My Even-Brained Self

While preparing some materials for the Career Talk, I stumbled upon and did a left-brain right-brain assessment https://personalitymax.com/report/?bh=50&name_key=ce2c096a2a

Not many people will be interested to get to know their insides (Intrapersonal Intelligence by Gardner), hence I can't go too far down this route. 

The presentation is essentially about careers in IT and I am the appointed presenter. I will wing it in my own way & try to incorporate the RIASEC test > i.e. connect their code(s) to the professions.

HOWEVER, I know that the code in non-definitive and students probably need to do other tests & explore multiple professions before they really KNOW. Plus RIASEC also has some critics, but so far many countries use it for career indication for want of a better test.

My research in future (after I finish my PhD) could probably be in complementary tests to RIASEC to refine or assist students to choose COUPLED with industry partners who can include apprenticeships or at the very least short visits to evoke the imagination, so to speak.

Which reminds me of Abg Zaila who got interested in airplanes (mechanics) when he first took a flight home to Kedah. I was more interested in becoming one of the flight attendants. Which goes to show that we get attracted by different things based on our personality.

Another real-life example (or examples, rather) are my own children. They did the RIASEC test at 12 and I have asked them to explore various professions. They even talked to my friends who are in those professions and THEY STILL don't know what they want to do. Well at least they know what they DON'T WANT to do, so that is half the battle. 

These are my suggestions; as a mere observer; as one who has basic interest & reading on RIASEC (and as someone who has observed RIASEC in action with her own children):

• RIASEC is non-definitive (yes John Holland & team never said it was) > hence in my view the 'quest' for a career should be done holistically i.e. find out about as many careers as possible & speak to the practitioners, to gauge what exactly they do, and whether you'll enjoy it
• Another useful test is MBTI that is more 'personalistic'. Again it is non-definitive but may help in refining some careers. MBTI also suggests some potential careers based on personality. Again, same advice as above: find out more
• Other tests that may be considered are Gardner's Multiple Intelligence (this I suggest, to build self-confidence); and from my friend Anita Paul (who's doing her PhD in career discernment) Data-People-Things (an extension of RIASEC, from the same research team) > this may help narrow down the selection between Data (A+I); People (S+E) and Things (R+C)

And having said the above, be ready for changes in job scope & career focus that will likely happen throughout the working life. What is important is our adaptability and readiness to change. When we know who we are, we will know where we will bring the most value.