Background

The idea to create a blog of this kind has been inspired by Lisa Violo in her creative and inspirational fourth year E-Marketing course at York University. This space will be used to convey and discuss the information, resources, problems and opportunities I am encountering in making career decisions. In nine months I will graduate from York University with a Bachelor of Administrative Studies degree specialized in Marketing.

There are several steps to determining where I will set my sights for job placement. To begin, I spent some time reviewing the research and assessments I had done prior to beginning at York in 2006. This work was done at two different times. First was while I was completing my diploma of esthetics at Sheridan College, Oakville. I took a course named College and Career Strategies with Loretta Howard in my first year. A major component of the course was the completion of a Learning Portfolio. This project included a written rationale of the person 'me', a self-assessment tool, and analysis of my communication style, perception, and stress based on in-class exercises and group work.

The self-assessment tool identified personal life goals and work values. Looking back, the life goals remain the same.

1. Good Health

2. A satisfying and fulfilling marriage

3. Lifetime financial security

4. Complete self-confidence

5. Freedom within my work setting

My work values have changed a bit since then. Reviewing this list helped me to identify some key characteristics I find important in a career. The communication analysis indicates my style as a driver. I have found myself in situations wondering why I act the way I do, and when I reviewed the tendencies of my type it all made sense. See http://www.cedanet.com/meta/communication_styles.htm for full details on each of the four communication styles.

The second time I assessed myself via an assortment of tools was six months after my graduation from Sheridan, late in 2005. At that time I was highly interested in returning to university to finish my degree. I wanted to make sure marketing was the best area for me to pursue, so with the help of a local centre I completed the Strong Interest Inventory, visited the career cruising Website, and performed an aptitude profile.

My Holland Theme/Code is EAC - Enterprising, Artistic, Conventional. The version of the SII I completed was at the time being replaced by a newer one. It was indicated to me at the time that marketing, advertising, and entrepreneurial categories would be included in this new version, and that I would rate high in these areas. Sales was the highest rated category for me by this test. My results from Career Cruising at that time have a great deal in common with the Matchmaker results I have more recently obtained. Marketing Specialist was ranked second, Association Manager fourth, Management Consultant seventh, Advertising Account Executive tenth. I will return to discuss my current findings in a subsequent post.

The aptitude test I completed in 2005 was challenging. At this point I had been out of university for approximately seven years. (Woah!) The work I had been doing at Sheridan was primarily practical. Fractions were very far from my working memory, but math was one of my best subjects in high school, and my OAC average was around 97%. The results indicated an above average vocabulary, spatial visualization, and numerical reasoning. Average numerical computation, and low clerical perception, and even lower inductive reasoning. It rated my aptitude to complete a two year program successfully as high; a four year program as medium; post-graduate program as low. I knew academics was what I did best, but these were the worst marks I ever received! I chalked it up to the time factor and moved forward with my plans to do my MBA.