Career Assessment leads Airmen on the right path

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Every third Friday of the month, the Airman and Family Readiness Center offers Airmen separating within 365 days a career assessment workshop, which provides them with information on jobs that best suit their needs.

Over the next couple of years, many Airmen will be separated from the Air Force due to force reductions, which is why it is more important than ever to start planning for life after the military.

"The career assessment workshop is the first step in our seven step cycle, which prepares military personnel in their transition process," said Charlotte Hikes, A&FRC community readiness technician. "Based on their assessment scores, we can plan a career path that suits the individual."

The workshop uses three assessment tools to guide Airmen in the right direction, which include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, an interests and skills assessment and a values assessment.

"These assessments are used to give Airmen a better understanding of themselves in order for them to make further career decisions," Hikes said.

The first assessment, the MBTI, is used to identify what personality type an individual has. It tells them whether they are introverted or extroverted, how they make decisions and other qualities.

"The MBTI has no right or wrong answers, they merely tell an individual what they prefer," Hikes said. "Once the assessment is completed and the answers are compiled, a special code will be given to the individual explaining their personality type."

Knowing this information helps an individual understand their strengths and weaknesses and how they interact with other personality types.

The values assessment educates individuals on preferences like location, working environment, ability to work with others and much more.

"The last assessment is the self-directed search, which finds an occupation based on your skills and interests," Hikes said. "By finding a career that best suits them, people are more likely to be more satisfied and successful."

For those separating due to force reductions or in doubt of what they want to do, it is recommended to take this workshop more than ever since they may not have been planning on separating, said Jim Snyder, AFRC Transition Assistance Program manager.

"If they have an idea on what they want to do, then this workshop will help them start their research," said Snyder. "If they don't, then it will help provide them with options of occupations they will best be fit for."

The A&FRC is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information on the career assessment workshop, or other services they provide, call 456-8400.