CAREER PLANNING ASSESSMENT REPORT

Shamell Berry-Battle

Career Planning Assessment Report

AHS-8100

Wilmington University

July 25th, 2018

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Step 1. Describe your personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have
motivated your decision to pursue a human service career. [Include specific examples of
any research and/or professional activities in which you have participated.

My personal educational experiences that have motivated my decision to pursue a Human

Service Career comes from being tired of my job and wanting an immediate change into

transferable career. I worked at HSBC Bank from 1999 until 2011 in areas such as Human

Resources, Collections, Fraud, Credit, Compliance, and lastly back in Collections as a Group

Lead while my supervisor was deployed in Kuwait. In 2011 HSBC Bank sold part of their

portfolio to Capital One Bank and laid off 521 employees. I had my 401k which I rolled over

into a traditional IRA, I had my Personal savings, and my Pension that I decided not to cash out.

I did not want to go through being in a shaky job field again, & the medical field was booming

so I decided to have a crack at it. I thought by taking the quickest way out, I could make

something of this change in careers. Dead End! I could not get hired because I had no experience

in the medical field, no certifications, & no current trainings. I thought that taking a class for

Certified Nursing Assistant would be a start in the medical field, so I attended Dawn Career

Institute and two months later I was a state certified nursing assistant. I applied for jobs and

quickly was hired, although I felt that working in that field was immediately draining. I learned a

lot about caring for others which I think is the most selfless work one could ever do but I was not

satisfied. I didn’t want to work at that capacity. I went to Leeds Technical Institute to get an LPN

certification, passed the entry exam with 92% but I found out they were not a credible institution.

Back at square one so while working as a CNA on a Tuesday morning, I had an epiphany while

being bombarded with racial slurs by a resident. I stood there and decided that I would not

subject myself to this kind of assault while being paid pennies on the dollar only to get up and do

it again every day and have half of my weekends taken away to work for a company that had

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such a high turnover rate that they could care less about the wants and needs of their employees.

I said out loud, if I ever step foot back into a nursing home to work, it will be to run the building

not to work at this level and I walked out without clocking out because I didn’t care anymore. I

drove out of the parking lot and straight to Springfield College in Wilmington, paid the $40.00

application fee, gave them a writing sample and applied for financial aide all in one hour.

Completing my Bachelors’ degree was difficult until I learned to manage my time. Once I got

that under control, I was fine. I graduated in December 2015, tried to get work in the field of

Human Services, but because of my background in banking, was repeatedly told I didn’t have

experience so they couldn’t hire me. This sucked because now I had to go back to banking to

make a living. I worked at The Bancorp Bank and Bank of America until I saved enough money

to take off of work for two years to back to school for my Masters’ degree and take care of things

that I’ve always wanted to accomplish. My husband supported my decision. I applied for school

in June of 2016 and started my first Graduate level course July 2016. Now it is July 2018 and I

am in my last class and preparing to graduate with my Masters’ in Administration of Human

Services. I still have a while to go because to get my Nursing Home Administrators license, I

need accounting classes, and work experience to clock the hours needed to qualify to sit for the

state boards. Another road-block. I qualify at this time to test for the ACAMS, so this is what I

am thinking about doing being as though I am burned out with this school thing right now and I

need to be able to pay my student loans back. Without the ACAMS I could very well make okay

money but if I had the certification in that field, I could double or triple that and go into other

fields such as criminal justice without the CJ degree. Honestly, I don’t want to do this, but this is

my back up plan should my original plan fail or get delayed.

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Step 2. Complete the Strengths Finder Assessment.

 Provide a summary of your Strengths Finders Report.

My strength finders report explains that I am a person with Self-Assurance. This

means that I am confident in my abilities to manage my own life. I possess an inner

compass that tells me the decisions I make are workable to situations I come across.

(Strengths Finder, 2018)

I am a relator because I am talented, and I enjoy close relationships with others. I

achieve goals and share them with friends working on their goals as well. (Strengths

Finder, 2018)

I am focused, and people who are focused can take direction as well as manage

things, follow through and make corrections. I also can prioritize my life and work and

then act-exactly in that order. (Strengths Finder, 2018)

I am disciplined because I enjoy routine and structure. I organize my entire life

and spontaneity is okay for some situations but throws me off if it happens too often.

(Strengths Finder, 2018)

I am a commander at heart and physically. I have always been in charge, so I have

that commanding mentality when it comes to everything. I can take control of a situation

and make decisions according to the situation at hand. (Strengths Finder, 2018)

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 What did this activity reveal to you?

This activity revealed to me that if I want to do something, I take charge. I do not

wait on other people to make moves for me because I am a leader. I am self-assured and

confident in whatever it is that I do. I am a realtor because I can set goals and follow

them through. I am focused because I can take direction and prioritize. I am disciplined

because I have order in my life. I also am in command because I can make decisions

alone without direction.

Step 3. Complete the free MAPP Assessment: http://www.assessment.com/.

 How was this assessment different from the Strengths Finder Assessment?

The free MAPP assessment was different than the Strengths Finder Assessment

because there were less questions and I did not get a certification at the end. I was trying

to print out the information but couldn’t. The MAPP assessment was different because it

only gave you a sample of your career & matched it up, but it was on point. I think this

report was more accurate than the Strengths Finder report as far as pointing out the way I

deal with situations. Some of the information on the reports were similar such as the

organizational, and interpersonal strengths, but I like the MAPP assessment because it

explained in detail how I developed these skills and why they work for me and my

personality type. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

 What did you learn?

My interests for the job are communal. I prefer to associate with others socially,

organizationally, and recreationally. I’m motivated to associate and interact with others

because I have leadership, managing, supervising, communications, and serving traits.

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My temperament shows that I prefers and needs change and variety because I

look for new options, challenges, assignments, acquaintances, relationships, and even

new careers in new places. I get bored with repetition and routine that were interesting to

start. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My preferences and aptitude for the job fully support holistic, conceptual

perception, and thinking relative to the basic nature, utility, potential or strategic

possibility of what is being observed or considered. I have intuition, insight, creativity,

curiosity, experimentation and innovation in various degrees. My ideas are at the heart of

this talent because I have perceptual and mental seeing. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My people trait shows I feel both privilege and responsibility to use

communication, persuasion to voluntarily provide beneficial information to others. I am

strongly motivated with benevolent and literary traits. I get self-satisfaction from the

subjective realization that the information that I voluntarily give is helpful to others. I am

motivated to learn and understand other peoples wants and needs, wishes, and have

listening preferences that service communication persistent when expressed. I will stand

up for people as well. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My things show that I have preferences that relate to mechanical, technical, or

systems engineering savvy. I have the motivation to design, build, install, or operate

machines, equipment, or systems but engineering may not be the major vocational

activity. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

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My data priority order shows that I am motivated by seeing the big picture in a

way that I see all parts of the picture in a larger context and how they all relate to each

other in a large context. My perception and thinking are holistic and conceptual.

Philosophical and intuitive processes are scientific, managerial, literary, subordinate,

secondary, and complementary to how I work. I can apply ideas, concepts, theory, fiction,

hypothesis, and assessment understanding evidence presented in a logical manner.

(MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My reasoning abilities shows I am strongly motivated to apply thinking through

holistic ideas, options, concepts, and strategies. My first and constant priority is

considerate on focusing on the big picture, so I would likely prefer to be in an executive

position rather than a manager but more inclined to be a manager than a supervisor

because this stimulates motivation for the activity. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My mathematical capacity and how I relate to the applied usage of math shows

that I am motivated by mechanical, systems, hydraulic, geological, computing of

statistical investigations. I typically use computers for work because they represent an

ideal environment for me. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My language capacity shows that I am highly motivated in considering creative

writing and communicating at a professional level. I have an interactive combination of

literary and philosophical traits because as far as literature is concerned I flourish best

when it is half a trade and half an art. This makes sense to me because the motivation that

indicated my preferences that include writing, fiction, poetry, scripts for movies and or

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television, advertising copy, marketing, teaching and creative writing. (MAPP

Assessment, 2018)

My top 20 career areas are Interview/Inform, Teacher/Counsel, Business training,

Protection/Enforce, Promotion/Publicity, Contract Negotiations, Secretarial, Training

Services/Human Resource Development, Technical Market/Sales, Engineering, and

Scientific/Coordination. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

My worker trait codes show that I am abstract, innovative. I am concerned with

people, but I direct business contact and interaction with others. I work for personal gain,

recognition, and status. I also like physical work with materials and I am organized and

can handle methodical procedures. My output drives production and goals and I am a

perfect candidate for management. (MAPP Assessment, 2018)

Step 4. Visit the United States Bureau of Labor statistics: www.bls.gov, and select a specific
career within the Human Services field. [Suggestion: Use the results of your Strengths
Finder and MAPP Assessments to select a career.]

 Provide a summary of your career choice and your rationale for your choice.

Medical and Health Services Manager: Plan, direct, and coordinate

medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific

clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians.

Medical and health services managers mist direct changes that conform to

changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology. Healthcare facilities,

Hospitals, Group Medical Practices and Nursing Homes are typically where one

would work. Education required is a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree is

preferred. Work experience is also typical in an administrative or clinical role for

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hospitals or other healthcare facilities. The medical annual wage is $98,350.

Employment is projected to grow 20% from 2016 to 2026. Employment wages

varies by state and area. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)

My rationale for the career choice in Medical or Health Services Manager

comes from my always having to be in charge. I feel like since I’ve always been

in the position to lead in all aspects of my life whether it be personal, or business;

why not work in that capacity because it is where I am the most comfortable. I

feel that the gifts that you possess naturally should be perfected or at least

improved, and there is no shame in wanting to make money from something you

do well. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)

 What examples of leadership skills and unique characteristics do you bring to your
chosen career?

The examples of leadership skills and unique characteristics I bring to my

chosen career are Technical Management Skills because I can relate to

information technology such as programming languages. I have some experience

and knowledge of SAS and SQL from previous jobs I’ve held. Human &

Interpersonal management skills are on this list as well because I am assertive

when it comes to my verbal, non-verbal, negotiation, listening for communication

skills. When it is time to solve a problem or make pertinent decisions for sensitive

subjects, I will take the initiative to move to a possible solution without putting

my people in harm’s way. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)

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One of my most unique characteristics that I have is my ability to read

people. I am 95% of the time on point when it comes to sensing bad situations,

figuring things out on the fly, and of course analytically sifting out the BS when I

use my effective listening skills. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018)

 What personal strengths do you have that make you a qualified candidate for your
chosen career?

I have always been in charge for as long as I can remember so there is no

other place that I’d rather be. This doesn’t mean that I cannot take direction or

work in a team-oriented environment, it means I have a commanding mindset. As

the second eldest of 11 children, my mother would leave me in charge when she’d

leave for days at a time. In my previous employment, supervising our team was

always left up to me whenever our manager had to take time off or be deployed.

Human Resources was a field I had the chance of working in for a few years as an

assistant and I realized during that time of employment that you must know the

inner workings of the organization on a legal level to work in this capacity. I was

good at what I did, and I got hired on permanent, but the Collections department

gave out larger bonuses and I left after 3 years to work in that area. I thought

about the move before making it and being in the collections department gave me

a better chance at making manager because there was plenty of room for multiple

areas of advancement. Being able to realize an opportunity, researching and

making a move on it expeditiously is what makes me a qualified candidate for my

chosen career.

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 What personal challenges or weaknesses do you need to address in order to be

successful in your chosen career?

Personal weaknesses that I have are: I can become stressed out when my

team drops the ball. I have a mind to jump in and do the work myself and I know

that is not proper etiquette for an Executive or Director. I have to learn to have

faith in my leadership abilities that my team will work together to get the work

done.

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References:

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (July 25th, 2018). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov

MAPP Assessment. (July 25th, 2018). Retrieved from https://www.assessment.com

Member Center MAPP Results. (July 25th, 2018). Retrieved from

https://www.assessment.com/MemberCenter/YourMAPPResults

Strengths Finder (June 21st, 2018). Retrieved from https://strengthsfinder.com

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