exercise 1.7 Work-StylePreferences

Your work-style preferences indicate how and where you like towork. They can include the type of structure you like to work in,the size of the organization, the number of hours devoted to work,the type of environment, whether you prefer to work alone or on ateam, the flexibility of your work hours, and so forth.

This exercise on work-style preferences will help you gain anappreciation of how your personality can influence the workenvironment you seek. For each statement, put a 1 if it is a factoryou DON’T SEEK MUCH in a work situation; a 2 if it is afactor that you SEEK in a work situation; or a 3 if it isa factor that you SEEK VERY MUCH in a work situation.

• ___1. Own office: Work in a setting where I havemy own private office
• ___2. Work alone: Do projects by myself, with limitedcontact with others
• ___3. Set own hours: Have the flexibility to come and goas I wish
• ___4. Work under pressure: Work under deadlines wherepressure is common
• ___5. Decision responsibility: Have to make significanthiring and firing decisions
• ___6. Teamwork: Work on projects with team members
• ___7. Working unplugged: Be able to work on a computeraway from an office
• ___8. Casual attire: Decide what I want to wearto work (within reason)
• ___9. Uncertainty: Expect every day to be different; havefrequent change in routine
• ___10. Compensation: Have a stable rate of pay regardlessof effort; earn no commissions

By identifying your most important and least importantwork-style preferences, you can focus on career directions,specific jobs, and work settings that suit your personalstyle. Almost as important, you will be able to eliminate thosecareers or work situations with which your style might conflict. Aswith all aspects of self-assessment, work-style preference isanother piece of the overall career–life jigsaw puzzle.

follow-up questions

• 1. What were the items that you indicated you“SEEK VERY MUCH”?

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• 2. What were the items that you indicated you“DON’T SEEK MUCH”?

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• 3. How might this activity on work-style preferences helpin the decision-making process for a new job or a job change?

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