Career Research

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

1. What is the title of the occupation?

Occupational Therapist

2. What is the nature of the work?

· Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in appropriate settings for the rehabilitation of those who are physically or mentally impaired.

· Test and evaluate patients’ physical/mental abilities and analyze data to determine goals

· Select activities that will help patients develop life-management skills

· Evaluate their progress, prepare records and reports that detail progress

· Train caregivers so they can provide for patients during and after therapy

· Recommend changes in patients’ work and living environments

· Consult with rehabilitation teams to select activities and coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities

· Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn and adjust to handicaps

3. What is the work environment?

Hospitals, institutions, and community settings. It can include patient homes as well as rehabilitation centers.

4. What training is required?

A master’s degree or higher in occupational therapy is the typical minimum requirement for entry into the field. In addition, occupational therapists must attend an academic program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education in order to take the national certifying exam.

5. Are there other qualifications? If so, what are they?

All states require that occupational therapists are licensed. To obtain a license, you must graduate from an accredited educational program and pass the national certification exam. Those who pass the exam are deemed “Occupational Therapist Registered”.

Occupational therapists are expected to attend workshops and other courses to further their knowledge and skills.

6. What is the potential for advancement?

Occupational therapists are increasingly taking on supervisory roles in addition to their roles as therapists. Some therapists choose to teach classes in occupational therapy programs. Occupational therapists also have the option of specializing in fields such as: gerontology, mental health, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.

7. How many jobs are there in the occupation in the US? In Utah?

US: 104, 500

Utah: 345

8. What are the projections for employment is the US? In Utah?

US: 131,300

Utah: 482

9. What are the typical earnings for the occupation?

$33.48 hourly, $69,630 annually

10. What are the related occupations?

· Social and Human Service Assistants

· Directors of Religious Activities and Education

· Physical Therapists

· Recreational Therapists

11. What skills are required?

· Active listening

· Reading comprehension

· Speaking

· Critical thinking

· Service orientation

· Social Perceptiveness

· Monitoring

· Time management

· Writing

· Active learning

12. What are the interests?

· Consider relationships important. They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment.

· Like to achieve things and see the results of their work. They like to use their strongest abilities and to feel a sense of accomplishment.

· Value good working conditions. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay.

· Want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer a lot of variety in their work, working alone, or staying busy.

· Support from their employer is important to them. They want to be treated fairly and have supervisors who will back them up.

· Like to be social. They like work activities that promote learning, personal development, and communicating with others.

· Search for facts and figure out solutions to problems.

13. What are the work styles?

· Concern for others

· Integrity

· Dependability

· Adaptability/flexibility

· Self control

· Cooperation

· Social orientation

· Attention to detail

· Analytical thinking

· Initiative

14. What are the work values?

· Relationships- allow them to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly environment.

· Achievement- results oriented and allow them to feel a sense of accomplishment when carrying out tasks.

· Working Conditions- jobs offer security and good working conditions.

15. What Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) types are commonly found in the field?

ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment)

ISFP (Introversion, Sensing, Feeling, Perception)

ESFP (Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, Perception)

RECREATIONAL THERAPIST

1. What is the title of the occupation?

Recreational Therapist

2. What is the nature of the work?

• Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
• Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
• Plan, organize, direct and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation.
• Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests and objectives of therapy.
• Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
• Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients themselves to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
• Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
• Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques.
• Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
• Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.

3. What is the work environment?

Recreational therapists provide services in special activity rooms but also plan activities and prepare documentation in offices. When working with clients during community integration programs, they may travel locally to teach clients how to use public transportation and other public areas, such as parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, restaurants, and theaters. Therapists often lift and carry equipment.

4. What training is required?

Most entry-level recreational therapists need a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation, or in recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation. A few may qualify with some combination of education, training, and work experience that would be equivalent to what is considered competent in the field.

5. Are there other qualifications? If so, what are they?

Although certification is voluntary, most employers prefer to hire candidates who are certified therapeutic recreation specialists. Work in clinical settings often requires certification by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. The council offers the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist credential to candidates who pass a written certification examination and complete a supervised internship of at least 480 hours. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy from an accredited institution is required for credentialing, but some may qualify with equivalent education, training, and experience.

6. What is the potential for advancement?

Therapists may advance to supervisory or administrative positions. Some teach, conduct research, or consult for health or social services agencies.

7. How many jobs are there in the occupation in the US? In Utah?

US: 23,280

Utah: 222

8. What are the projections for employment is the US? In Utah?

US: 26,680

Utah: 298

9. What are the typical earnings for the occupation?

$18.96 hourly, $39,440 annually

10. What are the related occupations?

· Child, Family, and School Social Workers

· Occupational Therapists

· Physical Therapists

11. What skills are required?

· Active listening

· Speaking

· Service orientation

· Social perceptiveness

· Coordination

· Critical thinking

· Reading comprehension

· Complex problem solving

· Instructing

· Writing

12. What are the interests?

· Like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment. Relationships are important to them.

· Want to see the results of their work. They get a sense of accomplishment from the goals they achieve.

· Their own independence is important and they prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.

· Social interests. They like to work with others and help promote personal development. Teaching, giving advice, or being or service to others is important to them.

· Artistic interests. They prefer work activities that deal with designs and patterns and that which allows for self-expression.

13. What are the work styles?

· Concern for others

· Self control

· Dependability, Integrity

· Social orientation

· Adaptability/flexibility

· Cooperation, Stress tolerance

· Initiative

· Independence, Innovation

· Analytical thinking

· Attention to detail

· Persistence

· Achievement/effort

14. What are the work values?

· Relationships

· Achievement

· Independence

· Working conditions

· Recognition

· Support

15. What Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) types are commonly found in the field?

INFP (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception)

ENFP (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception)

ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR

1. What is the title of the occupation?

Foreign language interpreter/translator

2. What is the nature of the work?

• Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
• Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
• Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
• Proofread, edit, and revise translated materials.
• Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
• Read written materials, such as legal documents, scientific works, or news reports, and rewrite material into specified languages.
• Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerized terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
• Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
• Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
• Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.

3. What is the work environment?

Interpreters work in a wide variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers. Translators usually work alone, and they must frequently perform under pressure of deadlines and tight schedules. Technology allows translators to work from almost anywhere, and many choose to work from home.

4. What training is required?

To be an interpreter or translator you must be fluent in one or more languages besides your native language. You also need to know the culture and customs where these languages are spoken. In addition, you must be very skilled with your native language. A college degree is not necessarily required. However, it provides the necessary training in language and culture.

5. Are there other qualifications? If so, what are they?

The educational backgrounds of interpreters and translators vary. Knowing at least two languages is essential. Although it is not necessary to have been raised bilingual to succeed, many interpreters and translators grew up speaking two languages.

6. What is the potential for advancement?

Proficiency in language is the main factor in advancement. Those who are fluent in several languages are likely to advance quickly. Interpreters and translators who work for government agencies are promoted regularly. Their skill and the number of years on the job help determine their advancement.

Interpreters who work for other organizations may become chief interpreters or staff directors. Translators may advance to reviewers who check the work of others. They may also become translation editors. Interpreters and translators who work as freelancers may advance to more difficult assignments with higher pay. Some may start their own agencies.

7. How many jobs are there in the occupation in the US? In Utah?

US: 50,910

Utah: 1,251

8. What are the projections for employment is the US? In Utah?

US: 62,210

Utah: 1,643

9. What are the typical earnings for the occupation?

$19.65 hourly, $40,860 annually

10. What are the related occupations?

· Court Reporters

· Elementary School Teachers, except Special Education

· Music Directors

· Immigration and Customs Inspectors

· Tour Guides and Escorts

· Travel Guides

11. What skills are required?

· Communication: listening to others, understanding, asking questions.

· Expressing ideas clearly; reading/understanding work-related materials.

· Reason and problem solve: develop and follow guidelines, concentrate while performing tasks, make sense of information by studying it.

· Manage oneself, people, time, and things

· Work with people: be aware of others’ reactions and look for ways to help people

· Perceive and visualize: quickly and accurately compare numbers, objects, and patterns.

12. What are the interests?

· Artistic

· Social

· Conventional

· Investigative

13. What are the work styles?

· Dependability

· Integrity

· Attention to detail

· Independence

· Cooperation

· Adaptability/flexibility

· Concern for others

· Initiative

14. What are the work values?

· Relationships- They like working with others and promoting personal development. Teaching, giving advice, or being or service to others is important to them.

· Working Conditions- They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive work environment. They want to maintain independence, while still being social.

15. What Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) types are commonly found in the field?

INFP (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception)

INFJ (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling Judgment)

ENFJ (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment)

CONCLUSION:

After researching all three occupations (Occupational Therapist, Recreational Therapist, and Foreign Language Interpreter/translator), I have come to the conclusion that being a Recreational Therapist would be the best choice. There are some similarities to Occupational Therapy, but Recreational Therapy requires less schooling. It provides a variety of work environments and activities. Working in this field I would be able to remain somewhat independent while still interacting with others.

REFERENCES:

https://utahfutures.org/materials/home.html

http://www.bls.gov/

http://www.onetonline.org/

http://jobs.utah.gov/

Personality/Interest Assessment

ASSESSMENTS REVIEW SHEET

For this assignment, you will use the results from your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Strong Interest Inventory (SII) assessments to determine some particular occupations and majors to research.

MBTI Report

1. List your reported type. (Example: ESTJ)

ISTJ

2. According to your report, what are some of the characteristics that best describe your personality type?

Extremely dependable, realistic, absorb facts, careful about accuracy, like everything clearly stated, go beyond the call of duty, like to be rewarded for organization/accuracy. Logical, analytical, practical, systematic.

3. Refer to the list of the 50 most popular occupations page or go to http://www.careervoyages.gov/top50occupations-main.cfm Read the list of occupations, circle the ones that you would like to explore, and list them below.

I couldn’t get the website to work, but I think I found the list on another site...

I would like to explore:

• Nursing
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education

4. How do you believe the occupations you have chosen to explore fit with your personality preferences? Explain how these occupations allow you to work in your preferred work environment.

The occupations I have chosen from the 50 most popular occupations list are not necessarily the ones I am most interested in. I have thought about Nursing previously, but am leaning toward other things. The only reason I would do secondary education would be to teach science or spanish...but even then, it would be a stretch to say that those are careers that I am REALLY interested in. The ones I am currently interested in were not on that list.

But, if I had to choose reasons why I would pick the occupations from the list, it would be because both Nursing and teaching require individuals who are hard-working and self-motivated. They are professions where people don’t work for the money, but for the satisfaction of seeing the difference they can make in the lives of others. They allow you, to a degree, to work on your own timetable and to be very organized.

SII Report

5. List your general occupational theme code. (Example EAS)

SIA (Social, Investigative, Artistic)

6. List your 5 Basic Interests Scales and determine what type of interest they represent from the following: vocational, educational, leisure activities, personal interest. (Examples might include: religion-personal interest, teaching-leisure, healthcare-vocational)

TOP 5 INTEREST AREAS:

• Religion and Spirituality-- Personal Interest
• Healthcare Services-- Vocational
• Counseling-- Vocational
• Social Sciences-- Leisure Activities
• Culinary Arts-- Leisure Activities

7. Refer to pages 5, 6, and 7 of your SII profile. Look at all the occupational scales you scored highest in (generally 40 or above), or that have a combination of your theme code. List the occupations from the scales that you might like to research.

SOCIAL:

• Speech Pathologist
• Special Education Teacher
• Registered Nurse
• Occupational Therapist
• Foreign Language Teacher
• Recreational Therapist

INVESTIGATIVE:

• Respiratory Therapist
• Dietician

ARTISTIC:

• Photographer
• Translator (Interpreter)

REALISTIC:

• Horticulturist

8. For the following questions refer to Personal Style Scales on page 8 of your SII profile.

A. Look at your “Work Style” rating. What does your score suggest to you in relation to the occupations you listed above?

I scored a 53 in this area which means that I can go either way. I am okay working on my own. I enjoy data and ideas, and I am sometimes reserved. On the other hand, I also enjoy working with and helping people. I can be social when I want to. The careers I have chosen above are a mix of the two categories. Some would require me to work primarily alone, while others would provide a more social atmosphere.

B. Look at your “Learning Environment” rating. How do the educational requirements of the occupations you listed fit with your interest to pursue additional training?

I prefer practical learning environments. I learn by doing and prefer short-term training when achieving a goal/skill. The occupations I listed require hands-on training and active learning environments. This is good because I get bored quickly if I am made to learn only through academic learning, such as listening to lectures and reading textbooks.

C. Look at your “Leadership Style” rating. How do these occupations fit your personal style?

I disagree with the leadership style rating. I says that I am not comfortable taking charge of others; that I prefer to do the job myself instead of directing others. I know, both from personal experience and other personality tests, that this is not the case. I am a natural leader. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, but for the most part, it’s a good trait to have.

Both in my work environment and at home, I seek opportunities to lead. I like to lead by example and give directions to others. Although I sometimes prefer to work alone, I am comfortable taking charge of and motivating others. The careers I am interested in require someone that is self-motivated and, to some degree, able to work on their own.

D. Look at your “Risk Taking/Adventure” rating. Explain how the occupations do or do not match your risk taking style.

I don’t like taking risks, but I do like to be challenged academically and mentally by my work. I am careful about my decisions, but make them fairly quickly, and sometimes even compulsively. I love creativity and originality, but would rather try the idea after someone else has tested it out, than be the guinea pig.

9. What college majors are suggested for your theme code that you find interesting?

Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Recreation, Secondary Education, ESL Teaching, Dietetics/Nutrition, Geology, Science Education, Humanities, Foreign Languages

• Of your top 10 occupations, list 3 you are most interested in and the educational

preparation required for each.

1. Occupational Therapist

Educational Preparation: Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts, plus a teaching certificate.

2. Recreational Therapist

Educational Preparation: Bachelor of Arts or Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy

3. Registered Nurse

Associate or Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing

10. Occupations not listed on MBTI or SII

List any occupations you are interested in that were not listed on your MBTI or SII reports.

Public Health is a major that wasn’t listed on the test results. I’m not entirely sure what occupations I could do with that, but it’s something I’m interested in exploring.

11. Meet with a Career Counselor at CACC

Make an appointment to review your assessment reports with a career counselor in Career and Academic Counseling (LC402 or contact by phone: 801-863-8425).

• List any comments or suggestions made by the counselor regarding selection of a career or major and/or your assessment results.

Nancy helped me figure out, via Wolverine Track, what classes to take in order to complete my Associate’s in Science (I’m almost done!). She noticed class credits that could be applied that I was not aware of. She also introduced me to a great website that will be very helpful in researching careers (O*NET). We explored some career options that were listed in my assessment results and she encouraged me to continue to research careers that interest me in order to narrow down my options.

I wasn’t surprised with the results of the assessments. Nancy helped me realize, however, that I am indecisive due to the lack of information I have on the careers I’m interested in. I know a lot about Nursing (I’ve worked in it for many years), but I’m not as familiar with Spanish Education, Geology/Science Education, or Occupational/Recreational Therapy. She helped me see that I need to spend time looking into these careers as well if I’m ever to make a decision.

Write the name of the counselor you met with and the date of your appointment.

Name Nancy Plagge Date 10/7/10