Choosing a Career

Careers and Colleges, Jan, 2001 by Alan Bernstein

What "color" is your ideal career path?

It's easy to find a job; the hard part is finding one that's right for you. Alan Bernstein, author of Guide to Your Career (The Princeton Review), explains how to find a job you'll love through a little self-analysis, including the Career Style Mini - Quiz [TM], which identifies (as a color!) your interests and work style.

When Michael Jordan scored more than 60 points in one game, he reported entering a state of timelessness where moments "stood still." We call that state "flow," and it can be applied to many areas of our life, including our careers. When we are in a state of flow, we feel easy and natural. That's how most of us would like to feel in our careers, but often people find themselves in occupations that do not excite them.

As someone heading out into the world looking for the ideal work situation, you should take some time and examine what you really want to do in life. What career will put you in "the flow"? There are dozens of career assessment tests and interest inventories on the market designed for just that purpose. Here we present a short version of one to start you toward your ideal career path. First, take the Career Style Mini Quiz [TM] developed by Birkman International. Birkman has been in the career assessment business for more than 40 years, and its system lets you visualize your work preferences as a color. The quiz will help you pinpoint your occupational interests and work styles.

Then, to go a step further, do the activities at the end of this article that use your memories to explore job roles that may satisfy you.

Your Interest Color

Now that you have these four counts, estimate your interest color. Simply read the four statements below and see which one describes your counts for interest. The color associated with the statement that is correct for your counts is the best estimate of your interest color you can make from this exercise.

* BLUE

Your interest color is probably blue if your Interest H count is 4 or more (4, 5, or 6) and your Interest V count is 3 or less (1, 2, or 3). You like creative, humanistic, thoughtful, quiet types of job responsibilities and professions.

* GREEN

Your interest color is probably green if your Interest H count is 4 or more (4, 5, or 6) and your Interest V count is 4 or more (4, 5, or 6). You like persuasive, selling, promotional, and group-contact types of job responsibilities and professions.

* RED

Your interest color is probably red if your Interest H count is 3 or less (1, 2, or 3) and your Interest V count is 4 or more (4, 5, or 6). You like practical, technical, objective, and hands-on, problem-solving types of job responsibilities and professions.

* YELLOW

Your interest color is probably yellow if your Interest H count is 3 or less (1, 2, or 3) and your Interest V count is 3 or less (1, 2, or 3). You like organized, detail-oriented, predictable, and objective types of job responsibilities and professions.

Your Style Color

To estimate your style color, simply read the four statements below and see which one describes your counts for style. The color associated with the statement that is correct for your counts is the best estimate of your style color that you can make from this exercise.

* BLUE

Your style color is probably blue if your Style H count is 4 or more (4, 5, or 6) and your Style V count is 3 or less (1, 2, or 3). You prefer to perform your job responsibilities in a manner that is supportive and helpful to others with a minimum of confrontation. You prefer to work where you and others have time to think things through before acting.

* GREEN

Your style color is probably green if your Style H count is 4 or more (4, 5 or 6) and your Style V count is 4 or more (4, 5 or 6). You prefer to perform your job responsibilities in a manner that is outgoing and even forceful. You prefer to work where things get done with a minimum of thought and where persuasion is well received by others.

* RED

Your style color is probably red if your Style H count is 3 or less (1, 2 or 3) and your Style V count is 4 or more (4, 5 or 6). You prefer to perform your job responsibilities in a manner that is action-oriented and practical. You prefer to work where things happen quickly and results are seen immediately.

* YELLOW

Your style color is probably yellow if your Style H count is 3 or less (1, 2 or 3) and your Style V count is 3 or less (1, 2 or 3). You prefer to perform your job responsibilities in a manner that is orderly and planned to meet a known schedule. You prefer to work where things get done with a minimum of interruption and unexpected change.

Understanding Your Colors

As you begin to reflect on the career or profession you are drawn to, you will want to consider whether it contains aspects that match your interests. If your occupational interest is green, for example, you will likely feel natural in an environment that calls for promotion or persuasion--like advertising or law.

Your style color describes how others might describe you. While your interest color shows what you like to do, your style color shows how you like to do things. Your style color adds extra insight for possible career choices.