My Career FileAnthony Barnes and Career Companion (https://www.careercompanion.co.uk/)

Guidance for Teachers

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Supporting students’ use of a personal career file can help the school/college achieve the Gatsby benchmarks, e.g.:

providing students with a copy of the annual careers calendar to put in their career file will help to ensure that students know and understand the careers programme (Gatsby Benchmark 1)

providing students with proformas to record all the curriculum learning, encounters and experiences they have benefited from will help the school/college to evidence the achievement of Gatsby Benchmarks 2, 4, 5, 6 & 7

integrating the career file into the guidance process will help the school/college to demonstrate the achievement of Gatsby Benchmarks 3 & 8, e.g. students can bring their career file along to the interview to help them explain their needs and interests; and they can keep their interview discussion notes and follow-up action plans in their files.

What is a career file?

A personal career file is an organised set of resources, records and tools that a student can use to help them manage their careers.

Ownership of the career file rests with the individual. The reason for this is so that students have control over who can see what in their file. If the school sponsors the use of career files as part of the careers programme, then students need to be asked to give their permission for staff to have access to it. There are advantages in sharing access, for example, to help a member of staff facilitate discussion and reflection on a student’s progress.

Practical considerations

Pitfalls to avoid when introducing personal career files include:

Loss of momentum – Students do not like it when after a big initial fanfare an initiative fizzles out. Keep it going!

Becoming burdensome – Make it fun and be realistic about the amount of time students want to spend on their career file

Standardisation – One-size fits all will not work. Some students will want to keep it functional (brief and to the point), others will want to do it right (Where does this go? What sections do I need?) and yet others will want to use it to write their life stories

Low skill levels – Career files are a career learning and development tool so it is important to help students acquire the skills they need to make a success of them, e.g. information, action planning, decision-making, reflection, self-advocacy skills

Lack of real purpose – Keep discovering new uses for their career files, e.g. students with special educational needs can use their files to help them explain their wishes better when they attend review meetings.

Taking it further

Assessment

Some activities linked to having a personal career file lend themselves to assessment ‘for’ learning approaches:

Assessment ‘for’ learning Assessment ‘of’ learning

inform the learners about themselves inform others about the learner

produce personalised feedback so that the learner knows what to do next

produce standardised feedback so the performance of one learner can be compared with others

promote success and increase achievement

gauge success and document achievement

Asking appropriate questions to probe students’ understanding and thinking is an effective way of assessing the learning that is taking place when students use their career files. Their responses to your questioning can inform the feedback you give them about what they are doing well and how they can get even more benefit from using a career file. Comments are more effective than either giving a grade or giving a grade alongside a comment.

Digital/open badges

Digital/open badges are increasingly being used to recognise achievement by students in areas that have not traditionally been accredited. They lend themselves to gamification, e.g. motivating and engaging students to accumulate badges! The badges can be displayed online, e.g. in a career e-file, on a personal website or on a social media site. The badge is clicked to show what the student was expected to do and what they achieved. For more information about digital badges, visit https://openbadges.org/,) and https://www.digitalme.co.uk/ (part of City and Guilds).

Conferencing

‘Conferencing’ refers to three-way discussions between the student, parent(s) and teacher(s), e.g. at open evenings or report meetings. Introducing the career file into the discussions can be an effective way of focusing on key issues, e.g. discussing future goals and plans.

Resource

My Career File – Information sheet for students

What is a career file?

Your career file is a place where you can keep the resources and tools you need to manage your career, e.g.: the exercises you have completed, e.g. self-assessment quizzes and questionnaires information that you have found out, e.g. about specific jobs and courses notes that you have made records of your achievements and experiences, especially things that you might want to tell or

show a selector or recruiter copies of the applications you have made details of useful contacts plans such as your future goals records of the advice and support that you’ve had.

What form should it take?

The contents of your career file are likely to be stored in different places, e.g. files, boxes and folders for printed stuff and objects, and online files for digital material.

How can you get the most out of your career file?

To get the most out of your career file: keep it up-to-date – it’s much easier to write a CV or personal statement quickly if you’ve got

the information you need to hand keep it going – career development is lifelong so you can get the benefit of using your file

when making plans and decisions throughout your life keep it tidy – use it to stay organised and don’t allow it to become cluttered keep it safe and accessible – it’s a good idea to have physical and digital copies of most things

and know where to find them keep it manageable – don’t let it become too time-consuming keep it as your story – and enjoy remembering the stages on your career journey.

What sections are useful to have?

A suggested structure for your career file is: Initial statement Entries log About me My profile

o My values and commitments (What my careers file is for and how I will use it)o My personal qualitieso My skillso My interests

My planners My records and reflections (e.g. certificates, photos, reports)

o Records of advice and support (e.g. interview discussion notes)o Progress, experiences and achievements log

My CVs and applications (e.g. draft and final CVs, cover letters, personal statements, interview notes)

My noteso Career and Labour Market Information (What I’m finding out about careers and

the world of work)o Useful websiteso Glossary of termso The annual careers programme at school

My contactso Names and contact details of key peopleo Sources of advice and support (Where I can get information and help)

My portfolio of best work

Top tips Keep your career file up to date, e.g. remember to complete your experiences and

achievements log every time you do something special, store your certificates safely. Don't put everything in it - be selective about what you keep. As well as your achievements

(e.g. certificates, examples of your best pieces of work) include things which show the progress you have made (e.g. how your handwriting has improved, the first and final draft of a piece of coursework).

Spring clean your career file! Look through it every now and again and take out things you no longer need.

Put the date on things. Share parts of your career file with the people around you who can help you, e.g. your

parents, teachers and tutor.

Resource

Initial statement

I will keep my personal career file up-to-date and use it to make the most of myself and my opportunities. It will help me to:

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Signed: ____________________________ Date: _______________

Resource

Entries log

List of contents in order of accession with details of where items are located.

Date created Description of item Where located

Resource

My values and commitments

Identifying your personal and work values will help you to:

recognise what’s important to you understand that people sometimes have conflicting values and need to find a compromise when

that difficulty arises understand the part that your values paly in the decisions you come to.

Put a circle around the values that are of greatest importance to you. If you hold any values which are not on this list, write them down and circle them too.

Artistic

Being an expert

Being innovative

Challenge

Choice

Community

Competition

Contact with people

Continuing learning

Creativity

Enthusiasm

Excitement

Fame

Family

Fast pace

Fortune

Friendship

Helping others

Helping society

Honesty

Independence

Integrity

Learning

Money

Morality

Overcome fear

Peace

Perseverance

Physical challenge

Place of work

Power

Precise work

Pressure

Professionalism

Promotion opportunities

Recognition

Reliable

Respect for others

Risk

Routine

Self-esteem

Security

Self-motivation

Service

Success

Surroundings

Time freedom

Trustworthy

Variety

Well-known employer

Working in a team

Are work values important to you?

Would you be willing to work for an organisation that put profit before people and the planet?

How you answered this question says a lot about your work values. Perhaps, you felt strongly that you would not want to work for a company which was at least partly responsible for harming people, animals or the environment. Perhaps, doing whatever it takes to earn a decent income for yourself and your family is an overriding concern. Doing this quiz will help you to think about your work values.

Quiz

To find out if your work values are important to you, answer ‘true’ or ‘false’ to the following questions.

1. I know why I want to go to work T F

2. I can picture the kind of workplace I’d like to work in T F

3. I know how I feel about having to work in a team or on my own T F

4. I have strong views about where work fits into my life as a whole T F

5. It matters to me how much control I have over my own work T F

6. I want to use and continually develop my expertise in the job I do T F

7. I know the kind of work I like to do T F

8. I can explain whether job security matters to me or not T F

9. I have clear views about how important money is in relation to

the other things I can get from work T F

10. I am aware that my values have changed or are changing T F

Scoring.

Give yourself 1 point for each ‘true’ response.

Your score roughly indicates the strength of your values and your awareness of them.

A score of 9-10 points. You hold very strong values and know what you want from your career. Be careful that you do not become too narrow and inflexible otherwise you could overlook a golden opportunity that comes your way.

A score of 5-8 points. You have a balanced approach to work values. You clearly think about your work values and know your own views. This will help you when you are choosing or changing your job. (Read the ‘Explanation’ for suggestions about how to use your values to improve your plans).

A score of 4 points or less. You have not done enough thinking about what is important to you and what is not. Not everyone has the luxury of choice, but be careful that you do not become an inefficient job seeker who does not know what they are looking for. Read the explanation for more tips.

Explanation

Values are …

What we also know about our values is that:

o they sometimes remain hidden from us. You can make your values explicit by trying out a work values questionnaire from a careers book or website. Alternatively, a careers adviser can help you clarify your values.

o they can conflict with each other. This can be a source of tension or stress in our lives. o they change over time as you grow and develop.o they make a big difference to our sense of job satisfaction. We are more likely to enjoy our job if

it gives us an opportunity to express and ‘live’ our values.o they exist in large numbers in most people. You will probably not be able to satisfy all your

values in the job you do; but it is important that you satisfy your most highly rated values. If you have not already done so, make a list of your top 3-5 most important values and use those to guide your career planning.

My personal qualities

Teachers’ Notes

Reviewing their personal qualities can benefit students in several ways. They can:

reflect on the qualities they have which increase their sense of happiness and wellbeing so that they can choose opportunities in learning and work that they will find rewarding

identify their strengths so they can emphasise them when presenting themselves to selectors and recruiters

match their profile against advertised requirements.

Using this checklist, students can highlight or ring those qualities which describe them best. They can add other words which they would like to use about themselves too.

By way of follow-up, ask students to:

write a short paragraph about their qualities for a CV or personal statement practise answering a question they might be asked in an interview such as ‘What do I need to

know about you?’ or ‘How would other people describe you?’

Resource

My personal qualities

Circle the personal qualities you possess from the following list. If you have any qualities which are not on this list, write them down and circle them too.

Adventurous

Ambitious

Calm

Caring

Confident

Courageous

Creative

Curious

Dedicated

Dependable

Determined

Diplomatic

Energetic

Fair

Fearless

Friendly

Helpful

Honest

Independent

Intelligent

Intuitive

Level-headed

Open-minded

Optimistic

Organised

Patient

Perceptive

Practical

Precise

Rational

Resilient

Resourceful

Self-motivated

Self-reliant

Sense of humour

Sensitive

Sincere

Sociable

Spontaneous

Tenacious

Thoughtful

Thorough

Trustworthy

Visionary

My skills

Teachers’ Notes

A ‘skill’ refers to an ability to do something well. ‘Know-how’ gives individuals a ‘marketable asset’ and a ‘unique selling point’ in the competition for jobs.

The language used to describe types of skills and the classification systems that have been produced can be confusing and conflicting. The key messages to get across when teaching about skills are:

so-called ‘soft’ skills (important in everyday life) are highly valued by employers. They include: o written and verbal communicationo numeracyo working with others (teamwork)o adaptabilityo problem-solvingo business awarenesso customer care

In each job role, the relative weighting of these skill requirements varies.

some attributes and abilities valued by employers are not pure skills but a combination of personal qualities, attitudes, values and skills, e.g. showing a positive attitude, a can-do attitude, a strong work ethic, punctuality, commitment to high standards of work, leadership (i.e. in whatever position you are in a system or hierarchy)

young people also need to know what ‘competencies’ (competency) and ‘competences’ (competence) are and the difference in meaning between them. Competencies are an amalgamation of knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for effective performance in general contexts. Competences refers to the cluster of required knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for effective performance in a specific job or situation that can be defined, measured and assessed.

‘hard’ or ‘technical’ skills are the skills required to carry out the specific tasks associated with a trade or profession

‘transferable’ skills are skills learned in one context that the individual can transfer or utilise in a different context. Being able to prove or demonstrate that you possess a transferable skill is useful when trying to change jobs. How skills are taught or learnt has a big impact on whether individuals can use them transferably in the future. Rote-learning of skills does not facilitate transferability whereas skills learnt through problem-solving activities can more easily be applied to new contexts

Employability and enterprise skills are high profile groupings of skills promoted through the education system (including higher education) for their perceived benefit for individual economic wellbeing and economic growth. (See Gatsby Benchmark 4 for more information).

Career management skills are the skills associated with successful lifelong career development. They include self-assessment, information processing, decision-making, planning, managing transitions, self-presentation, adaptability and resilience.

Job titles may stay the same but the skills requirements can have changed dramatically as a result of factors such as the impact of new technology and globalisation, e.g. research biologists used to do mainly ‘wet lab’ work , now they must also be able to handle statistics, algorithms and even programming.

‘My Career File’ provides a useful focus and tools for self-assessment, development and recording of skills. Students can use their files, for example, to:

recognise skills by naming and describing them in their own words, preferably in writing record their best uses of specific skills (It is not sufficient to claim to have a skill, students need

to be able to provide evidence of their best use of a skill in applications and interviews) complete a skills assessment and retain the results in their files identify a skill that the wish to develop further and make an action plan for improving their skill

levels memorise their top five skills and their two or three best uses of each skill (handy for preparing

for interviews) make notes on the skills requirements of particular job roles that they are interested in

Analytical thinking Breaking down things and ideas into their component parts in order to study or examine them, draw conclusions, or solve problems

Applying knowledge Putting to practical use any theoretical knowledge that you haveAttention to detail Paying attention to the small details of any work you are doingBusiness acumen Making sharp and accurate judgements about what would be

good for your area of businessBusiness awareness Being knowledgeable about what is going on in your area of

businessCommercial awareness Having a good sense of what is happening in your area of tradeCommitment to excellence Recognising the importance of achieving the highest possible

standardsConceptual thinking Taking specific facts and relate them to broad abstract ideas or

general principlesConfidentiality Holding information in secret when necessaryCreative thinking Thinking in new and unusual ways that are not obvious to other

peopleCustomer orientation Having an outlook which recognizes the importance of the

customerEfficiency and Quality Ensuring that goods and services are providedEmotional Control Managing your feelingsHandling relationships Being able to deal with issues that arise between peopleInnovative Implementing new and unusual ways of doing thingsKeeping deadlines Getting work done on timeLearning processes and methods

Identifying the best ways of learning new things

Managing risks Handling situations where gain and loss could be involvedMarket analysis Carrying out research into the products or services you provide

to predict such things as the future demand and supply Marketing strategy Developing a plan or design to make customers want to buy your

organisation’s products or servicesMentoring Supporting and advising a less-experienced workerOpen to new ideas Being receptive to different or better ways of doing thingsOrganisation Working in a systematic and efficient wayPersuasiveness Being able to convince somebody of somethingPlanning Thinking ahead about the best way of doing something

Pro-active Taking the initiative by acting rather than reacting to eventsProfessional attitude Demonstrating the ethics and standards that are expected of

people in an occupationSales skills Selling goods and services to customers that they wantSelf-development Taking control of your own personal and professional growthSelf-searching Reflecting on your own learning and performance in order to

find ways of improvingSelf-learning Taking responsibility for and organizing your own learningSocial skills Developing and maintaining good relationships with other

peopleStrategy Choosing a goal, justify it and find the best way of achieving itStrong customer focus Giving a high priority to meeting the needs and expectations of

those who buy goods or services from youTechnical orientation and interest

Having a preference for engineering and scientific matters

Technical Skills Knowing how to apply engineering and scientific knowledge

Resource

My skills

The activity/task undertaken: The skills I demonstrated doing the activity/task included:

I was particularly good at: I would like to do better at:

My interests

Teachers’ notes

An ‘interest’ is the sustained feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that comes from engaging in particular activities and experiences. ‘Interests’ have long been recognised as a powerful predictor of career satisfaction and success because of their association with intrinsic motivation. Students who choose kinds of work that provide them with outlets for what really interests them are more likely to find their careers enjoyable and rewarding.

Various questionnaires have been developed to assess a person’s degree of interest in different job activities and experiences in order to generate matched job suggestions. The use of information technology has helped to make these instruments increasingly more sophisticated. However, they still need to be used cautiously, especially with children whose interests are still developing.

Matching implies a degree of standardisation and stability in workplace environments that just doesn’t exist in practice. Interest questionnaires also do not take into account information about the supply side (i.e. the availability of opportunities) which has to be factored in afterwards. Nevertheless, interests questionnaires have a useful role in stimulating exploration and discussion about occupations.

The ‘career interests’ questionnaire in the Resources below is based on the work of John Holland who identified six main personality types and matching work environments. It is not Holland’s formally-validated assessment instrument but it should help students with their further thinking and research. Holland-type questionnaires can be downloaded free of charge from the Internet (e.g. O*NET).

Holland’s six interest types are:

Realistic

People with this interest are generally interested in practical activities that require motor co-ordination, skill and physical strength. They like to be active and often enjoy outdoor work. They also like to solve problems in a concrete way rather than theorizing about possible solutions. They enjoy using tools and machinery.

Investigative

People with this interest enjoy work activities to do with ideas and thinking. They like to search for facts and figure out problems mentally.

Artistic

People with this interest like to communicate and express themselves artistically. Their work often has a strong emotional content. They are interested in cultural matters. They can further refine their interest in this area by deciding whether they are more interested in visual arts and design or in language and literature.

Social

People with this interest like being with other people and communicating with them. They are interested in contributing to the well-being of others by teaching, giving advice, helping or otherwise

being of service to people. If they prefer caring for people they are more likely to be interested in supporting people, e.g. in the medical, welfare or education fields. If they prefer being of general service to people, they are more likely to be interested in the services sector, e.g. selling, marketing, etc.

Enterprising

People with this interest like being go-getters. They like challenges that have to do with starting up and carrying out projects, especially business ventures. They like persuading and leading people and making decisions. Money, status and success are the rewards that motivate them.

Conventional

People with this interest prefer structure, order and formality in their work situation. They prefer working with data rather than ideas and where precision is required. If they prefer dealing with words they are more likely to be interested in administrative, clerical or legal work. If they prefer numbers, they are more likely to be interested in banking, financial services or computer programming and systems analysis.

Resource

I like to … NAME: ________________

Instructions: Fold the paper vertically on the thick black line so that the columns with the six interest types are hidden. Read each statement below. Place a tick () next to each item that is true about you. Then unfold the paper and circle the X in each row that you ticked. Write the total number that you have circled in each column at the bottom of the paper. Then read the next step.

I like to … Real

istic

Inve

stig

ativ

e

Artis

tic

Socia

l

Ente

rpris

ing

Conv

entio

nal

… do puzzles X

… work on cars X

… work independently X

… work in teams X

… organise things like files, offices or activities X

… set goals for myself X

… build things X

… read about art or music X

… have clear instructions to follow X

… influence or persuade people X

… do experiments X

… teach or train people X

… help people solve their problems X

… take care of animals X

… have my day structured X

… sell things X

… do creative writing X

… work on science projects X

… take on new responsibilities X

… heal people X

… figure out how things work X

… put things together or assemble models X

… be creative X

… pay attention to details X

… do filing or typing X

… learn about other cultures X

… analyse things like problems, situations or trends X

… play instruments or sing X

… dream about starting my own business X

… cook X

… act in plays X

… think things through before making decisions X

… work with numbers or charts X

… have discussions about issues like politics or current events

X

… keep records of my work X

… be a leader X

… work outdoors X

… work in an office X

… work on maths problems X

… help people X

… draw X

… give speeches X

Totals

Follow-up activities

1. Read your results from the Holland questionnaire. Pick out your top three interest types and write them here:

My top three interest types are:

__________________________ and ____________________________ and ____________________

2. Name as many jobs that you can think of that could suit someone with the same or a similar interest profile to yours

Multiple intelligences quiz

Teachers’ notes

The idea of Multiple Intelligences (MIs) was developed by Howard Gardner. It shifts the focus away from students asking ‘Am I intelligent?’ to ‘In what way(s) am I intelligent?’.

Students complete the questionnaire created by Laura Candler (http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/multipleintelligences.php) and complete the follow-up activities.

Resource

How many ways are you smart? Name:_____________________ Date:____

InstructionsFold the paper vertically on the dark line so that the columns with the eight ‘multiple intelligences’ are hidden.Read each statement below. Place a tick () next to each item that is true about you. Then unfold the paper and circle the X in each row that you ticked. Write the total number in each column at the bottom of the paper.How many ways are you smart?Which of the following are true about you? N

atur

e Sm

art

Num

ber/

logi

c Sm

art

Wor

d Sm

art

Mus

ic S

mar

t

Pict

ure

Smar

t

Body

Sm

art

Peop

le S

mar

t

Self

Smar

t

I enjoy singing and I sing fairly well. X

I enjoy crossword puzzles and word games. X

I’m good at solving jigsaw puzzles. X

I can read maps easily. X

I learn best when I can talk over a new idea. X

Picture, line and bar graphs are easy to understand. X

I like to listen to music in my free time. X

I get along well with different types of people. X

I like writing about my thoughts and feelings. X

Protecting the environment is very important to me. X

I enjoy caring for pets and other animals. X

I like drama and acting things out. X

I’m good at writing stories. X

I can understand difficult maths ideas easily. X

I play a musical instrument (or would like to). X

People tell me I’m good at sports or dancing. X

I’m good at figuring out patterns. X

My best way to learn is by doing hands-on activities. X

I like spending time by myself. X

I find that I’m often helping other people. X

I’m naturally good at taking care of plants. X

I enjoy solving problems and brainteasers. X

Having quiet time to think over ideas is important to X

I enjoy reading for pleasure. X

Totals

Follow-up activities

1. Match the type of intelligence to its definition by linking them with a line

Visual/Spatial Intelligence

This intelligence relates to inner states of being, self-reflection, metacognition (i.e. thinking about thinking) and spirituality (Self Smart)

Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence

This intelligence relates to your ability to think in two- and three -dimensional terms (Picture Smart).

Logical/Mathematical Intelligence

This intelligence relates to person-to-person relationships and communication, e.g. working effectively in a group (People Smart).

Bodily/Kinaesthetic Intelligence

This intelligence relates to the recognition of tonal patterns and sensitivity to rhythm and beats (Music Smart).

Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence

This intelligence relates to inductive and deductive thinking/reasoning, numbers, scientific thinking, problem solving and the recognition of abstract patterns (Number/Logic Smart).

Interpersonal Intelligence

This intelligence relates to words and language both written and spoken (Word Smart).

Intrapersonal Intelligence

This intelligence relates to your ability to appreciate plants, animals and the environment (Nature Smart).

Naturalistic Intelligence

This intelligence relates to bodily movement and expression, e.g. in various sports, physical exercises, dance and drama (Body Smart).

2. For each type of intelligence, think of as many occupations as you can that would suit someone with that type of intelligence.

Visual/spatial

Verbal/linguistic

Logical/mathematical

Bodily/kinaesthetic

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalist

3. For each type of intelligence, think of a celebrity who probably has that type of intelligence.

Visual/spatial

Verbal/linguistic

Logical/mathematical

Bodily/kinaesthetic

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalist

Career adaptability

Teachers’ notes

Career adaptability refers to a person’s readiness and resources to manage uncertainty, insecurity and change in their careers. It helps them to make transitions (such as the transition from school to college) and cope with unexpected events (such as losing their job and looking for a new one). Career adaptability is a vital ingredient in maintaining hope, optimism and happiness.

Career adaptability is not the natural product of maturity. It is a developed capability. It makes sense, therefore, for careers programmes in schools and colleges to focus on equipping young people with the key attributes that are associated with adaptability.

Mark Savickas identifies four key aspects:

Concern – Adaptable individuals look ahead and are concerned about what might come next. They think about what their future will be like and their careers matter to them. They recognise the choices they need to make and how those choices may shape their future. They also plan how to achieve their goals.

Control – Adaptable individuals take responsibility for preparing themselves for whatever might come next. They are upbeat about the future and about taking responsibility for their own decisions and actions. They stick up for their beliefs and for doing what’s right for them.

Curiosity – Adaptable individuals are open to exploring new possibilities. They look for opportunities to grow as a person and to do things differently. They investigate their options before making choices.

Confidence – Adaptable individuals are confident about making choices and implementing them. They do things well and work up to the level of their ability. They are good at learning new skills, overcoming obstacles and solving problems.

Career adaptability has become more important for a number of reasons:

Competition for access to opportunities has increased in many fields Organisations now have a smaller core of permanent employees and many more associates,

temporary workers, part-time workers and workers on zero-hours contracts. Individuals need to be able to market themselves effectively, cope with repeated transitions and manage serial and portfolio careers

The speed of technological change means that individuals need to invest in continuing learning to compete in the job market and maintain their employability

Individuals need be able to control the things that they can control in their careers and have strategies for dealing with the things that happen to them outside their control

The careers professionals’ reliance on matching tools to objectively assess the career that is ‘right’ for an individual has shortcomings. Work environments in different occupations, for example, are not standardised and there is often a considerable degree of tolerance in person-environment fit. Careers advisers also need to understand people’s life stories and personal narratives so that they can better understand the meaning that individuals attach to what happens to them and help individuals to flexibly ‘design’ their lives and careers.

Resource

How adaptable are you? Name:_____________________ Date:____

Instructions

Fold the paper vertically on the dark line so that the columns with the four key aspects of career adaptability are hidden.Read each statement below. Place a tick () next to each item that is true about you. Then unfold the paper and circle the X in each row that you ticked. Write the total number in each column at the bottom of the paper.

Which of the following are true about you? Conc

ern

Cont

rol

Curio

sity

Confi

denc

e

I’m always known for making an effort X

I’m good at taking responsibility for my actions X

I like trying out new things X

I’m not afraid to speak up X

I’m interested in finding out about different opportunities X

I don’t shy away from making decisions X

I have a good idea about what I want to be doing in three years’ time X

I like variety X

I like to think that I can succeed at whatever I set out to achieve X

I make a stand if I think something isn’t right X

Mostly I get my homework done before I go and have fun X

I like probing and asking questions X

I don’t mind being different X

I like trying to solve problems X

I can be quite nosey X

I often think about what the future holds for me X

I don’t like leaving things to chance X

I’m good at taking responsibility for my decisions X

I’m good at making plans X

I want to get ahead X

Totals

Follow-up activities

1. Enter your scores and read the description of the four key attributes associated with career adaptability.

Definitions Your scoreConcern – Adaptable individuals look ahead and are concerned about what might come next. They think about what their future will be like and their careers matter to them. They recognise the choices they need to make and how those choices may shape their future. They also plan how to achieve their goals.

Control – Adaptable individuals take responsibility for preparing themselves for whatever might come next. They are upbeat about the future and about taking responsibility for their own decisions and actions. They stick up for their beliefs and for doing what’s right for them.

Curiosity – Adaptable individuals are open to exploring new possibilities. They look for opportunities to grow as a person and to do things differently. They investigate their options before making choices.

Confidence – Adaptable individuals are confident about making choices and implementing them. They do things well and work up to the level of their ability. They are good at learning new skills, overcoming obstacles and solving problems.

2. How far do you think the results of the quiz capture your career adaptability?

3. How important do you think ‘career adaptability’ is going to be in your life?

Resource

How do I like to make decisions?There are no right or wrong decisions, just decisions we learn from. However, even if we cannot guarantee to make a wise decision, we can at least make a decision wisely. Do you have a wise decision-making style? Try the following quiz to see how you like to make your decisions and if your decision-making strategies could be improved.

The decision-making quiz

For each of the five questions below, select one answer from the four choices.

1. When I need to make a difficult decision, I tend to:

a. hope that the difficulty will disappearb. rely on other people to help mec. believe that if I sleep on it, a solution will come to mindd. weigh up my options carefully and choose the best solution

2. If I am going out to eat with friends, I prefer to:

a. go to whatever restaurant we findb. let them decide where we eatc. suggest we go to the first restaurant that came into my headd. discuss the choices we have and get agreement on which restaurant to go to

3. If I need some more information before I can make a decision, I generally:

a. put off trying to find the informationb. wait for my parents or someone else to look up the information for mec. act on what I already knowd. carry out my own research

4. I think that people’s careers are largely:

a. accidental and unplanned – they just happenb. influenced by other people’s actionsc. the result of unconscious or hidden forcesd. the result of careful planning and management

5. I am especially good at:

a. coping with things that happen by chanceb. doing what is expected of mec. surprising even myself with the decision I maked. making a considered choice about what is the best thing to do

Scoring

Add up the number of times you selected ‘a’, the number of times you selected ‘b’ and so on. The highest score corresponds to your main decision-making style, as outlined in the ‘Explanation’ section below.

Explanation

A non-decision maker. If you answered ‘a’ a lot, you tend to let things happen to you. You are not always very aware of what’s involved in making a decision and you possibly lack belief in your own ability to influence what happens to you.

An ‘others’ decision maker. If you answered ‘b’ a lot, you tend to let others decide for you. You may be very aware of what is involved in making a decision, but for various reasons, depending on the circumstances, believe that you should go along with a decision taken or influenced by someone else or others on your behalf. There may be valid reasons for this (e.g. the decision affects them as well), but it is very important that you have a proper say in your own career decisions because you may have to live with the consequences – perhaps for the rest of your working life.

A capricious decision maker. If you answered ‘c’ a lot, you are probably not very aware of how you make your decisions and not very consistent in your approach to decision-making, even if it shows that you are in control and taking responsibility for your choices. From the outside, it can look to other people as if you don’t know your own mind; but this kind of decision-making is quite common, e.g. an individual has a fixed idea for a long period and then change their minds very quickly.

A pragmatically rational decision maker. If you answered ‘d’ a lot, you have clearly developed a carefully-considered approach to decision making and you believe in your self-efficacy (your ability to be successful in carrying out the tasks you set yourself). This style is known as ‘pragmatically rational’ because it is impossible to be totally logical and to know everything about your decision.

Career Management Skills

Teachers’ Notes

Career management skills help students to take charge of their own careers. The LEADER project developed a career management skills framework to identify the skills that students need to develop and enhance their careers (http://www.leaderproject.eu). The five areas in the framework are:

1. Personal effectiveness2. Managing relationships3. Finding and accessing work4. Managing life and career5. Understanding the world

Invite students to complete the career management skills questionnaire; and then to reflect on their scores, focusing on issues such as:

What are you good at? What evidence can you provide to back-up your self-assessment? How would you like to develop your career management skills? How will you do it?

Resource

Career Management Skills Questionnaire How good are your career management skills? Complete this questionnaire to find out. The questionnaire is in five sections. Read each statement and rate your level of skill using the scale provided.

1. Personal effectiveness

This area focuses on skills and attitudes that support individuals to effectively manage themselves and to progress their career.

A lot like me

Quite like me

Not much like me

Not like me at all

1 I know who I am and what I am good at

2 I’m able to reflect on my strengths and address my weaknesses

3 I make effective decisions relating to my life, learning and work

4 I remain positive when facing setbacks and I stay positive for the future

5 I make use of technologies to develop my career

6 I am able to set myself career goals

7 I generate ideas that help me to achieve my goals

8 I can review my skills in relation to what employers are looking for

2.Managing relationships

This area acknowledges that our relationships with others are an important factor in how we manage our careers. Individuals need to recognise that we have different relationships with others depending on the context and these can help us to build a career.

A lot like me

Quite like me

Not much like me

Not like me at all

1 I can find and use information and the support of others for my (future) career

2 I interact confidently and well with others

3 I build professional relationships and networks to support my (future) career

4 I maintain my professional relationships and networks

5 I can use social media networks

6 I understand the need to use social media to network for my (future) career

3. Finding and accessing work

This area focuses on the need to engage in learning and to develop the skills that enable individuals to effectively navigate into and onto further learning and work opportunities.

A lot like me

Quite like me

Not much like me

Not like me at all

1 I learn throughout life

2 I can find work or learning opportunities that are right for me

3 I seek new opportunities to help build my career

4 I can develop skills which will help me to get what I want out of work

5 I assess the pros and cons of formal and informal sources of information

6 I can cope with changes in the world of work

4.Managing life and career

This area focuses on the relationship between work and life and supports individuals to effectively progress their career while achieving a balance with their commitments.

A lot like me

Quite like me

Not much like me

Not like me at all

1 I can make decisions and set career goals for myself within appropriate timescales

2 I manage my goals, my time and personal finances in a way that supports my career building

3 I am innovative and creative in my thinking about my work, learning and life

4 I maintain a balance in my life, learning and work that is right for me

5 I can cope with challenges and changes which take place in life

5. Understanding the world

This area recognises that work and learning are influenced and impacted on by wider issues in society. As such, individuals need to acknowledge that they will not always have control over their work but they can develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours which will help them to navigate and manage continual change.

A lot like me

Quite like me

Not much like me

Not like me at all

1 I understand how changes in society relate to my learning and work

2 I understand how learning and work change over time

3 I can make a positive impact on society

4 I make the most of opportunities I come across

5 I am open to opportunities including those that are in other countries

Review what you have found out about yourself from completing this questionnaire under each of the five main headings.

Skill areas What are you good at?What evidence can you provide to back-up your self-assessment?How would you like to develop your career management skills?How will you do it?

Personal effectiveness

Managing relationships

Finding and accessing work

Managing life and career

Understanding the world

My action plan

Teachers’ notes

Action plans are a short-term strategy for accomplishing a specific goal, typically within 3-6 weeks, e.g. choosing KS4 subject options, getting exam revision done, applying for university, following up a careers interview.

Researchers have found that action planning is more effective when individuals write out their action plans.

The first step in devising an action plan is to identify a target or goal. Students may need help to identify a target or goal that is SMART, i.e.:

Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-limited.

Explain the action plan proforma to students, preferably by modelling the steps in devising, implementing and reviewing an action plan.

Resource

My action plan

Date set My target/goal

End date How I will know that I have achieved my target/goal

What I need to do to achieve my target/goalBy when? My action steps

Progress reviews

Final review

Action Plan tips

What do I want to achieve and by when?

Be specific about your target or goal. Choose a realistic timescale.

What have I already done towards the achievement of my goal?

Where am I now? What have I done already?

Who can help me with this plan?

Think about what support you need and who might be able to help, e.g. parents, friends, tutor or mentor.

What needs to be done? By whom? By when?

What do I need to achieve and how am I going to get there, e.g. What do I need to find out and what do I need to do? Be as specific as possible and break the steps down into practical tasks.

How am I doing?

Build in regular review points for checking that you are still on course for achieving your goal. Revise your plan, if necessary.

How did it go and what do I need to do next?

How much of my action plan did I achieve? How well did I go about working on my plan? What do I need to do now, e.g. Start a new plan?

Resource

CV planner

1. Name:

2. Contact details:

3. Schools/colleges attended since age 12 (with dates):

4. Qualifications gained (with dates):

5. Qualifications to be taken:

6. Main skills and achievements:

7. Experience of work:

8. Other interests:

9. Referees

Notes on CV planner

2. Contact details – Your home address is sensitive personal information. Only provide this information if required and if the information will be held securely.

6. Main skills and achievements – Include details of awards and certificates gained. Mention skills that you have developed which are relevant to the application you are making and explain briefly how you acquired them.

7. Experience of work – Give details of any work placements undertaken as well as any volunteering and part-time or holiday jobs that you have done.

8. Other interests – Give details of how you spend your spare time constructively and what your significant interests and activities are outside school/college.

9. Referees – It is usual to provide the names and contact details of two people outside your family who can write in confidence to the person you have sent your CV to about your suitability for whatever it is you have applied for. Don’t forget to ask their permission to use them as referees.

Resource

Careers interview discussion notes

Date, time and place

Name and contact details of careers adviser

Purpose of our conversation

Most important things we talked about

What we agreed to do to follow up our discussion

When we are going to meet again (if planned)

Resource

My progress, experiences and achievements log

Date Progress, experiences and achievements

Resource

Certificate of Achievement

Resource

My best work in…

Date Subject

About this work

What I did

Why I chose this example of my work

What people I trust said about it

Where this work is kept

Other methods, tools and resources which can be used for recording and tracking

• Tick sheets (e.g. registers)• Criterion-referenced grids• Rating scales• Questionnaires and surveys (e.g. Survey Monkey)• Sentence completion statements• Comments on pupils’ work (NB. Grades and marks are generally inappropriate in

careers work – use assessment for learning techniques)• Summaries (e.g. of interview discussions, careers assessments, decisions, action

points)• Notes from detailed observations• Pupil diary, e.g. in the pupil planner/homework diary, work experience logs• Portfolios• Mind maps• Teacher diary• Pupil data dashboards• Student registration forms