Preparation

Each of the following interactive media activities will assist you with this assessment. They provide opportunities to evaluate your skills or values to gain a better understanding of your personal and professional identity. Complete the following media presentations:

• Careers in Psychology.
• Career Skills Inventory.
• Work Values Card Sort.

Instructions

Write a 5–6 page assessment in which you complete the following:

• Create a title page: Give your paper a title that reflects the purpose of your work. It is suggested that you use the APA Paper Template [DOCX] to format your paper according to the APA manual (current edition).
• Write an introduction: For the introduction section of your paper, include the title at the top of the first page. (In APA format, the word Introduction is not used as a heading.) Briefly summarize the key components of your paper.
• Create a heading titled Assessment and Inventory Results: Summarize the results of the required self-assessment and self-inventory exercises. Use critical thinking and your knowledge of psychological theories and concepts to analyze the meaning and significance of the results. This summary can help guide your career direction.
• Create a heading titled Goals and Career Plans:
  • Describe your professional philosophy, including your goals and career plans.
  • Describe how your professional goals and career choices align with your values and life interests.
  • Explain how your values relate to professional behaviors and practices.
• Create a heading titled Motivation: Analyze how psychological principles can be used to motivate you to overcome obstacles to reach your professional goals.
• Create a heading titled Action Plan: Develop a SMART action plan for implementing your career goals. This will serve as a road map to help you take concrete steps to fulfill your goals. For example, describe the steps you are planning to take to apply for a job or apply to graduate school. Discuss realistic ideas about how to implement psychological knowledge and skills in occupational pursuits that meet personal and professional goals. You may wish to review the document SMART Action Plan [PDF], conduct an Internet search to learn what should be included in an action plan, or refer to the Capella Career Center resources.
• Create a heading titled Conclusion: Briefly summarize the key points of your assessment and make a statement about your future career aspirations.

Keep in mind throughout this assessment that while your writing must conform to APA standards, you must explain all information in a manner that can be understood easily by a nonacademic or nonscientific audience.