Self-Awareness and Career Management Feedback - Essay Example

?Self-awareness and Career Management Feedback Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Personal Career Strategy 3 1 Four Overlapping Career Competency 3 1.2 Holland Hexagon 4 1.3 Protean and Boundaryless Career 4 1.4 Mobility and Embeddedness 5 1.5 Networking 6 1.6 Planned Happenstance Theory 6 1.7 Myer Briggs Types Indicator 6 1.8 Positive Psychology Flow 7 1.10 Johari Window 8 2. Evaluation of the Role that Self-awareness Plays in Career Success 9 References 12 Appendix 1: Feedback from Peer for Assignment One-Presentation 15 Appendix 2: Johari Window Analysis of Feedback from Peers in Assignment One 16 Appendix 3: Feedback from Peers for Seminar 1 18 Appendix 4: Johari window analysis for Feedback from Peers for Seminar 1 18 Appendix 5: Feedback from Peers for Seminar 11 20 Appendix 7: Feedback from Fellow Students 22 Appendix 8: Johari Window Analysis for Feedback from Fellow Students 22 Appendix 9: Action Plan in SMART Format 24 1. Personal Career Strategy The personal career strategy will discuss about my personality type and the career that will match my personality. There are various tools and techniques to understand personality characteristics of a person. In this paper, ten tools and techniques have been explained to understand what type of personality characteristics match a person’s career. 1.1 Four Overlapping Career Competency There are five competencies for career development. It includes accountability and ownership, which means that at the individual viewpoint, it needs initiative and presumes personal accountability for objectives, results and deadlines. The individuals need to develop specific work goals in order to attain business results. Another competency is analytical thinking that means the ability to consider critically as well as systematically information related to the job. ‘Challenges the status quo’ is another competency which refers that growth and development of an individual along with organisation is based on the capability of the employees to modify their conventional thinking. The competency collaboration or integration denotes that for developing opportunities across the whole organisation, the individuals are required to think and work collaboratively. Communication or persuasion refers that for success of an individual, strong communication along with skill are essential (Nash, 1998). I have experienced this gradual development of career opportunities throughout the five years during which I had been working in the HR department for an organization. My experience taught me the lesson that realizing the personal career competencies is more important than anything else for an individual. In the development process of career opportunities, we should focus comprehensively on the identification of our competencies. 1.2 Holland Hexagon John Holland’s hexagonal model describes the relationship between the personality types of a person related to the environment. There are six key personality types which include realistic, social, artistic, investigative, enterprising and conventional. People who select their work environment in relation to their personality are likely to be more successful than others (Career Key, 2011). Realistic refers to the people who possess high-quality of physical skill but they may face trouble while communicating with others. They provide preference over things rather than dealing with people or ideas. Investigative people are task oriented and provide interest to take responsibilities that provide them with opportunities in their work. Artistic people prefer to work in artistic environment and are extremely structured. Social personality types prefer to contact with others and want to solve problem through discussion. Such people are good leaders and are cheerful and take responsibilities that provide them opportunity to relate to others. Enterprising people are energetic, self-confident, dominant, challenging and prefer to work in expensive setting. Conventional personality types prefer to work in structured policies as well as procedures. This type of people is stable, well-controlled and reliant on others. From this model, I can analyze that the personality types of realistic, investigative, enterprising and social are suitable to my personality. ERI engineering managers, IRE agricultural engineer, RIE commercial pilot, SIR dietetic technician, RIS medical appliance technician, SIE instructional coordinator are the examples of my career prospects. 1.3 Protean and Boundaryless Career The recent protean career model by Briscoe and Hall illustrates that it involves both ‘value-driven attitude’ as well as ‘self-directed attitude’ towards development of career. People who possess attitude of protean career are likely to utilize their own values than organizational values in order to manage their professional behavior. A person with boundaryless career attitude navigates the changing work scenario through career performance characterized by means of diverse levels of physical along with psychological movement. Individual with high boundaryless behavior in their working relationship are more comfortable in their work. From this model I realize that, I need to be more protean career and boundaryless for better career development (Briscoe & Et. Al., 2005). 1.4 Mobility and Embeddedness Career mobility refers to any change within job duties. Occupational change calls for transition new skills, work environment and training as well as vocational preparation are required. In the literature of embeddedness, there may be certain improbability between job embeddedness as well as organizational embeddedness. According to Ng and Feldman, job embeddedness involves organizational embeddedness but on the other hand, organizational embeddedness may not involve job embeddedness. There are six points of views on the basis of which employees can be motivated for employment prospect for new career path which include structural labor factor, occupational labor market factor, organizational policies along with procedures, work group level factors, personal life factors, personality in addition to difference of personal style (Feldman & Ng, 2009). I can understand from this perspective that my skills and abilities which had been highlighted by my peers are that I am mobile both in external and internal environment of the organization. 1.5 Networking Networking is essential for career development as it develops relationship for mutual benefits and to build long lasting relationship with people so that the people may inform whenever any opportunity arises. I have good networking with my friends, relatives and other people from whom I receive information regarding my career prospects. Networking helps an individual to receive latest information about job opportunities and other recent career related news by word- of-mouth from the people. Networking develops reputation and enhances professional scope. New issues can be discussed with the people. I found that I need to develop more professional network for boosting my career. In addition, I have to build online network to contact with more people for my career development. Networking will enrich my knowledge broadly as I can learn more about the current trends of career from various people across globe (Rasmussen, 2009). 1.6 Planned Happenstance Theory Planned Happenstance Theory is related to career development theory which is used in relation to planfulness along with self management and destiny and exterior change forces. This theory is extension of career counseling theory (Neault, 2000). 1.7 Myer Briggs Types Indicator Myer Briggs type indicator is an instrument which is well known as well as widely used personality inventory and is developed based on human psychology. This type of instrument is used for an individual career development by means of various personality characteristics of a person. The four dichotomies are as follows: ‘extraversion-introversion’, ‘sensing-intuition’, ‘thinking-feeling’ and ‘judging-perceiving’. Extraverts may easily adjust to external environment and prefers to involve in large groups of people. The people who have a preference over sensing use facts and detailed information as well as give emphasis to realistic object. The people, who prefer intuition, provide emphasis to hypothetical object and visualize any matter. The people who prefer thinking is analytical, besides solving problem logically also give realistic solution and endeavor for right objective pattern. The people who prefer feeling are empathetic and kindly in nature. The people preferring judging are organized and decide anything much quickly. The people preferring perceiving are unplanned and flexible in their life style as well as making decisions. Based on these four categories, 16 different personality types can be evaluated. This personality types include ENFP, ISFJ, ISTJ, INTJ, ISTP, INTP, ESTP, ESFP, INFJ, ENTP, ESTJ, ESFJ, ENFJ, ISFP, INFP and ENTJ. My personality types is ISTJ, I have an excellent skill to reflect upon various factors before coming to a conclusion. Furthermore, I generally emphasize on being pragmatic and realistic. I am also analytical and organized in nature (Prem, n.d.). 1.8 Positive Psychology Flow Positive Psychology flow allows an individual to achieve certain things about his own benefits. Human brain easily turns negative thus through the obligation of goals, a person may grow as well as develop as a good individual. Such activity is much essential for me as I am preparing for my exam. It also facilitates me to develop certain skills which will help me to attain mastery over awareness. I can also develop most favorable experience from such flow. I assure that my future career will be my flow as I learn positive skills to develop my personality (Positive Psychology Resources, 2000). 1.9 Career Decision Making Question Career decision making question is asked to an individual related to their personality traits which help the individuals to know their personality types to a considerable extent. This facilitates them to enhance their ideas about their personality types for career development. The personality types are related to a person’s career decision making. There is a relationship between MBTI types and career power which expose the relationship between perceiving types and interest, feeling types and making money, thinking types and faculty members, judging types and gaining degree. MBTI and job features are related to the relationship between introvert and sensing types with money, introvert types with future security, extravert types regarding providing service to others, intuitive types with creation, judging types and ability, personality types with personal achievement, status and respect, intuitive types and free time, thinking type with recognition and status. Several questions were asked to me and I could understand my required personality for career development (Minds, 1998). 1.10 Johari Window Johari Window is an effective tool for understanding and instructing self awareness, development of personality, communication, team building, group dynamics and interpersonal relationship. The four regions of Johari window are open area, blind area, hidden area and unknown area. Open area of a person is known by other people and also by an individual. Blind area of a person is known by others but not by himself or herself. Hidden area is known by a person but it is unknown for other people. Unknown area is unidentified by both individual and others. This model is based on four square grids similar to that of four window panes. I was aware of my personality in the open area which was also known to others but in blind spots that others know about me, I was unaware. Johari Window helps me to understand my unknown personality about myself. Thus, I will improve myself where I am lacking and also improve in the fields where I have huge talents. This model greatly influenced me to improve my skills for career development (Chapman, 2003). 2. Evaluation of the Role that Self-awareness Plays in Career Success As mentioned by Hammarkskjold, “the more faithfully you listen to the voice within you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside of you.” Self-awareness is composed of three important skills within individuals: identification of emotion, self-assessment accurately and self confidence. Gathering of these skills helps an individual in skillfully tackling any kind of job. For taking the best possible decision regarding the career opportunities, it is primarily necessary to understand “who we are?” Through the process of self assessment, the individual gets to acquire a thorough understanding about him or her while at the same time become competent enough to convey the gathered self information to his or her colleagues, employers, peers and professors. From the point of view of a good career, or in a setting of employment, the self-knowledge will allow the individual to measure his or her ability to adjust according to the demand of certain career or jobs. Regarding the first important skill within individual, i.e. emotional identification, it is essential that the individual understands the emotions that is developed through the connection among feelings, thoughts and behaviors. This connection is determined as the “building blocks of emotional intelligence”. The individuals should make their emotions as their guide in their workplace so that they can skillfully handle themselves in life. Awareness about emotions will lead to the understanding and realization among individuals as to what actually he or she wants the result to be of an interaction or relationship in the working place. It is a common parlance that our emotions affect others’ emotions. For example, if one is happy and behaving in a positive way, his or her behavior will affect the other person in the same positive manner. The second most important skill in self awareness is to accurately conduct the self assessment. One simple and perhaps the most easiest way of accurate self-assessment is to ask for feedbacks from peers, employers or any other person associated directly in an individual’s career. However, it has to be made sure that the feedback has been received from a supervisor. After receiving the feedbacks, it is really essential that the things are sorted out in order to arrive at the ones that make sense. In my feedback session that I received from my peer, I found that he was of the view that I was less helpful to my team members during the time of presentation. This feedback really makes sense for me as this provides me a scope for improvement. I believe that individuals should strive for receiving feedbacks from their supervisor all throughout their lives so that at every point of time in their lives, they get a chance of improving their personal traits. The third skill is that of developing self confidence. Feedbacks are also helpful in this area as the positive feedbacks can be essentially used for developing the confidence while at the same time negative feedbacks can be efficiently used for eradicating the flaws and strive for developing new competencies. For example, from my feedback, I found that my peers believe that I am confident during my session of presentation. This has really boosted my self-confidence more; and I am sure that the next time I perform I will be able to impress the audiences more. There are certain areas about which typical self-assessment will lead to a career success for an individual: type of personality, skills, occupational interests and values. A comprehensive understanding and evaluation of these areas will definitely allow the individual to develop a concrete picture of his own characteristics and draw conclusion regarding the important aspects of his or her life (JIST Publishing, 2008). References Briscoe, P. J. & Et. Al., 2005. The Protean and Boundaryless Models of Career. Protean And Boundaryless Careers: An Empirical Exploration. [Online] Available at: http://www.unizar.es/proactividad/articulos/articulo9.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Career Key, 2011. Holland's Theory of Career Choice and You. Your Personality. [Online] Available at: http://www.careerkey.org/asp/your_personality/hollands_theory_of_career_choice.html [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Chapman, A., 2003. The Johari Window Model. Johari Window. [Online] Available at: http://www.usc.edu/hsc/ebnet/Cc/awareness/Johari%20windowexplain.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Feldman, C. D. & Ng, H. W. T., 2009. Refining Key Constructs. Journal of Management. [Online] Available at: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/fineman/Reading%20On/Chapter%2002b%20-%20Feldman%20and%20Ng.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. JIST Publishing, 2008. Self-Awareness and Career Success. Shop. [Online] Available at: http://www.jist.com/shop/upload/1262980283/Page%20Sample%20192-193.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Minds, 1998. Abstract. Relationship Between Myers-Briggs Personality Type And The Career Decision-Making Process. [Online] Available at: http://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/47642 [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Nash, D., 2008. Competency Assessment. Career Competency. [Online] Available at: http://www.employment-testing.com/Career_Competency_Report.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Neault, A. R., 2000. Planned happenstance theory. Planning for Serendipity? Career Management for Changing Times. [Online] Available at: http://www.onestep.on.ca/resource/files2/Career%20Management%20for%20Changing%20Times.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Positive Psychology Resources, 2006. The Importance of Flow. Key Ideas – i. Flow. [Online] Available at: http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/pp/overview.php?p=c2lkPTEmdGlkPTAmaWQ9NDg= [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Prem, K., No Date. Introduction to Type Theory. Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator –MBTI. [Online] Available at: http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/myaiaa/workshop/mbti.pdf [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Rasmussen, E. L., 2009. The Importance of Networking. Professional Development Seminar. [Online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/acdalzell/the-importance-of-networking-2667519 [Accessed April 21, 2011]. Appendix 1: Feedback from Peer for Assignment One-Presentation Feedback Criteria Remark Professionalism-self confidence and self presentation Confident and authoritative start to the presentation Communication skills Good use of body language and open gesture Teamwork Needs to improve Technical knowledge Needs to improve and explain more Overall impression Competent and happy Appendix 2: Johari Window Analysis of Feedback from Peers in Assignment One Known to self and others Known only to others Arena Free minded Clever Self-dependent Energetic Enthusiastic Friendly Effectively manages time Not much helpful Smart Knowledgeable Good observant Intellectual Practical Responsive Blind Spot Impatient Loose confidence under pressure Informal attitude Reserved Loves myself alone without thinking about others Stress- resistant Known only to self Unknown to self and others Facade Strong fighter to adverse situations Adaptable Over-confident Caring towards other’s feelings Exploring Can handle pressure Emotional Unknown Critical analyzer Matured Bold Religious Cunning at some point Great challenger Appendix 3: Feedback from Peers for Seminar 1 Feedback Criteria Remark Participation Needs more participatory attitude Patience Patient Interest Seemed interested in the seminar topic Listener Good listener Reasoning skill Needs to improve Appendix 4: Johari window analysis for Feedback from Peers for Seminar 1 Known to self and others Known only to others Arena Depicts patience in situations where any preferred area is discussed. Very good listener Poor reasoning skills Blind Spot Less participatory attitude Patient Strong power of learning Known only to self Unknown to self and others Facade Patient in particular situations alone Good knowledge acquirer Self motivated Unknown ??? Appendix 5: Feedback from Peers for Seminar 11 Feedback Criteria Remark Participation Participatory attitude depicted Patience Patient Interest Partial interest was observed Listener Good listener Reasoning skill Quite good piece of reasoning ability Appendix 6: Johari Window Analysis for Feedback from Peers for Seminar 11 Known to self and others Known only to others Arena Able to improve performance level Face challenges effectively Quick learner Blind Spot Performance level increase under pressure Accepter of loopholes Understand others’ attitudes Known only to self Unknown to self and others Facade Takes up improvement as a challenge Positive thinker Good analyzer of criticism Unknown ??? Appendix 7: Feedback from Fellow Students Feedback Criteria Remark Team work Loves to work individually Supervising skill Good supervisor Motivation Good as a self motivator but reluctant to motivate others Discipline Depicts high disciplined behavior Technicalities Needs improvement Entrepreneurial attitude Can be a good entrepreneur Appendix 8: Johari Window Analysis for Feedback from Fellow Students Known to self and others Known only to others Arena Highly disciplined Values self beliefs Good individual performer Blind Spot Entrepreneurial attitude Self motivated Not a good team member Known only to self Unknown to self and others Facade Accepts supervision Values learning from others Extrovert Unknown ??? Appendix 9: Action Plan in SMART Format Specific Development opportunity Measurable by Achieved through Reason for Relevance Time scale Presentation skills Next presentation (can be anywhere) Feedback More and more practice and learning from other good presenters To achieve good marks in studies and success in professional field 1 Year from now Patience Every lectures and seminars Feedback from peers, supervisors and self Handling more pressure and attending seminars To achieve success in life 6 months Team work Group assignments Feedback from group members and supervisors Development of attitudes to work in groups Team work is essential in organizations 1 year Knowledge Every assignments and projects Grades obtained Learning practice Knowledge is essential for solving major issues of career opportunities Throughout life Motivation Every upcoming challenging tasks Feedback from seniors and peers Self assessment Motivation is essential for taking up challenges in life and achieve success Throughout life Read More