Unit 1 Self-Assessment

Shaquanda Stephenson

Arizona State University

OGL 482: Module 1

October 22, 2023

Section 1: Kuder Career Interests
After working through Kuder Assessments, I didn’t really have any aha moments in
terms of a wow. The feeling I had when reading through the career assessment was
a little shocking, and the feeling remained throughout the remaining assessments. I
didn’t feel like the suggested jobs aligned with me at all. It made me wonder if I
answered the questions to the best of my ability or if in fact I’m on the wrong path.
One thing I noticed on the career assessment was the consistent suggestion to teach.
Teaching is one of my favorite things to do. In church, I started out as a Bible study
teacher and my preferred ministering style is teaching. Teaching in some aspect was
consistent, but I am not interested in being a schoolteacher as suggested!
In previous OGL class assessments, I am usually identified as a leader, manager,
entrepreneur, etc. Those accurately describe where I am in my life. The Kuder
Assessments are the first to concentrate in a different direction. The suggestion to
be a circuit court judge or a certified medical assessment made me laugh a bit! The
Holland codes resonated with me, but the occupation suggestion were pretty far
from my past or present work.

Section 2: Kuder Skills

The Kuder Assessments super’s work values inventory gave interesting results that
paralleled the values assignment. The assessment ranked me highest for
independence, income, creativity, security, and challenge. Creativity and security
were two of the final five values I crossed out. In the list of ten, I took off change and
variety, which I classify as challenging in terms of not doing the same things all day
every day. In this portion, I saw consistency in terms of who I feel I am and the
assessment results.
Another thing I thought was interesting, but am not sure why is happened, is that I
have the same Holland score as in the career section, but in a different order. The
career Holland code was SEA, while the super’s work Holland code was ASE.

Section 3: Career Anchors

The career anchors given were recreational worker, health education specialist, and
school social worker. I was totally surprised because I am not interested in any of
these. Perhaps the social work piece could work because I abhor injustices and the
way people within the systems of this country are treated by people. None of these
connect with where I am or my future plans. For over 15 years, I have provided
graphic design, printing, and self-publishing services to clients. Over the COVID-19
shutdown, I started a body care business with a centralized message of
empowerment and have finally decided (through my journey at ASU) to allow
myself to be a leadership coach. The last piece, I have done most of my life in an
unofficial capacity. The only difference going forward is that I will structure it and
be compensated for the work. I don’t think anything from the career suggestions
line up with this.
Section 4: Additional Assessments
I did not save the assessments from previous classes as most of them were either
online were assessments taken and then used in another form to complete an
assignment. Despite not having them, I do know that leadership, helping, purpose,
and management are recurring themes in previous assessments. In addition, I have
taken the DISC assessment a few times on my own and am a consistent D. The DISC
assessment, I felt was inaccurate, so I took it more than once. I didn’t want my
answer to be D (lol) and I was in denial. Why? I was in denial because I neve r
wanted to be a leader, an entrepreneur, an influencer, and refused to believe I was
dominant in anything. One important conclusion I came to, not through one
assessment or another, but somewhere along my time at ASU, was that I didn’t want
the responsibility of it all. I didn’t want the responsibility of everything my life,
spiritually and naturally, has pushed me to because I didn’t believe I could do it.
Deep down inside, I simply didn’t believe I was capable despite what people say,
how I help them, my business, ministry work, etc.; it all points to yes, I can do it and
am already doing it, but I had not officially accepted it. Somewhere in the sea of
assignments, one night at my desk, I had an epiphany and made the decision to
accept it. I accepted it because if I wasn’t meant to go the route I am going, I don’t
believe the Higher Power I submit to would have made it this evident that I could.

Over the course of my time at ASU, through class work, I was able to see areas I
needed to grow in. One of the classes that was most helpful in understanding some
things about myself was The Aikido Way. There were not any assessment, but in
trying to implement the strategies, I would find it difficult or experienced different
emotions and memories while trying. What those feelings symbolized to me was
that there were more unhealed places I needed to work on. My personal belief is
that we cannot grow any further than we are within ourselves. Being able to see
where I needed growth was not a bad thing; it was helpful and appreciated.