Career Coaching for Jason Gilliland

Click on the following link for your: Vocational Style & Personality Assessment (VoSPA) Click on the following link for your: Values Profile Assessment (VaPro) Click on the following link for your: Mutli-Dimensional Emotional Intelligence Quotient (MEIQ)

Career Coaching Session #1: Monday October 1, 2012

- Jason’s E-mail address is jdagilliland@gmail.com - Jason attended University of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2011 and obtained his B. Sc. degree in Biology with a specialty in Neuroscience. - He is currently employed at U. Pen. as a Research Assistant "A" in the area of sleep disorders. - Jason has mixed feelings about his current job:

He enjoys solving problems associated with his research job
But he feels like he is spinning his wheels.
There are many layers of bureaucracy at U. Pen. as well as with the government with regard to research grants.

- Jason is quite disillusioned with the field of academia at the moment and unless the perfect job came along, he would like to move out of academia. - He would prefer to pursue a career in industry where an organization is willing to pay for his research. - He is not overly concerned that his work must directly benefit people directly, such as what a medical doctor needs in his profession. - Jason enjoys skiing and like the outdoors in general. - I discussed the results of the VoSPA assessment with Jason, specifically his scores in the various categories of Interests, Intelligence Types, Values, and Work Styles. His scores can be reviewed in the report itself. - Here are the careers that the VoSPA assessment recommended for Jason and how he rated them in terms of his passion level (1 is no passion and 10 is the highest passion):

Physicist (6/10)
Molecular and Cellular Biologist (9/10)
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologist (5/10)
Robotics Engineer (8/10)
Chief Executive (8/10)
Biomedical Engineer (10/10)
Chemical Engineer (9/10)
Environmental Engineer (4/10)
Photonics Engineer (6/10)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health (3/10)

- Jason is well suited to a career in the field of research. - We discussed how Jason would rate himself in terms of his emotional IQ (EIQ) and he said that he is able to read other people's emotions quite well but is not as astute in reading his own emotions. I suggested to Jason that I may consider assigning him an EIQ assessment in one of the future career coaching sessions. - I also suggested that Jason complete the Values Profile assessment before our next session and he agreed to do so. This will provide a good perspective on his core, personal and work values, and will also recommend suitable career categories, which can be correlated with the recommended careers from the initial VoSPA assessment. - We also discussed Jason's physical health and he said that enjoys skiing and the outdoors. Acknowledgements from Session #1: - I acknowledged Jason for his very high scores in general on the VoSPA assessment, particularly in the Work Styles category and sub-categories. Takeaways from Session #1: - Jason liked the process of doing the VoSPA assessment he is looking forward to the next session along the process of career discovery. Action Plan from Session #1: - Jason will review the VoSPA report in more detail and research on the Internet site O*Net Online (www.onetonline.org) regarding the recommended careers above which he scored 8 or more out of 10, which are:

Biomedical Engineer (10/10)
Molecular and Cellular Biologist (9/10)
Chemical Engineer (9/10)
Robotics Engineer (8/10)
Chief Executive (8/10)

- Jason also agreed to consider doing the Values Profile assessment. - The next session was scheduled for Wednesday October 17 at 7:00 PM.

Career Coaching Session #2: Wednesday October 17, 2012

- I asked Jason what he liked about his job this past week and he said that he enjoyed working with biotechnology equipment and has always felt that he would really enjoy working with manufacturers of biotechnology equipment to help to improve their equipment. The main manufacturer that Fisher Scientific, but there are many small, medium and large manufacturers like Ambien, Life Technologies, GE, Siemens, leading edge Pharmaceutical companies. - I asked Jason if he has a wishlist of which companies he would like to work for, and he said to some degree yes. - I asked Jason if he's applied to any biotechnology companies and he said that he has applied to a few, and is awaiting an answer from U. of Pen. on an application. - I asked Jason if he was currently using a head-hunter or placement agency in Philadelphia to assist him in finding the right job in a biotechnology manufacturing firm, and he said no. But he thought that it would be a good idea to engage a good head-hunter that specialized in the biotechnology field. I also pointed out to Jason that there would be no cost to him, and that the potential employer usually pays the commission to the head-hunter agency. - Jason completed the Values Profile assessment and I E-mailed him the report which we reviewed together. The results below are a summary of Jason's top values - those that are most important to him and on which he bases his life decisions and goals. His Core Value is his top value overall. His Work Value is his top value in his professional life, and takes into account aspects like career path, work tasks, and job environment. His Personal Value is his top value in his personal life and reflects issues related to relationships, hobbies, and world view. Top Core Value: Theoretical Values People with theoretical values regard logical thought and the pursuit of knowledge very highly. They respect the value of education, both formal and informal, and believe in learning for the sake of learning. They don't make decisions based on a set ideology; rather, they try to base your opinions, beliefs, and decisions on "truth". Rather than listening and blindly following what others are saying, people with theoretical values make their own choices based on all the information available to them. This translates to a very deliberate, logical way of thinking. They want to understand how things in the world work, and are not afraid to ask why something is the way it is. Top Personal Value: Realistic Values For people whose top personal value is realistic, their general attitude can best be described in one word - practical. The thoughts and concerns of realistic people never stray far from the "real" world. Friends and family members would probably describe realistic people as down-to-earth, sometimes even to a fault. People with this value are rarely known to entertain pipe dreams, may even shun anything (and sometimes anyone) that is too idealistic, and are known to tell it like it is. Their common sense, pragmatic approach to life is great for dealing with concrete problems like financial issues, but abstract matters of the heart can be an area of discomfort for some realistic people. Hobbies and interests for people with this type are likely to be simple, but often involve physical activity or working with their hands. Top Work Value: Theoretical Values People for whom theoretical values are important in work settings are happiest and utilize their talents best when they are intellectually challenged. Much like Sherlock Holmes becoming melancholic when he didn't have a mind-boggling case to work on, theoretical people need to be doing something that involves conscious effort and thought. Set them to a task where they need to figure out the solution to a problem or make sense of abstract information or data, and they will make sense of it. Without challenge, they become apathetic. While they can do well on group projects, theoretical individuals may work best on their own, where they can research, theorize, and come up with their own ideas. Should they have to work with others, however, they tend to thrive best with those who share their values and appreciation for logic and knowledge, as they may clash with more creative types. Advice for people with "Theoretical" as their top work value Suggested occupations for those with theoretical values:

Biologist
Historian
Market Research Analyst
Electronics/Aerospace Engineer
Dentist
Physician/Surgeon
Chemist
Physicist
Forensic Psychologist/Criminologist
Pharmacist

What managers can do for employees with theoretical values:

Put them in charge of solving recurring technological, financial, or productivity problems in the company.
Provide them with tasks and projects that require research, analysis, and synthesis of information.
Let them handle tasks that allow them to apply the scientific method, or a more systematic approach.
Allow them some variability in their tasks and roles, or consider offering them a lateral move in the company.
Provide opportunities for them to expand their knowledge and skills through workshops, education courses, or business conventions.
Allow them to train new employees if it is within their expertise.
Provide context for their tasks - make goals and the big picture clear.
Communicate with them using facts, theories, and data.
Allow them to participate in brainstorming solutions, as they can offer alternative, more grounded solutions.
Just make sure they don't go off on a tangent and get too wrapped around an idea.
Let them play "devil's advocate" during brainstorming meetings or problem solving sessions. They could easily debate both sides of an issue.

- I asked Jason if he would be willing to do the Multi-Dimensional Emotional IQ assessment, and he said yes. We talked about the importance of a healthy EIQ for success in the workplace and in the family. Acknowledgements from Session #2: - I acknowledged Jason for completing the Values Profile assessment. Takeaways from Session #2: - Jason felt a lot better about the use of a head-hunter agency to move him along in his search for the right job that he would be intellectually and financially happier with. Action Plan from Session #2: - Jason complete the MEIQ assessment before our nest session. - Jason will try to contact a few head-hunter agencies to try to find the right one that he can work with to find him a job in the biotechnology manufacturing field. - The next session schedule was scheduled for Monday October 29 at 7:00 PM.

Career Coaching Session #3:

- I asked Jason if he contacted any head-hunter agencies and he said that he sent his resume to a few of them, but he did not hear back for any of them. I told him to persevere until he finds the right one, and he agreed. - I asked Jason how his job was in the last two weeks since our last session, and he said that he had a good two weeks. He said that he had done some thorough research in preparation for a meeting and his superiors were very impressed with his work which made him feel good. - He has also been looking into applying for other jobs at U. Pen. using Flow Cytometry - We then discussed Jason's MEIQ report and his EIQ score was 108 out of 155, and that put him in the 70th percentile, which is quite good. The following is a summarized version of Jason's results, categorized as Strengths, Potential Strengths, and Limitation: Strengths

He is doing well in the area of Emotional Understanding
He is empathetic
He is socially insightful
He performed well on the emotional integration aspect of the test
He shows good self-control
He is driven toward further self-development
He is able/willing to adapt his social skills to the circumstances around him
He has a healthy level of self-esteem
He is flexible

Potential Strengths

He has a satisfactory emotional IQ level
He is doing reasonably well in the area of Emotional Identification, Perception, and Expression
He is somewhat aware of his strengths and weaknesses
He was sometimes able to recognize the emotions depicted on the test
He is doing reasonably well in the area of Emotional Facilitation of Thought
He does not ruminate excessively, which is good, but he also may not give things sufficient thought
His approach to problem solving is sometimes conducive to resolution
He sometimes acts in accordance with his values
He chose some reasonably good forms of resolution for conflict situations on the test
He is doing reasonably well in the area of Emotional Management
His impulse control is satisfactory
He is sometimes able to let go/rise above minor issues
He seems to be reasonably content
He is sometimes able to act independently

Limitations

His emotional self-awareness is limited
He is not very comfortable with emotions in general
His mindset could stand to be more positive
His resilience/hardiness needs further development
He needs to work on using more healthy coping techniques
He is not very self-motivated
The manner in which he would resolve conflict situations on the test were not always the most beneficial
He is not very assertive
He is not in the habit of setting goals
He seems to be somewhat indifferent towards the well-being of others

Acknowledgements from Session #3: - I acknowledged Jason for taking the time to complete this more complex and time-consuming MEIQ assessment. - I also commended him for his good score of 108/155, which is very good for his age. Takeaways from Session #3: - Jason felt that the EIQ assessment help him to understand his emotional side better, especially the areas that he needs to work on. Action Plan from Session #3: - Jason agreed to continue to contact head-hunter agencies to try to find one that will take him on as a client to find a job in the bio-medical manufacturing field. - He also agreed to continue applying for jobs in Pharmaceutical companies, at U. Pen. and also at other Universities in the area. - Jason agreed that over time (but not in the near future), he would work on improving some of the areas of limitations shown in the MEIQ report. - The next session was scheduled for December 6, 2012 at 7:00 PM.

Career Coaching Session #4: Thursday December 6, 2012

- Jason is currently going through a good period in his University research project which makes him feel good. - Jason's boss has put him in touch with two individuals in private companies, a pharmaceutical company Novartis, and the otheris a division of Dupont. - Jason said that these two companies and others like them are looking researchers who have a strong biology background coupled with a math background, which Jason has. The field is called Bioinformatics. - Jason is excited about the possibilities that can materialize in private industry. - I recommended that Jason use a spreadsheet to keep track of his own head-hunting efforts, almost like a salesman with his sales funnel. - Jason's current professor thinks that he needs at least a Masters or Ph.D. to work in research in Bioinformatics, but Jason doesn't necessarily agree with this in the private industry, but only more so in academia. - Jason found that knowing the programming language Python helps in the field of Bioinformatics which he taught himself, and knows quite well. He also needs to learn the language "R" - Jason is also looking to gain an engineering background using a free online program offered by MIT. - I asked Jason how many prospects he should have in his "sales funnel" and he said that 4 to 8 private companies, which I agreed with. Acknowledgements from Session #4: - I acknowledged Jason for pursuing a couple of opportunities in the private sector for research jobs. Takeaways from Session #4: - Jason is excited about the possibilities that can materialize in private industry, which will help both him and Gabi to be in a better position to start a family sooner rather than later. Action Plan from Session #4: - Jason is going to prepare an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of his own head-hunting efforts, almost like a salesman with his sales funnel, and he agreed to pursue 4 to 8 private companies for a research job. - Jason is going to look into gaining an engineering background using a free online program offered by MIT. - Jason is going to learn the programming language "R" as this will help in the field of Bioinformatics, as he already knows Python which he taught himself.

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