at work and home based on a large variety of values. Ideal jobs for you will match the
values you hold most important to you. Guess what -- ideal jobs are very hard to come by in life! Some people are
lucky by falling into a job which makes them happy and successful; but most people who obtain jobs closest to their
ideal expectations spend a great deal of time and effort deciding what they value and where they will be employed in
order to find jobs which best match their work values. Look over the following list and rank them from 1 to 4 based on
their degree of importance to you and your future workplace.
1 = Most important to your future career
2 = Reasonably important
3 = Not very important
4 = Not important at all
________
Help Society: Do something to contribute to the betterment of the world I live in.
________
Help Others: Be involved in helping other people in a direct way, either individually or in small groups.
________
Public Contact: Have a lot of day-to day contact with people.
________
Work with Others: Have close working relationships with a group; work as a team towards common
goals.
________
Affiliation: Be recognized as a member of a particular organization.
________
Friendships: Develop close personal relationships with people as a result of my work activities.
________
Competition: Engage in activities which put my abilities against others where there are clear win-and-lose
outcomes.
________
Make Decisions: Have the power to decide courses of action, policies, etc.
________
Work Under Pressure: Work in situations where time pressure is prevalent and/or the quality of my work
is judged critically by supervisors, customers or others.
________
Power and Authority: Control the work activities or (partially) the destinies of other people.
________
Influence People: Be in a position to change attitudes or opinions of other people.
________
Work Alone: Do projects by myself, without any significant amount of contact with others.
________
Knowledge: Engage myself in the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and understanding.
________
Intellectual Status: Be regarded as a person of high intellectual prowess or as one who is an
acknowledged "expert" in a given field.
________
Artistic Creativity: Engage in creative work in any of several art forms.
________
Creativity (General): Create new ideas, programs, organizational structures, or anything else not
following a format previously developed by others.
________
Aesthetics: Be involved in studying or appreciating the beauty of things, ideas, etc.
________
Supervision: Have a job in which I am directly responsible for the work done by others.
________
Change and Variety: Have work responsibilities which frequently change in their content and setting.
________
Precision Work: Work in situations where there is very little tolerance for error.
25
________
Stability: Be assured of keeping my job and a reasonable financial reward.
________
Fast Pace: Work in circumstances where there is a high pace of activity, work must be done rapidly.
________
Recognition: Be recognized for the quality of my work in some visible or public way.
________
Excitement: Experience a high degree of (or frequent) excitement in the course of my work.
________
Adventure: Have work duties which involve frequent risk-taking.
________
Profit, Gain: Have a strong likelihood of accumulating large amounts of money or other material gain.
________
Independence: Be able to determine the nature of my work without significant direction from others: not
have to do what others tell me to.
________
Moral Fulfillment: Feel that my work is contributing significantly to a set of moral standards which I feel
is very important.
________
Location: Find a place to live (town, geographical area) which is conducive to my lifestyle and affords me
the opportunity to do the things I enjoy most.
________
Community: Live in a town or city where I can get involved in community affairs.
________
Physical Challenge: Have a job that makes physical demands which I would find rewarding.
________
Time Freedom: Have work responsibilities which I can work at according to my own time schedule; no
specific working hours required.
________
Additional Value of your Choice
Now carefully look over the values, especially at the values you picked as being most important. List the four most
important values in order of their importance to you.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Adapted from Howard E. Figler, Path: A Career Workbook for Liberal Arts Students, Carroll Press, RI, 1975.
The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.
-Japanese Proverb
Let proportion be found not only in numbers and measures, but also in sounds, weights, times, and positions, and
what ever force there is.
-Leonardo Da Vinci, painter, engineer, musician, and scientist (1452-1519)
Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.
-Josh Billings, columnist and humorist (1818-1885)
Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness.
-Thomas Carlyle, essayist and historian (1795-1881)
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Part 23: Personal Insights
"You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once." - Polish Proverb
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful
lest you let other people spend it for you.
-Carl Sandburg, poet (1878-1967)
Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time. -Stephen Swid, executive
1. Time
How would you describe your daily schedule on an average day? Do you feel you have time to be involved in what you set
as your top priority? How do you feel about the time you put into your career/life planning?
Personal Insights:
2. Values
What are your top values in your life? Are you living your values? What is an example of something you have done
recently which represents living up to what you value?
Personal Insights:
3. Vitality
How to you spend your leisure time? Do you enjoy what you do? What do you do to generate energy and enjoy life? Are
you satisfied with the amount of energy you have to put into life?
Personal Insights:
4. Purpose
How would you answer the question - “Why do I get up in the morning?” Do you have a clear sense of purpose in your life?
My purpose in life is........
Personal Insights:
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Write down concepts and ideas you come up with during the semester – in and outside of
class.
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Name: _________________________________________
Portfolio
Due:
Part 2
December 5th
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November 7
10
November 14
11
November 21
12
November 8
13
December 5
Part 24: Questions for Class
Remember to push yourself in developing the skill of asking
productive and useful questions - your results of your planning and
job search are based on effective questions and know where and
how to look.
Part 25: The Product:
Begin with the obvious -- most employers will not pay you to sit and do nothing. In the best case scenario -- they will pay you
for what you like to do and do well when it matches what they want done. In supply and demand situations, employers will
pay more and compete more for those who have the highest level of skills, greatest amount of experience, and the required
knowledge. Your hiring will be greatly increased if you -- first, know who you are, what you have done, and what you are
able to do, and secondly, know how to deliver this information both in writing and verbally.
Listed below are phrases which may explain who you are or what you would like to become. Read the following phrases and
carefully choose only the ones that describe you and the phrases you want to develop for your future product line. Check all
the phrases that describe you, but be discriminating! After checking the phrases, list the top 5 that fit you now, and the top 5
you want to develop in the near future on the bottom of the page.
Have Want
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Have Want
Strong social skills
Special visual and design taste
Build effective teams
Bring order out of chaos
Effective in organizing others
Contributor to educational institutions
Use time wisely
Provided leadership to civic or social organization
Recruited and trained volunteers
Sophisticated
Handled complaints/conflict situations
Direct meetings skillfully
Successfully promote new ideas
Grasp technical matters quickly
Well-versed in governmental affairs
Effective in planning events
Competitive
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Bring out the creativity in others
Skilled, versatile writer
Highly articulate and conversant
Focus others’ energies toward solutions
Effective moderator and mediator
First hand experience with many cultures
Know how to structure an organization
Procured funding and/or grants
Planned or assisted with fund-raising programs
Effective at dealing with the public
Design new and efficient systems
Establish clear lines of communications
Simplify complex problems
Poised and professional
Coached teams
Able to direct volunteers
Able to set priorities logically
Have Want
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Have Want
Astute researcher
Synthesize diverse ideas
Good listener
Gained support for new programs or ideas
High energy level/project enthusiasm
Turned around poor attitudes
Succeeded where others failed
Veteran of difficult times
Diplomatic in difficult situations
Not easily intimidated
Brought projects from concept through completion
Personal contacts with various businesses
Hands-on experience
Community involvement and contacts
Creative flair for putting on events
Turned around failing project or event
Versatile troubleshooter
Have reshaped organization or special project
Calm under pressure
Set goals/establish controls
Deliver results, not excuses
Officer and/or board member
Familiar with key markets
Experience in international travel
Win cooperation from people at every level
Perform against tight deadlines
Meet demanding objectives and deadlines
Work well alone or as part of a team
Won loyalty of those who work around you
Bring in-depth technical knowledge
Unique ability to help others
Held leadership responsibility
Broad administrative skills
Make forceful presentations
Easily win people’s confidence
Inspire others to better performance
Made money for organization
Management exposure
Effective in sophisticated environments
Worked with upper management
Ethics and character of the highest caliber
Developed or assisted in developing policy
An action person
Lead by example
30
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Formulate practical action plans
Sensitive to others’ needs
Keen observer
Made go/no-go decisions
Project management experience
Directed start-up
Participated in a breakthrough solution
Function well in rapid-growth times
Pay attention to detail
Precise thinker
Made many tough decisions
Well-developed instincts for what will sell
Overhauled ineffective methods
Strong theoretical grounding
Consistently find new alternatives
Sense of command
Effective in short and long term planning
Bring harmony into situations
Experience within an industry
Follow up and get things done
Member of important committees
Saved money for organization
Know international markets, cultures, customs
Entrepreneurial strengths
Handle rapid change easily
Initiated change
Analyze situations rapidly
Able to get to the heart of the problem quickly
Have high level of experience in specific area
Willing to try new approaches
Managed a successful operation or project
Reorganized and revitalized
Source of ideas that work
Use modern techniques
Proven record of success
Ability to get things done
Hard-working achiever/give 100%
Work well with people
Practical in your approach to problems
Skillful negotiator
Trained or ran training programs for other employees
Broad-based
Intuitive decision-maker
Resourceful problem-solver
Add others not listed above (optional)
Have Want
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Top 4 phrases that describe you now!
1.
Top 4 phrases you want to develop in the near future!
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
Part 26: Positioning:
Everyone has to sell themselves! In order to sell yourself to an employer effectively, you need to be able to describe yourself
accurately. Like a political party -- you need to develop a platform that positions you and informs others of just who you are in
general terms. Read the following words and carefully choose the words that describe you and the words you would like to develop
for your future positioning. Check all the words that describe you, but be discriminating! After checking the words, list the top 5
that fit you now, and the top 5 you want to develop in the near future on the bottom of the page.
Have Want
  accurate
  achiever
  active
  adaptive
  administrative
  ambitious
  analytical
  artistic
  assertive
  attentive
  broad-minded
  builder
  calm
  caring
  charming
  compatible
  competitive
  conceptual
  congenial
  conscientious
  considerate
  consistent
  constructive
  controller
  courageous
  courteous
  creative
Have Want
Have Want
  director
  dignified
  diplomatic
  discerning
  disciplined
  discreet
  discriminating
  driving
  dynamic
  economical
  effective
  efficient
  eloquent
  energetic
  energetic
  enthusiastic
  esteemed
  fair
  flexible
  forceful
  forward-thinker
  frank
  friendly
  generous
  genuine
  good-natured
  honest
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
31
 intellectual
 intense
 intuitive
 inventive
 just
 keen
 kind
 knowledgeable
 logical
 loyal
 manager
 methodical
 modest
 motivator
 objective
 observant
 open-minded
 opinionated
 optimistic
 organizer
 outgoing
 outspoken
 patient
 perceptive
 perfectionist
 persistent
 personable
Have Want
  punctual
  quick
  realistic
  reliable
  researcher
  resourceful
  responsible
  respected
  revitalized
  scheduler
  scientific
  self-motivated
  self-reliant
  sense of humor
  sensitive
  shrewd
  sincere
  smart
  sociable
  sophisticated
  straightforward
  strategic
  supportive
  systematic
  tactful
  tactician
  talented
Have Want
Have Want
Have Want
  cultured
  humanitarian
  decisive
  imaginative
demanding
 
  implementer
  dependable
  independent
designer
 
  individualist
  democratic
  initiator
  detailed
  innovator
  determined
  inspiring
Top 5 words that describe you now!
Have Want
  persuasive
  Thinker
  punctual
  thorough
planner
 
  thoughtful
  poised
  tolerant
positive
 
  tough-minded
  practical
  trainer
  productive
  versatile
  professional
  visionary
Top 5 words you want to develop in the near future!
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study.
-Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626)
The most perfect technique is that which is not noticed at all. -Pablo Casals, cellist, conductor, and composer
Part 27: Information Interview
Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)
Hobby: Pick something you have always wanted to learn about or get involved in such as art, crafts, sports, or
entertainment. It is healthy to have outside interests. There are so many interesting people who love to share what they do
that a statement such as “I can’t find anyone or think of anything.” is not an acceptable statement and may result in an
automatic failing of this class!!!!!!! Talk to me if you want some assistance in deciding on an interest area and/or person to
interview. I have a lot of contacts in the area and on campus. You cannot interview a relative for this exercise.
1. Provide name and type of hobby or profession you were interviewing.
2. Briefly describe 5 things you learned from this interview.
3. Briefly describe your reaction to interview this person. Was it a worthwhile experience? Explain.
32
Part 28: What Needs Doing? / What Bugs You in this World?
As you look through a newspaper or magazine – list 10 things that either you believe needs to be done or that
“bothers” you in the world. What major (or minor) problems of this locality, state, country and/or world would
you like to see solved before you die? After each part write a short sentence or two whether you would like to
assist or participate or not. Finally –prioritize your list 1 being the most important to you.
_____ 1.
_____ 2.
_____ 3.
_____ 4.
______ 5.
_____ 6.
_____ 7.
_____ 8.
_____ 9.
_____ 10.
Pick your top one from above and comment on it. Why this one and what does it mean to you?
What do you want to accomplish in the next 10 years?
What is your ultimate life goal? What to you want to accomplish before you die?
33
Part 29: Informational Interview #2 (Must be with a different person than the interview for a hobby and
“can’t” be with a relative or someone you know well.) A main purpose of this exercise is to learn to develop your own
network with people you don’t know!
Name of Contact:
Position:
Company:
Date:
1.
What is the nature of the work performed? What are the specific duties and responsibilities? What are the skills used?
2.
What are the qualifications for this type of work? What kind of training, education, or course work is required? What
personal abilities or qualities would be important?
3.
What are the working conditions? What type of setting, hours, atmosphere, etc. can be expected?
4.
What are entry-level positions?
5.
What are the opportunities for advancement? What additional training or qualifications are necessary for advancement?
What are some of the job possibilities for experienced workers?
6.
What is the employment outlook?
7.
What salary can be expected? What is the average starting salary? What are the salaries for experienced workers?
34
8.
Where can people write for more information? What are some of the professional associations to which workers in this
field belong?
9.
Who are some other people in this field which could be recommended for you to interview?
10. Other information which you think is important?
11. Personal reaction about the interview: feelings, thoughts, was it enjoyable or not, worthwhile or not, what you would
have done different, etc.
12.
Did you send a thank you?
YES _______ NO _______
In other words -- learn to send thank you’s to people. Do it!!!!
Part 30: Budgeting
This program is included in the WICareers site: http://wiscareers.wisc.edu/ . Under Budgeting>Future budget builder.
Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their
time.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)
1.
List your life Choices: Write down from your work on the computer program!
Your Future Age:
# of Adults
# of School Age Children
# Adult Earners:
Full or Part-time:
Insurance: Who pays?
Size of Housing:
TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET: $
Housing: $
Food: $
Health Care: $
Child Care: $
Transportation: $
Savings: $
Clothing: $
Leisure: $
Extras: $
Total Monthly Budget: $
Yearly Budget: $
Federal Taxes: $
State Taxes: $
Social Security: $
The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome,
indescribably magnificent world in itself.
-Henry Miller, novelist (1891-1980)
35
3. Write a brief reaction to your budget - is it reasonable or not. Does it provide you the lifestyle you want in the
future?
4. Assume that you always wanted to live in Point and you are going to buy a home. Look through the Portage County’s
Reality Guide or online and decide on a home you will want to purchase -- it must fit into your budget. Identify and
attach the picture of your home in the first box below. Then find your “Dream House” (if different) and attach it in the
second box. Complete the following exercise on the homes you picked.
Go to: http://mortgages.interest.com/content/calculators/mortgage_calculator.asp and identify a 30-year mortgage for the
homes you picked. Assume an 8.5% loan or find the present home loan rate.
Cost of House: $
Amount paid at end of Mortgage: $
Attach picture of home that meets your budget
from some paper or internet site such as:
Down payment Amount: $
Monthly payment (Based on 8.5% or ____ %): $
Yearly Payment: $
Can you afford it on your budget? Explain:
http://realestate.yahoo.com/Wisconsin/Stevens_Point
http://www.trulia.com/WI/Stevens_Point/
http://www.prudentialproperties.com/
Cost of House: $
Amount paid at end of Mortgage: $
Attach Dream Home Picture
from reality site
Down payment Amount: $
Monthly payment (Based on 8.5% or ____ %): $
Yearly Payment: $
Can you afford it on your budget? Explain:
Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them.
-Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)
The heights by great men reached and kept / Were not attained by sudden flight, / But they, while their companions
slept, / Were toiling upward in the night.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet (1807-1882)
As soon as man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds it as something unfathomably mysterious,
thought begins.
-Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, musician, Nobelist (1875-1965)
36
Complete the checklist found below.
Home Features
Good Investment
Convenient to Transportation
Walking Distance to Schools
Close to Supermarkets
New Shopping Areas
Two Bedrooms
Three Bedrooms
Four Bedrooms
Full Dining Room
Extra Bedrooms
Attic Space
Basement
Acreage
Backyard
Garage
Modern Appliances
Security Alarm
Country
City
Fireplace
Porch
Wood
Log
Stone or Brick
Gardens Space
Large House
Small House
Must Have
Would Like
Don't Need
6. Talk with your parents or another older adult about your budget. Pick someone who is paying insurance, house
payments, raising children, ... to get a more realistic idea of the cost of making of living! Briefly describe their reaction to
your proposed budget. Include specific areas that they thought were low, high, right on, or total off base. Ask them
where they were at your age with their life and budget. What suggestions do they have for you? Ask and Listen
carefully and ask clarification questions to get more information and better understanding.
To understand your parents' love, bear your own children. -Chinese saying
37
A man is not old until his regrets take the place of dreams. -Yiddish proverb
Part 31: Assess Current Reality
Now that you have looked at your values and purpose it is time to review where you are at the present time. You may
want to ask people you trust for feedback in answering the following questions.
 People: What are your relationships like now? Who and why are you in a relationship with them?
 Career: What is the current status of your career? Are you getting close to deciding on a direction and
strategies?
 Finances: What is your financial status? What are your assets, debts, income, and earning potential?
 Home: What is your living situation like at the present time? What do you like or dislike?
 Possessions: What stuff do you have? What are your most prized possessions and why?
 Spirituality: What relationship do you have with a god or higher power? How strong is it and are you
comfortable with the level of your relationship?
 Health: What kind of shape are you in? What is your energy level like during the day? When to you
feel the best?
 Fun: Are you enjoying life? What parts do you enjoy the best?
 Service: What contributions do you make to others?
 Travel: Where have you been? Where would you like to go?
 Learning: What are the biggest gaps in your education? Do you like to learn and what in specific? If
you could spend more time learning a specific topic what would it be?
 Self: What kind of person are you now? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
 Values: What are the differences between the values you would like to have and those that your actions
and behavior demonstrate now?
Based upon the above questions – what are 5 actions you could take to move towards what will
make you happier and more successful?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I have come to the frightening conclusion: I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach
that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to
make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or
humor, hurt, or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated, a child humanized or de-humanized.
- Dr. Haim Ginott
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
-Charles Darwin, naturalist and author (1809-1882)
38
Part 32: Skills
The luck of having talent is not enough; one must also have a talent for luck.
-Louis-Hector Berlioz, composer (1803-1869)
I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
-Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)
College students often say that they don't have many skills but in reality, successful completion of
your education to date and your admission into college are evidence of skills you've acquired. People
use skills every day, often without knowing that they possess these skills. In this section, you will
identify skills you have. These skills are marketable! You are marketable!
You have many skills that are developed in your outside activities, through interacting with others and through
pursuing your interests. Skills may be developed early in life or developed with many years of formalized
training and education. How do you recognize a skill? Skills can be divided into three basic families:
1. Personal Qualities
2. Transferable Skills
3. Specialized Knowledge
Personal Qualities are used in any situation requiring attention and energy. These qualities include how you
get along with others, how you relate to authority and how you manage your time and personal responsibilities.
For example, persistence is a personal quality that you would utilize in performing tasks. In fact, you would
work persistently on these tasks without noticing that you were using this skill.
Transferable Skills can be used across jobs or career fields. If you are good at teaching people in a
classroom, you were probably good at teaching them in a factory or on a ball field. If you are good at problem
solving in math, you are probably good at problem solving in everyday mechanics. They are the kind of skills
required to deal with the basics of everyday life, such as collecting information, relating to people and dealing
with things. Transferable skills are those action verbs used to accomplish everything you do. For example,
writing is a transferable skill that you utilize when called upon to compose a paper, letter or memo. Below are
examples of the three groups of transferable skills.
Information Gathering Skills
include:
comparing
copying
compiling
computing
analyzing
coordinating
synthesizing
People Skills
"Things" Skills
include:
serving
speaking
persuading
supervising
instructing
negotiating
mentoring
include:
handling
feeding
tending
manipulating
driving
operating
setting up
Specialized Knowledge is used in performing tasks in a work setting. It deals with mastering a particular
vocabulary, procedure or subject. For example, forest rangers must have a required specialized knowledge of
regional animal populations; the proper administration of medications is a specialized skill required of nurses.
The Skills Assessment Exercise will assist you in examining skills you have developed through past jobs and
activities. Be sure to use the Transferable Skills lists included in this chapter. Pay special attention to those
skills you already possess and those skills you would like to develop through your education.
39
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Administrative Skills
accounting
adapting
analyzing
anticipating
appraising
assessing
assigning
assisting
bookkeeping
clarifying
collaborating
communicating
consulting
contributing
coordinating
critiquing
designing
examining
explaining
filing
helping
identifying
implementing
Management/Supervisory Skills
listening
negotiating
operating
ordering
organizing
performing
persuading
planning
preparing
prioritizing
promoting
proposing
reasoning
recommending
recording
reorganizing
reviewing
scheduling
simplifying
sorting
summarizing
tabulating
writing
accounting
analyzing
assessing
clarifying
consulting
coordinating
counseling
creating
critiquing
delegating
demonstrating
diagnosing
evaluating
expediting
fundraising
hiring
influencing
initiating
interpreting
managing
Scientific Skills
analyzing
anticipating
assessing
calculating
classifying
collecting
comparing
defining
designing
detecting
diagnosing
evaluating
examing
experimenting
explaining
gathering
interpreting
mediating
motivating
negotiating
organizing
persuading
planning
prioritizing
promoting
proposing
public speaking
recruiting
researching
reviewing
scheduling
simplifying
supervising
teaming building
training
trouble-shooting
utilizing
Communication Skills
inventing
modifying
observing
organizing
prioritizing
recording
researching
reviewing
simplifying
summarizing
surveying
systematizing
tabulating
updating
validating
visualizing
advocating
analyzing
assessing
collaborating
communicating
contributing
counseling
critiquing
demonstrating
defining
diagnosing
discussing
editing
encouraging
explaining
influencing
initiating
40
interpreting
lecturing
listening
motivating
performing
persuading
proposing
recommending
researching
reviewing
scheduling
selling
simplifying
summarizing
teaching
translating
validating
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Artistic/Creative Skills
Crafts/Trade Skills
acting
analyzing
balancing
calligraphic writing
cartooning
composing
copying
creating
creative writing
dancing
demonstrating
designing
developing
directing
drawing
enameling
examining
expressing
harmonizing
inspiring
interpreting
inventing
molding
musical arranging
observing
painting
perceiving
planning
preparing
photographing
public speaking
scoring music
screening
sculpting
sewing
shaping
singing
sketching
styling
whittling
analyzing
arranging
assembling
assisting
balancing
building
carving
cooking
coordinating
copying
creating
decorating
delivering
designing
detailing
directing
drafting
drawing
driving
evaluating
examining
farming
installing
inventorying
knitting
operating
organizing
printing
performing
polishing
processing
quilting
reasoning
repairing
scheduling
selling
serving
servicing
styling
sewing
visualizing
weaving
41
PERSONAL QUALITIES
adventurous
alert
ambitious
assertive
astute
attentive
aware
calm
candid
composed
conscientious
cooperative
courageous
curious
decisive
dependable
diligent
diplomatic
dynamic
energetic
ethical
flexible
generous
genuine
honest
humorous
loyal
mature
open-minded
optimistic
orderly
original
patient
persistent
poised
precise
principled
punctual
resourceful
self-confident
sensible
stable
42
EXERCISE: SKILLS ASSESSMENT
Complete the worksheet below with the following information.
1. Name a job you have held or an activity in which you have participated.
2. Describe at least five tasks and/or responsibilities you performed in this job or activity.
3. For each task listed, identify at least one transferable skill or personal quality. The task/
responsibility needs to coincide with the skill you list.
4. Describe a professional job (college degree required) in which you would use these skills.
Be specific and do not use the same example twice. (Consult the skill lists in the previous pages.)
A.
Job Title:
Task\Responsibility
Skill
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Describe one other professional (college degree required) position in which you could use these
skills. Do not pick the same professional setting you originally described.
B.
Job Title:
Task\Responsibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Skill
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe another professional (college degree required) position in which you could use these
skills.
C.
Activity:
Task/Responsibility
Skill
1.
I.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Describe another professional (college degree required) position in which you could use these
skills.
D.
Activity:
Task\Responsibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Skill
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe another professional (college degree required) position in which you could use these
skills.
E.
In which category do the majority of your skills cluster? (e.g. administration,
communication, etc.)
F.
In which category do you feel you need to develop additional skills?
G. Pick any seven skills you mentioned and list them here. Choose a specific professional
position in which all seven skills are required. Describe in detail how each skill will be used.
44
Section B: SKILLS: WHAT YOU LEARN IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
- Theodore Roosevelt
During everything you do you are learning new skills, building on old skills, or improving your present
skills. The problem is that most of us act like whitewater - always in motion and never able to reflect on all
of the skills we have learned. The following are examples of a few of skills you might be learning during
your college experience.
THESE EXPERIENCES ----- DEVELOP
THESE SKILLS
Living in a dorm
Tolerance
Communication major
Ability to communicate
Living off campus
Financial management
Drama major
Self-confidence
Waitressing
Work under pressure
Intern work experience
Willingness to accept responsibility
Summer job as sales clerk
Tactfulness
Own Business
Initiative
Being handicapped
Determination
Growing up on a farm
Energy level / ability to work hard
Putting self through school
Self-discipline / organization
Art major
Imagination
Resident advisor
Ability to handle conflict
Philosophy major
Flexibility
Student government
Leadership / management
Travel abroad
Adaptability
Teaching
Training
Volunteer work
Understanding of others
Being a minority
Perserverance
Keeping a journal
Self-knowledge / commitment
Good grades
Goal achievement / time management
Sports
Competitiveness
Math major
Problem solving / logic
History major
Research / analysis
Based upon experiences you have had in the areas of school, work, and/or leisure, Complete the following
10 blanks with experiences and skills you have learned.
THESE EXPERIENCES
1.
-----
DEVELOP
THESE SKILLS
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
45
Part 33: Final Mind-map -Look for Connections – See Part 2 of Portfolio 1
Make a new mind map on a 11” by 17” paper, or larger, that expresses and summaries your past, present
and especially the future, such as your goals, values and purpose. Use words and especially images that
express with care and thoughtfulness. After you have put everything you can think of on the big piece of
paper, put it on the wall so you can study it and contemplate the following questions. What are the
connections between the areas – how do they affect each other?
 Are there any key words that appear repeatedly in your mind map? Do they suggest any
type of theme?
 Are your goals relevant to your values and purpose in life?
 Is your life in proportion – do your goals, values, and purposes all fit together and
support one another?
 How does your career and schooling affect your health and energy level?
 How do your finances influence your attitude towards learning and travel?
 Are you seeking a balance between altruism and fun?
 What are my priorities and do you see them changing from your past into your future?
 Does your current mode of working, relating, learning, loving, relaxing, and budgeting
time and money contribute to the achievement of your goals and the fulfillment of your
purpose?
Once you have completed your assessment of the connections and proportion of your goals and life right
now continue with contemplating the following questions.
 Where are the greatest gaps between what you want and what you’ve got?
 Are you on course for you to realize your most important goals?
 What course adjustments do you have to make to bring your life back into balance?
 Are you willing to hold and deal with the present tensions between your ideal and your
current reality? What are you willing to do about the tension – commitment and
strategies?
Part 34: Personal Insights
There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that the flags do not wave in a vacuum.
- Arthur C. Clark, writer (1917 - )
1. Health
How would you describe your health? Are you comfortable with your physical self? Do you exercise?
Do you relax? Do you drink? Smoke? Do you have as much energy as you’d like?
Personal Insights:
2. Money
How much annual income do you need to support your current lifestyle? How much will you need in the
future? How do you feel about the amount of money you believe you need in the future?
Personal Insights:
3. Spirituality
How would you describe your spiritual life at this point in your life? Do you set aside time for quiet and
contemplation? What principles govern your personal decisions and actions?
Personal Insights:
46
Part 35: People You Want in Your Life. (Write a list of dislikes and a counter list of likes.)
The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may
well be another profound truth.
-Niels Bohr, physicist (1885-1962)
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
Carl Jung, psychiatrist (1875-1961)
Example: rigid
Example: flexible
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Part 36: Final Questions: (Now that you are finishing the semester, what questions to
you have about your future and what you need to learn related to your career or making a
living. There are 1000’s of questions to ask -- not to have at least 5 will tell you a skill
you have not developed and need to work on in the future.)
One's first step in wisdom is to question everything - and one's last is to come to terms with
everything.
-Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Part 37: Personal Insights
1. Talents: (Discuss what talents you have or what you would like to have in the future.)
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2. Relationships: (Discuss what you want in relationships now and in the future. Example: What do you
look for in friends or in a future partner.)
Part 38: Reaction Paper On separate sheets of paper, type your reaction to where you are in your
career /life search. The 2 page paper may include your reaction to the course, what you found valuable or
not valuable, what things you have learned, and what you may still need to research. Explain where you
are at in your career exploration process and what are your future plans?
There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up a pen to
write.
-William Makepeace Thackeray, novelist (1811-1863)
Part 39: Career Plan
As part of the final project -- you need to pick an occupation you want to research and complete the
following plan. You may not know your major or the type of occupation you want to work in the rest of
you life and that is OK. Consider this an exercise in researching and considering aspects of an occupation
to improve your critical thinking skills necessary in picking the eventual “right” career and/or major. You
are encouraged to informational interview, search the Internet, and research career resources to complete
this career plan. Use the words under each category to guide your thinking and topics to include in your
writing.
Occupation/Job Title: One-work or two word descriptors.
Nature of the Work: Duties ... activities ... physical requirements ... tools used ... psychological demands
... typical work period (hour/day/month) ... structure and pattern of tasks ... scope of responsibility and
authority.
Working Conditions: Physical layout of environment ... length of work periods ...pressure level ...
indoors/outdoors ... nature of supervision ... number of colleagues ... team/individual work ... geographic
location ...climate.
Qualifications: Education ... experience ... skills ... values/interests/personality
* Education: Level of general education ... degrees ... major subject areas ... special courses ...
special education and seminars (off campus) ... technical training ... honors ... grade standards ...
on-the-job training ... dates of education ... special licensing requirements or certifications.
* Experience: Months of full-time work ... nature of full-time work ... internship training ...
related part-time work ... apprentice experience ... degree of relatedness of work.
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* Skills: Equipment operation ... selling abilities ... interpersonal skills ... physical skills ...
speaking ... writing ... numbers ... accounting ... computers ... programming ... research ...
dexterity ... mechanics ... scientific ... organizing .. planning ... motivating ... supervision ... goal
setting ... decision making.
Values/Interests/Personality: Personality traits most frequently required ... attitudes ... variables found in
people in the career .. likes and dislikes.
Advancement: initial assignment ... mid-career job titles ... high-level assignments ... time between
promotions ... promotion ...promotion criteria ... examinations or licensing requirements for advancement
... common indirect promotion ladders ... horizontal mobility ... related career fields ... probable additional
education required for mobility ... geographical limitations on advancement mobility.
Career Demographics: Age of career incumbents ... number in field ... geographic distribution ... number
of work units ... net annual additions/deletions to the field.
Earnings: Starting rates ... average annual increases ... local compensation market .. average promotion
salary increases ... overtime ... bonuses ... allowances ... expenses ... monetary benefits ... life insurance ...
medical insurance ... medical insurance .. vacation ... sick leave ... retirement plan.
Non-Economic Benefits: Psychological income ... job satisfaction ... lifestyle ... social mobility ...
advanced training ... ease of mobility.
Disadvantages: Seasonal ... irregular hours ... frequent overtime ... night work ... hazards ... location ...
environmental factors ... pay ... growth ... limited advancement ... overcrowded field.
Outlook: Present and future demand ... need for career ... stability during recessions ... automation impact
... geographic mobility ... career mobility.
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Write down concepts and ideas you come up with during the semester – in
and outside of class.
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