Ina Teves, Organizational Development Consultant

Ina Teves is an organizational development consultant with a change management firm dedicated to making a difference wherever it goes by journeying with the client through the entire process of organizational transformation. Email your questions to ina.b.teves@gmail.com.

A CAREER IS YOUR LIFE’S WORK

Dear Ms. Teves,

I saw your name in a magazine a few months ago and noted it down in case I needed a career coach.  I have a friend who is not very fulfilled with his work and has always thought of moving and doing something else but he doesn't know what kind of job fits him and what he's really good at.  (Are there tests that tell you what line of work you should be in?) That's the short story, there's a longer story but he can tell you about that himself. 

I wonder if you do the kind of career coaching that he needs.  If you do, Ma'am, please let me know.  I'm doing this for my friend who I think needs a coach more than ever.  I personally do not think I am qualified to give him advice that is this important.

Thank you for your time and God bless.

Regards,

Ging

Dear Ging,

A lot of us find ourselves in your friend’s situation. I don’t have enough details from you, though, so I will speak in general terms. Sometimes I think career confusion has to do with how, culturally, we try to aspire for certain kinds of work for the wrong reasons.

There’s the flavor-of-the-month job, the one that brings us heaps of fast cash – call center operator, nurse, nursing aide, seaman, medical transcriptionist. 

There’s the zero-to-hero job - boxer, reality TV star, singer, and any number of political positions.

There are the steady pay jobs – Work in an office, says Mother, and you’ll never have to worry about your paycheck.  Many colleges actually train their students for the loyal employee track, but the days of lifetime employment are long gone.

There are the jobs our fathers want us to have– We’re a family of lawyers, doctors, dentists, soldiers, and hardware store owners, says Dad.  You know how that one goes.

Unfortunately, not all of us are cut out for jobs other people tell us should have, but, if we thought in terms of a career or life’s work, we’d be taking a step in the right direction.

My dad is an artist at heart, actually an artisan – he was good with making things from wood, but he had to earn a living for his family and opted to be a businessman.   So he chose to be in the construction industry, which is as close to creating objects as he could get. Now that he’s retired, he insists on doing all the construction work at home himself.  My mom wanted to finish a piano course at a conservatory, but her dad wanted her to be a pharmacist (because, yes, he was a doctor).  It was stressful for her to work in a lab.  She had the smarts for it, but not the soul. Fortunately, she chose to spend time with us instead. Both of them shared with us their love for the arts and their discomfort with structured, hierarchical organizations.

Lesson:  who you are will eventually catch up with you.  So, know thyself, as the oracle at Delphi would say. 

There is a book called Do What You Are by Paul Tieger & Barbara Barron Tieger.  The authors propose that you could find job satisfaction and bloom in your career, if the fit is right.  They use the Myers Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI. You may ask the Philippine Psychological Corp if they offer it. Philpsycor also offers career testing and feedback counseling services (Tel. 636-6327-29 or 631-7401).
Your HRD might also be licensed to administer the MBTI.

The MBTI assessment is based on four dimensions of personality.  Following is a very brief, very simplified explanation.

Introversion/Extraversion – How do you interact with the world? Are you energized by being with crowds or by being alone? 

Sensing/Intuiting - How do you process information?  Do prefer to rely on what you can sense with your five senses?  Or do you prefer to rely on your gut?

Thinking/Feeling – When you make decisions, are you soft-hearted or “hard-headed?” Do you prefer to be seen as compassionate or just?

Judging/Perceiving - Do you prefer to work to structure and schedules or do you like to play it by ear?

I’ve found taking time to answer these questions very helpful.  None of these are either/or boxes – people are much more complex than that – but the test does show you the direction of your choices. For example, I do enjoy being with people, but I prefer doing it one-on-one rather than standing before a large group.  I can do that well, but I get stressed if I do it too often or for a long stretch.

A version of MBTI is the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and it could be taken online (www.keirsey.com).  You get the full report for a small fee.

Another assessment tool is InnerView.  Ask your company if they offer this as this is sold to companies and schools.  You might wish to contact Carol Narciso at 434-9130 and 435-7446 and check if they have individual offers.

Finally, here are several career coaches you and your friend could go to:

• Lino Rivera, president, Change Consultants Inc, (840-0326 to 28)and chair, Human Resource Cluster, Ateneo Graduate School of Business (899-7691 to 96)
• Gerrie Barricaua, San Sebastian College, Dean of Students, 809-1782.