Professional Documents
Culture Documents
These materials were prepared by Human Resource Systems and Corporate Development, Department of Human Resources, and the Career and Transition Services, Department of Education, for the Province of Nova Scotia. The Succession Management Process has been designed to support the leadership and career planning of government employees. The Province of Nova Scotia may revise The Career Explorer workbook to reflect legislative, legal, or practice changes. This manual is protected by copyright. obtained for reproduction. The consent of the copyright owner must be
Contact: Innovation & Growth Nova Scotia Public Service Commission One Government Place 1700 Granville Street PO Box 943, Station Central Halifax, NS B3J 2V9 Tel: (902) 424-8384 or RegistrarTraining@gov.ns.ca
Table of Contents
Introduction
Career Management in a Changing Government Succession Management Process The Career Explorer 2 3 4
Knowing Yourself
Knowing Yourself Your Life Interests Activity 3: The Class Reunion Activity 4: Patterns From My Life Story Work Values Activity 5: What Matters Most to Me Personality Type Emotional Intelligence Influences on Career Decisions Activity 6: Current Influences in My Life Your Skills Portfolio Activity 7: Significant Experiences Skills and Todays Leader Activity 8: Assessing My Skills/Competencies Professional and Management Positions Corporate Leadership Competencies Snapshot of Managerial and Professional Positions 22 22 23 26 30 31 34 34 35 36 38 39 45 45 52 52 54
Introduction
Leadership consists of the capacity to get people to do what one wants them to do, or to chart a course, or to inspire. Laurier L. Lapierre
Career Management in a Changing Government Succession Management Process The Career Explorer
Introduction
If these are the characteristics of well-performing organizations, what qualities and skills must well-performing managers/leaders have? How can the Nova Scotia Government ensure that current civil servants are equipped to take on future management roles? The decision around how we spend our working life is critically important. To manage your career effectively in an environment of continuing change and uncertainty, you need to be aware of your personal interests, skills, and values and the opportunities that are available to you.
Introduction
Introduction
Your work is to discover your work and then with all your hear to give yourself to it. Buddha
Activity Key
Assessing Skills/Competencies Can you clearly and persuasively describe... My three Spheres of Life Career Planning Beliefs
Researching Opportunities
x
6
Significant Experiences
Page Your balance with work, education, and leisure Your beliefs or perceptions about career development that may hinder or support your ability to make career decisions Your work style and preferences that contribute to your work/life satisfaction Your core values & how well they are satisfied Any issues or concerns that currently influence the career decisions you make Your key skills and knowledge assets which contribute most to your employability Viable career options for the future What you need to maximize for future success
9 x
18 23 26 x x x x
31 36 39 45 60 69
x x x x
Learning
Work/Life Balance
Can you describe what you learned in the last six Are you feeling you wished you had more time to months? Yes ( ) No ( ) do things that are important to you? Are you feeling stretched in a positive way? Yes ( ) Yes ( ) No ( ) No ( ) Are you concerned about not spending enough time with family and friends? Yes ( ) No ( ) Do you know what skills and knowledge you could market to another employer? Yes ( ) If Yes, COMPLETE: My Three Spheres of Life No ( ) on Page 14.
Accessing My Allies
Vision is the stuff of our dreams. Passion is our energy to make it real. The two go together like a horse and rider. In the mind of one is the goal. In the power of the other lies the means to get there. Know your own values. important to you. Listen to your heart. Find out what is
Peter Urs Bender Managing Your Career: The Birds Eye View The Three Spheres of Life The Career Development Process Career Planning Beliefs
Let's take a look at four scenarios to see how the Spheres of Life connect and relate to one another.
Leisure Work
Education
This scenario shows a person who is spending a great deal of time at WORK, so much so that the other two spheres are relegated to minor parts of his/her life. Perhaps it's just a particularly busy time at work, or perhaps this situation has become a way of life. This person may not even be conscious that work is dominating his/her life to the exclusion of other activities. But, if the person is stressed, dissatisfied, exhausted, or unfulfilled; it may explain why. It would be important to look at the imbalance in this person's life when s/he was looking to make a career move. WORK Manager of an Information Technology Services Division who supervises a large number of technical staff. The unit is always short staffed, with constant demands from users to solve technical problems quickly. The manager is frequently on-call for emergencies in the evenings and on weekends and is intensely committed to being a hands-on problem solver. Plays on a curling team, but frequently has to cancel out on games due to emergencies at work. Considers him/herself to be family oriented, but is never far away from his/her beeper during family outings. Subscribes to all the latest computer magazines, but never has the time to read them.
LEISURE
EDUCATION
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Work
Education
Leisure
In this scenario, the EDUCATION sphere dominates the person's time and relegates the other two spheres to minor roles. Typically this situation is of a specific durationwhile a person is attending an educational institution full time or is trying to manage both studies and work. Problems may develop over the long term if family and leisure activities are neglected, or if the person's performance at work suffers because of the studies, or if the person is not able to find paid or unpaid work to satisfy other aspects of their life. EDUCATION On one year's full-time educational leave to complete a Masters Degree in Public Administration. Senior Policy Analyst who has not kept in touch with the office during a time when new legislation has been passed, new policies introduced, and new software programs installed. Family, friends, and social activities are squeezed in as time permits.
WORK
LEISURE
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Leisure
Education
Work
In this scenario, the WORK sphere is the smallest because this person is not engaged in his/her work. S/he has been in the job too long, or the job is beyond his/her capabilities/interests. The person is using the other spheres to provide meaning in his/her life and to compensate for being bored and frustrated at work. This can also be the picture of a person who is unemployed and is using the other spheres to cope with the stress and discouragement of not working. This scenario also applies to the person who is retired and has a range of activities other than work to provide meaning and satisfaction. WORK Supervisor of an established public program that has not changed focus in a decade. There has been no new money, few staff changes and no new initiatives introduced. The work is routine maintenance only. Taking a wide range of community education courses from tai chi to Gaelic. Volunteer literacy tutor, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, competitive bridge player, wooden toy maker and Scout leader.
EDUCATION
LEISURE
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Work
Education
Leisure
This scenario shows a person who is involved in meaningful activities in all three Spheres of Lifesomeone that has a relatively balanced life between WORK, EDUCATION and LEISURE. This person has a challenging job, but still finds time to participate in leisuretime and educational activities. This person has found a way to have each sphere support and enhance the others: s/he uses work-related skills to volunteer in the community; continues to develop skills to enhance work performance; devotes time to personal interests which keeps him/her energized and is involved as a parent. WORK Director of Financial Services; volunteer Secretary-Treasurer, United Way campaign; team leader of federal-provincial agreement negotiations. Enrolled in Executive Development program; using Internet to research alternative housing construction methods; self-tutoring in new financial software programs. Building bale construction house; parent volunteer at school; swims three times a week; member of a monthly book club
EDUCATION
LEISURE
What do your Three Spheres of Life look like right now? How satisfied are you with your Spheres? Are they relatively balanced? Complete Activity 1 to find out.
13
Work (paid/unpaid)
Education (Learning)
14
2. Based on the list that you have developed, draw and label three spheres that represent the relative size of your Three Spheres of Life as they are right now.
15
3. What is the relative size of each of your Spheres right now? How satisfied are you with the relative balance of your three Spheres? (Balance does not have to mean 'equal'. One sphere may predominate over the others for perfectly legitimate reasons and that's fine. Just be aware that extreme imbalances over long periods of time may become problematic.) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
4. What changes, if any, would you like to make to your Three Spheres of Life? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
5. Go to the Career Planning Summary on page 76. In the Issues To Be Considered column, record any imbalances in your Spheres of Life that you will need to keep in mind as you consider future career moves. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
16
Know YourselfWho Am I?
(Personal Management) Follow your heart by identifying your current interests, values, personality, skills and competencies. Identify what skills, qualities and attitudes you need to develop or want to use in your next career move. Also identify the issues or influences which are impacting your life right now and/or could in the future.
To repeat. Career planning does not guarantee that you will avoid the insecurities of the changing workplace. It does mean, however, that you may begin to take more control of your career. You may actively seek opportunities that are more meaningful for you and take charge of your decisions. You may grow and develop more as you re-examine your commitment to yourself, your lifestyle and your work.
17
Belief 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. It's whom you know, not what you know that gets you a job You can get ahead if you don't screw up Counseling professionals can tell you what to do with your life It doesn't matter what I'd like to do; it's what job I can get The position is filled before they even run the competition It's all luck or chance if you're happy in your career I've been at this job so long; I couldn't get another one It is silly to talk about satisfaction in a job; your job is what you are paid to do I have no control over my future Jobs go to the person with the best interviewing skills If you're good at what you do, they want to keep you in that job Adults should know what they want out of life If you stay around long enough, you'll be next in line for promotion Getting a job is all about being in the right place at the right time
S/A
S/D
18
19
Go to your Career Planning Summary on page 76. In the section Issues To Be Considered, record any career beliefs that you have that could hinder your ability to make and carry through with career decisions. In the section Factors Which Will Support Me, record any career beliefs that you have that will support and encourage you to carry through with career decisions.
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Knowing Yourself
You cannot tell me who I am, and I cannot tell you who you are. If you do not know your own identity, who is going to identify you? Others can give you a name or a number, but they can never tell you who you really are. That is something you yourself can only discover from within. Thomas Merton
Your Life Interests Work Values Personality Type Emotional Intelligence Influences on Career Decisions Your Skills Portfolio Skills and Todays Leader Professional and Management Positions in the Nova Scotia Civil Service Corporate Leadership Competencies Wrap-up
Knowing Yourself
Knowing Yourself
Why do you pursue the work and the life you do? What activities are you drawn to? What keeps you engaged and energized? What gives you the greatest satisfactions and wanting to strive for excellence? These questions are at the heart of knowing yourself. In this section of The Career Explorer, you will begin to identify your life interests, personality traits, and values that in turn drive your passions. You will work on skills later in the workbook.
22
Knowing Yourself
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wander from group to group on pages 24 and 25 and read the description of each group. Ask yourself if you are interested in this conversation? Would I have anything to talk about with these people? Would I want to know these people, spend more time with them? Underline any interests or activities that you share with the members of each group. If you find that you are underlining most of the activities, then you can cross out the activities that do not interest you. When you have circulated around the room, decide which two groups closely match your own interests. Write the letters that represent the two groups in the spaces on page 25. These two themes likely represent long-held interests for certain types of activities, and therefore, hold a vital clue to the kinds of work that you might love. You may find it quite easy to identify one group that closely matches your own interests, but have difficulty identifying the second group. You may be equally interested in several groups or not too interested in any others. That is okay: you can choose just one group. You may also find it easy to identify certain groups that do not interest you, that you would not want to join. That is good information too because it shows where you do not want to be.
2.
3.
4.
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Knowing Yourself
24
Knowing Yourself
Enterprising people enjoy working with people too, but in a different way. They derive a great deal of satisfaction from working with and managing people in order to accomplish goals and outcomes. Selling, purchasing, political manoeuvring, entertaining clients, leading committees or groups, and giving speeches or talks are activities that provide satisfaction. Enterprising people often liked to organize activities even when they were kids: they like to make things happen and tend to ask for as much responsibility as possible in any work situation. Enterprising people may like to take financial and interpersonal risks and to participate in competitive activities. They solve problems by TAKING CHARGE. Conventional people like activities that require organization, attention to detail, and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and may gravitate towards activities that involve numbers. They may enjoy conducting financial analysis, forecasting, building systems procedures, setting up accounting practices, analysing research data, studying charts and graphs, etc. They prefer to use quantitative analysis in order to figure out business solutions, forecast future performance, determine optimal production, undertake organizational analysis, etc. Conventional people prefer hobbies and recreational activities where they follow directions (whether it is recipes, patterns, rules, instructional manuals, etc.). They solve problems by BEING METHODICAL.
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Knowing Yourself
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read each statement in the Sphere of Life Column and respond in the Description Column. Write down those activities that you enjoyed the most, that gave you great satisfaction, energized you, or completely engaged you so that you lost all sense of time. You can use point form. See the example below. In the Holland Themes Column, assign one letter (R I A S E C) to each response that best describes what that activity involved. Refer back to the descriptions of the Holland Themes on pages 24 and 25. Complete the Dreams Section as instructed and assign a Holland Themes Letter to each response. Use additional notepaper if you need more room. Feel free to give more examples or write more details. The more you write, the more clearly themes will emerge. On the other hand, if you are unable to recall engaging activities from some area of your life that you want to record, then leave that category blank. Better still, talk to a friend or family member who may be able to jog your memory about activities you loved when you were younger. Review all the Holland Themes that you assigned to your activities and complete the Observations Section of the chart.
2.
3.
4.
5.
EXAMPLE Sphere of Life Leisure When I was a child, I liked to participate in these three activities: Description Holland Theme
R R I
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Knowing Yourself
Description
EDUCATION
The three subjects I enjoyed the most when I was in secondary school were:
Currently I like to pursue lifelong learning (reading, courses, self-instruction, etc.) by:
27
Knowing Yourself
When I completed my post-secondary studies, I imagined my future would include these three things:
These days I think that my life interests and abilities would be most fulfilled if I were doing work that involved:
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Knowing Yourself
OBSERVATIONS 1. The one or two themes that came out as a result of The Class Reunion Activity (Activity 3) were: ______ & _______ 2. The one or two themes that occurred most frequently in My Life Story (Activity 4) were: ______ & _______ 3. If there were differences between the themes you chose in these two activities, go back and re-read the descriptions of the themes. The two themes that are most like me are: ______ & _______ 4. I can find evidence of these two themes in my current work situation in the following ways. *Be specific by writing statements that describe your preferences for different activities or work environments. (e.g., I get to build financial spreadsheets fulfills a C interest; I get to teach diverse populations when I facilitate professional development courses fulfills an S interest; I get to design layouts and choose graphics when I work on our marketing campaigns fulfills an A interest.)
If the most important themes in your life are not part of your work life, you should review your current job role with your manager to determine if new assignments and responsibilities could be added to build your career satisfaction. Remember that some of the important themes in your life may not be lived out in
29
Knowing Yourself
5.
your work role. Leisure, family, and educational activities complete your career/life picture, and you should think about how these can be blended into your career/life plan. Go back to the Holland Theme Descriptions. Re-read the descriptions for the one or two themes you chose, and pay particular attention to the statements that you underlined. Choose 5 to 10 statements that describe activities or work environments that you would prefer to find in a future work situation. Use the Holland Theme Descriptions as a guide only: write your statements so that they are specific and real for you. Record your statements in your Career Planning Summary under the section Characteristics of My Preferred Future (page 77).
Work Values
If you want to be satisfied in your work life, the work that you do must be in line with the values that you hold dear. For example, if you value creativity, you probably will not be happy working where everything is structured and pre-programmed. If you value teamwork, you probably will not be happy working in an isolated cubicle with a computer all day long. If you value independence, you probably will not be happy having to get approval for every action you take. So, just like life interests, values matter. Our values are what we care about most. Values give direction to our work and our lives, enriching each day with a heightened sense of meaning. Most of us have many important values. Asked to describe them, we might say, time to spend with my family, challenging work, decent income, and so on. But the reality is that some values are more important to us than others. In thinking about your career and your life, you need to know what is most important to you. Otherwise, you may end up drifting or making bad decisions. Sometimes our core values conflict with or are not satisfied by the work we are required to perform. In these cases, we must decide what matters to us most: do we stay in our work roles for practical reasons and seek to have our values fulfilled elsewhere, or do we look for new work assignments that are more congruent with our values? Let us look at what values are important to you. Complete Activity 5: What Matters Most to Me on page 31.
30
Knowing Yourself
VARIETY It is important for me to: ___ do different tasks every day ___ find new ways to complete tasks ___ have a number of different responsibilities ___ have surprises and frequent changes ___ develop new skills INDEPENDENCE It is important for me to: ___ work on my own ___ be able to organize my own schedule and make my own hours ___ be left to figure out things for myself and come up with my best ideas ___ work without a lot of direct supervision ___ make decisions on my own STRUCTURE It is important for me to: ___ have regular working hours that do not change from day to day ___ have clearly defined responsibilities so I know what to do and how to do it ___ follow a regular routine ___ have some supervision and someone I can ask for guidance ___ know information in advance so I can plan and strategize
31
Knowing Yourself
32
Knowing Yourself
Now go to page 77 under the section Characteristics of My Preferred Future to record the 3 - 5 values that are most important to you.
33
Knowing Yourself
Personality Type
The Myers -Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a popular instrument that assesses personality types according to four ranges of personality traits: Extrovert-Introvert (how we get our energy), Sensing-Intuitive (how we take in information), Thinking-Feeling (how we make decisions) and Perceiving-Judging (lifestyle and work habits we prefer). We all have bits of each type, but we tend to favour one end of the scale over the other. We will not be doing a personality type inventory in this workbook, but if you want to learn more about Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator, visit the following web sites: 1. 2. 3. www.personalitypage.com www.keirsey.com/ www.cis.ufl.edu/~dts/resources/MBType.html
You may have taken the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator or some other personality type inventory in a professional development program. If you have, you may remember some of the statements that described your preferences for different activities or work. Record any of those statements in your Career Planning Summary under the section Characteristics of My Preferred Future on page 77.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a relatively new term that refers to specific characteristics that successful people exhibit as emotional habits. It includes emotions such as optimism, trust, honesty, empathy, interpersonal relationships, impulse control, and ability to handle stress. Studies on success are showing that people with the traits that mark emotional intelligence are poised and outgoing, committed to people and causes, sympathetic and caring, and have a rich, but appropriate emotional life. For leaders, emotional intelligence can help you: preserve your high performance relationships with your team maintain good physical health handle the stress associated with managing others
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Knowing Yourself
We will not be doing an emotional intelligence inventory in this workbook, but if you are interested in the topic, check out the following web site: www.queendom.com/emotionaliq.html If you have taken an emotional intelligence inventory as part of a professional development program, you may want to record any of the personal traits that were identified in your Career Planning Summary in the section Characteristics of My Preferred Future on page 77.
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Knowing Yourself
Influence
Age Gender Religion Race Physical health (injuries/disabilities) Emotional health (stress management, selfconfidence) Addiction issues Financial situation Emotional support (family/friends) Childcare/Elder care Self-knowledge (my aspirations, interests, personality, aptitudes, values) Educational qualifications Specialized skills Relevant work experience Knowledge of other opportunities Location of work Job search skills: 1. Networking 2. Resume writing ability
Positive
Negative
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Knowing Yourself
Influence
Political situation Economic situation Willingness to take risks Ability to deal with uncertainty Others (list) ________________________ ________________________ ________________________
Positive
Negative
OBSERVATIONS 1. The three factors that will most positively support my efforts to make a career decision are: 1 2 3 2. The three factors that will most negatively impact on my ability to make a career decision are: 1 2 3 3. Some things I might do to minimize/overcome the effects of these negative factors are:
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Knowing Yourself
4.
Go to your Career Planning Summary . Under the section Issues to be Considered (page 76), record any factors that could negatively impact upon your ability to make career decisions. Under the section Actions to Help Me Address Issues (page 77), record anything that you can do to minimize the effects of these negative factors. Under the section Factors Which Will Support Me (page 78), record any factors that will assist and support you as you make and carry out your career decisions.
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Knowing Yourself
INSTRUCTIONS 1. For each of these times in your life, write a story that is no longer than one page in length. In each story, describe in detail what you did, what was the result (what you accomplished), what skills you used and why it made you feel proud. In particular, describe the activity in terms of how you managed people, money, or time. If you cannot think of a significant pride experience from one time period in your life, write two stories from another time period. Do not worry about what anyone else might have thought of the experience, or even if anyone else noticed it. What is important is that you are proud of what you did. Do not worry about spelling or grammar. rather than paragraphs, that is fine too. If you prefer to write in point form
2.
3.
4.
If you want to write more than four stories, that is great. You may find that, once you get started, writing your stories comes easier. You may begin to think of other experiences, or ones that illustrate your successes better. Write or rewrite as many stories as you want. This activity is to get you thinking about what experiences are particularly meaningful to you so that you can use this information as you take steps to move in your new career direction.
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Knowing Yourself
EXAMPLE: This will not do . . . I have managed a small Government unit for three years of my life. This is better . . . Currently I administer a unit in the Department of Education that looks after correspondence studies for those who want to receive academic secondary school credits. I feel like a juggler in a circus and I love the action. I supervise five administrative staff who enroll students in courses and keep their marks updated in a database. Everything must work like clockwork. We have to keep materials stocked and process the enrolments daily; we have to keep marks up-to-date and send certificates out immediately. The phones and mail are crazy in the fall and New Year. It is a thousand details to remember and keep on top of. I have to oversee all the details, move staff to where they are needed and change the priorities to keep all the balls in the air. I am also the editor of all the new courses that we develop. When I hire writers, I have to make sure that our products meet curriculum standards. But they also have to be fun, engaging and easy to read: I love working with designers to come up with interesting graphics and beautifully lay out each page. I have produced 14 new courses in three years, which is an impressive output and have received many compliments from students. On top of all this, I am the problem solver for students, schools, parents and agencies whenever anything goes wrong with a course. This requires tact, patience and negotiating skills. Solutions must work for everyone concerned. This job requires me to work in an action-packed, fast-paced, ever-changing environment and I thrive on it. When I took over the job, every aspect of the operation was backlogged or outdated; four years later, our daily operations are up-to-date and our products are becoming so. We have satisfied customers and a happier staff: I take pride in being instrumental in improving the quality of the courses, establishing efficient systems and instilling teamwork in the staff.
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Knowing Yourself
My Story #1
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Knowing Yourself
My Story #2
42
Knowing Yourself
My Story #3
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Knowing Yourself
My Story #4
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Knowing Yourself
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Knowing Yourself
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
Skill/Competency Decisiveness
Takes ownership of decisions Recognizes conflicting situations and determines appropriate responses. Implements ideas and approaches that add value Monitors risks and determine acceptable risk tolerance Makes strategic decisions based on principles, values and business cases. Makes decisions when faced with different stakeholder opinions
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
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Knowing Yourself
Considers how present policies, processes and methods might be affected by future development and trends Establishes a course of action to accomplish a long-term goal
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
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Knowing Yourself
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
Story
#1
#2
#3
#4 Total
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Knowing Yourself
OTHER COMPETENCIES/SKILLS List any other skills that you have demonstrated, but which have not been included in this checklist. Place a check for each story where that skill was demonstrated. Skill/Competency Story #1 #2 #3 #4 Total
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Knowing Yourself
OBSERVATIONS 1. List 10 well-developed management/leadership skills that you have demonstrated from your life stories (those with four check marks).
1 2 3 4 5
2.
6 7 8 9 10
List up to 8 management/leadership skills in which you require additional development (those with 0-1 check marks).
1 2 3 4
3.
5 6 7 8
How is your current work situation allowing you to demonstrate management and leadership skills?
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Knowing Yourself
4.
To what extent are you interested in developing your management and leadership skills further?
5.
Go to the Career Planning Summary . Under the section Characteristics of My Preferred Future (page 77), record those well-developed leadership skills that you have demonstrated from your life stories and that you would like to continue to use in your future career path. Under the section Areas of Development (page 78), record those leadership skills that you have indicated as needing development.
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Knowing Yourself
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Knowing Yourself
Team Leadership The intention to take a role as leader in a team or other group. Leadership involves communicating a compelling vision and embodying the values of the Nova Scotia Public Service. Team Leadership is generally, but not always, shown from a position of formal authority. The team here should be understood broadly as any group in which the person takes on a leadership role, including the organization as a whole. Achievement Orientation Involves working to achieve results and improve individual and organizational contribution. Achievement Orientation is a concern for working well or for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be ones own past performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (results orientation); outperforming others (competitiveness); challenging goals one has set; or trying something new that will improve organizational results (innovation). Achievement Orientation also involves effectively managing internal and external resources to achieve the Governments goals. Self-Confidence/Courage of Convictions The belief in ones own capability as expressed in increasingly challenging circumstances and confidence in ones decisions or opinions, within the framework of public interest, ethics and values and organizational integrity. It may include providing leadership, direction, and inspiration to others by making difficult decisions and taking actions that may not be popular but are in the best interests of the organization and its clients. Impact and Influence An intention to persuade, convince, influence or impress others (individuals or groups) in order to get them to go along with or to support the organizations direction. The key is understanding others, since Impact and Influence is based on the desire to have a specific impact or effect on others where the person has his or her own agenda, a specific type of impression to make, or a course of action that s/he wants the others to adopt. Relationship Building The ability to develop contacts and relationships internal and external to the organization to facilitate work efforts or to gain support/cooperation. It implies building long-term or on-going relationships with clients or stakeholders (e.g. someone internal or external to the organization, on whom your work has an impact). This type of relationship is often quite deliberate and is typically focused on the way the relationship is conducted. If you are interested in pursuing career opportunities at any of these levels, you should evaluate your readiness by assessing yourself against the leadership competency assessment and the Leadership Career Path Model, both of which are available online at http://iweb.gov.ns.ca/humr/perfman/perfman.htm.
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Knowing Yourself
Policy Development
* Note these profiles are intended to give a general overview of the levels of management positions in Government for career planning purposes only. They are not job descriptions or all inclusive.
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Knowing Yourself
Policy Development
Exposure to political levels through the preparation of briefing materials for the Minister or Deputy Minister
* Note these profiles are intended to give a general overview of the levels of management positions in Government for career planning purposes only. They are not job descriptions or all inclusive.
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Knowing Yourself
Policy Development
* Note these profiles are intended to give a general overview of the levels of management positions in Government for career planning purposes only. They are not job descriptions or all inclusive.
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Knowing Yourself
* Note these profiles are intended to give a general overview of the levels of management positions in Government for career planning purposes only. They are not job descriptions or all inclusive.
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Knowing Yourself
Wrap-up
We have given you a brief snapshot of who you are. At this point, you should have a better idea of: your life interests your work values your well-developed leadership skills your leadership skills that need developing any issues that may impact on your ability to make career decisions any supports you have that will help you make career decisions
You can continue the process of self-exploration by talking to people who you trust and respecta manager, co-worker, partner, friend, family member, or counselling professional. You can read career planning books or complete other self-assessment inventories and tools (such as those suggested in this workbook). All self-information adds to completing the portrait. The next step is to look at the work and training opportunities that are available so that you are able to move to the final stepdeveloping a short- and long-term game plan.
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There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond and to know oneself. Benjamin Franklin
Knowing What is Out There Researching Opportunities Information Meeting Questions Activity 9: Researching Opportunities Accessing Your Allies Activity 10: Accessing Your Allies Validating Your Experiences Wrap Up
Researching Opportunities
It seems self-evident that, before you can go after a work or learning opportunity, you have to know that it exists. You probably know about vacancies in your own division, branch, or maybe even department. But what about vacancies in other departments? How do you learn about opportunities before they even become vacancies? What training or development opportunities are available in your own department that could help prepare you to make a career move? How do you know if something is a viable opportunity for you? You need to have informationongoing, reliable information that you can evaluate against what you know about yourself. Just as you formulated a picture of who you are in the first part of this workbook (your life interests, values and skills), you need to create a picture of the types of work and learning opportunities that are compatible with your picture of self. To do that, you need to explore brand new career fields or familiar ones with a new eye; you need to unearth work opportunities before they become opportunities and you need to determine what types of training or developmental activities will enhance your leadership competencies. There are any number of sources of information, from printed to electronic to people. All can form a vital link in your search for work opportunities that have meaning for you. 1. Printed Information Most Government departments produce printed information in the form of annual reports, technical publications or brochures. This is a good way to get a general overview of the activities, programs and services of a departmentparticularly if you are unfamiliar with the workings of that department. On pages 54 to 58 we have provided you with an overview of the different levels of management and professional positions that are found in any department in the Nova Scotia Government. Moving beyond the Government environment, professional associations frequently produce trade magazines that report on current practices, trends, regional happenings and sometimes employment opportunities. The more you can learn about a career field, the better positioned you are to know whether or not that field holds promise for you.
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The Internet The Government of Nova Scotia currently (2005) works with CareerBeacon.com in promoting job opportunities within the Nova Scotia Public Service. All information pertaining to these jobs including job descriptions, classification, start dates and application deadlines are posted on this site. Jobs in each category are displayed in chronological order by date posted. Career Beacon gives employees the ability to browse all available jobs or to do advance searches based on specific criteria. Career Beacon also provides the user with the ability to email his or her cover letter and resume. You can access this site by going to www.CareerBeacon.com All Government departments have websites that contain information on the operation of that department. Each website differs, but you may be able to find the following types of information: organizational charts names of divisions and brief descriptions of activities names, job titles and telephone numbers of key personnel updates on key initiatives list of publications
Again, this type of information gives you a general overview of the major responsibilities of a department and contact names if you want to explore an area further. You can access any department's website through the Nova Scotia Government website: www.gov.ns.ca/gov_index.asp 3. Information Meetings As you conduct your paper and electronic research, patterns or trends may begin to emerge: What departments/career fields are experiencing openings? What skills/qualifications are most commonly required? What types of jobs and work responsibilities continue to attract me? In what areas would I like more information? Whenever a position, department, or career field interests you, it is time to explore further with an information meeting. You do not have to wait for a specific job opening; in fact, that may be leaving it too late. You want to have an accurate picture of that workplace beforehand in order to be prepared when an opportunity does come upwhether it's that exact job, a similar job in a different department, or something completely different. It's also a good way to bring positive attention to yourself: if people in that branch, division, or department have met you, they already have some idea of who you are and what you can do. The best information comes from someone actually doing that work, or someone working in the area. Information meetings are based on the simple notion that, if you want to know what a financial administrator does, you talk to a financial administrator. That way, you get a real sense of what the work and work environment are like, both the good and not so good points.
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You may find it intimidating to ask people about the work they do or to talk to complete strangers. The following tips can help get you started. 1. Do some homework first. Read all the print materials you can find on the position, career field, or department. Develop a list of questions that you want answered. What are the important features of this job or workplace? What do you need to know in order to decide if this work opportunity is a fit for you? (See page 71 for suggested interview questions.) Start with people you know. Do you know anyone working in that career field with whom you could converse? Do you know someone who knows someone who could refer you? If you're concerned about contacting a complete stranger, ask yourself, What do I have to lose? You haven't lost anything if the person doesn't have information to give you, or is not interested in talking. On the other hand, you stand to gain a lot if the person is a valuable source of information. Before you approach anyone, be prepared. Have your questions ready in case a meeting happens on the spot over the phone. Update your resume so that you are knowledgeable about your current portfolio of skills and accomplishments. You are not going for a job interview, but you want to be able to discuss your competencies in relation to the requirements of the organization and to assess the potential fit. If you have agreed to a meeting, be organized and punctual. Respect the person's time and make the best use of it. Get to the heart of why you are there and ask the questions that are pertinent to you. Unless you are invited to stay longer, don't take any more time than you promised you would (15 or 20 minutes shows consideration). Keep records from the start. Too many people fail to record what they've learned so it's as if there was no learning. Note every person with whom you have spoken including their job title, work address, telephone number and what they had to say. Record the names and telephone numbers of other referral contacts (along with the name of the person who referred them). Do not rely on memory. You should follow-up in a few months to keep your contacts updated on what you've been doing, to thank them for any promising referrals that they made, to seek further information or advice, or whatever seems appropriate for the relationship that has developed. Be sincere. The information meeting (usually called information interviewing) has taken a knock in recent years as people have used it as a ploy to sell themselves as job seekers. You are asking a person to share a valuable resourcethe knowledge they possess. Be thoughtful in the questions you ask, interested in the answers given, and appreciative of the time that was offered.
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What human resource changes might be anticipated in the future (leaves, retirements, secondments, reorganizations, new program developments, etc.)? What opportunities have previous employees moved on to? What critical activities must be performed to move this organization forward? What developmental opportunities are available to new employees?
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As the interview progresses, the following types of questions may be appropriate: 9. 10. Are you aware of any similar roles/positions in other departments? Do you know of other people with whom I could speak to gain more information? (Get specific names.) Could I use your name to contact that person? Would you be able to briefly scan my resume to see if my skills and qualifications fit with your workplace? Based on your scan of my resume, do you think I should be exploring other types of work opportunities, or talking with other groups of people?
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On the basis of your research, are there any developmental activities you need to undertake in order to be positioned for your next career move? If yes, record those activities in your Career Planning Summary under the section Areas of Development (page 78). Are there any next steps you can take that will keep you moving towards your career goal (e.g. more research, more contacts, additional work experience or training, etc.)? If yes, record these steps in your Career Planning Summary in the section Next Steps (page 78). Be specific: for example get university calendars for Labour Relations courses; set up information meeting with Executive Director, Marketing or explore opportunity to join interdepartmental Committee on Aging.
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6. Are you still interested in continuing to explore this work/training opportunity further?
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EXAMPLES: A co-worker may know all the best marketing programs that would be useful for you to take. That person goes in your Education sphere. Your son's hockey coach belongs to the same Kinsmen club as an Executive Director you would like to meet and has agreed to make the connection for you. That person goes in your Work sphere. Your family has no problem with you taking a one-year secondment in another town because it's a job you really love. That's family support and it goes in your Leisure sphere.
While no one person can give you everything you need, one person can give you a number of different kinds of support. If you have people in your life that give you support on a number of fronts, include them in all of the spheres that apply. EXAMPLE: An ex-boss still has a lot of contacts in the field and is willing to put in a good word for you (Work). She has become a consultant offering professional development courses in health services administration, some of which would position you well for your next career move (Education). She is a long-standing friend and your weekly weight lifting workouts allow you to bounce ideas off her and keep you encouraged (Leisure). When you have completed this activity, transfer the names of those people who are your allies to your Career Planning Summary in the section Factors Which Will Support Me on page 78.
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Leisure
Education
Work
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Working on Special Projects/Assignments Volunteering to take on special projects or assignments gives you the opportunity to learn new subject matter, to stretch your skills and abilities in new directions, or find out about the functions within other parts of the Government. It can also bring you positive attention by being seen as a doer and it can open doors within your organization and beyond. You can take on additional assignments within your own work site or department, become a member of a departmental, intra- or interdepartmental Task Force or Committee, or be temporarily transferred to another division or department for a specific assignment.
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Secondments Secondments are formalized agreements whereby employees are temporarily assigned to other positions for a specified period of time, say six months or a year, with the understanding that they can return to their original position at the end of the time period. Secondments can be arranged within the same department, in another department within the Nova Scotia Government, or in another public or private organization. A secondment is an excellent opportunity to try on a new job and develop a new set of skills to see if you, the work and the work environment are compatible.
Wrap-up
Seeking information is not a one-shot effort. As you start to gather information, you will open yourself to new possibilities. You will want to find additional information, confirm what you have learned with others, expand upon your contacts and supports and rethink the options you were originally contemplating. Each activity takes you to a higher level of awareness and develops the direction in which you are travelling. In the final section, we will look at creating a career plan.
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Believe you can. Believe you cant. Either way youll be right. Henry Ford
Making Career Decisions No Guarantees The Career Explorer and the Succession Management Process Wrap Up Career Planning Summary Career Development Plan
No Guarantees
No one knows exactly where you will be a few years from now. But that's all the more reason to develop and strive for a vision. If you set goals for yourself, you will take control over your future and avoid drifting, never sure of where you are heading. Even though you may not know what work you will be doing, there is much that you can plan for. Focus on what you want to achieve most, in your current organization or elsewhere, including: learning goals-skills and knowledge you need to develop types of job/work assignments you want ways of improving the balance between your work and personal life personal development goals roles you want to play
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Wrap-up
Some people worry about committing themselves to a particular career goal. What if they choose incorrectly? Don't worry about it. Your goals are not written in stone. They will change and evolve over time to reflect a changing work environment and your own changing interests and experiences. You will find yourself using different competencies in different combinations to respond to new demands and opportunities. Knowing your competencies and assets will help you imagine what options are available to you. You will then be able to stay flexible to take advantage of them. As a self-directed resource, The Career Explorer has tried to provide an overview of the most important elements of the career planning process. You may be interested in taking this process further by completing a formal assessment process using recognized inventories and tools, or by working through an individual career planning process with a counselling practitioner. If you are interested in these options, then talk with your Human Resources representative.
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Issues to be Considered (When Making Decisions About My Work/Life Future) From Activity 1: Three Spheres of Life
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Actions to Help Me Address These Issues From Activity 6: Current Influences In My Life
Characteristics Of My Preferred Future (Areas of Strength) From Activity 4, 5, and 8: Patterns From My Life Story, What Matters Most To Me and Assessing My Skills and Competencies.
Factors Which Will Support Me In My Decision Making From Activity 2, 6 and 10: Career Planning Beliefs, Current Influences In My Life and Accessing My Allies (also any other you can identify now).
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Areas Of Development From Activity 8and 9: Assessing My Skills/Competencies and Researching Opportunities (also any others you can identify now)
Next Steps To keep Moving Towards My Goal From Activity 9: Researching Opportunities (also any others you can identify now).
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