My Story Workbook - Wheaton College Center for Vocation and Career

mystor y CENTER FOR VOCATION AND CAREER

Know Yourself Explore the Possibilities Prepare for Your Future

Dear Student, Congratulations on taking this important step in drafting the blueprint of your life! Did you know you have been sketching the details of your future for years? That’s right. Since you were young, God has been wiring you to enjoy doing certain things, giving you experiences that have allowed you to develop certain skills and competencies, and instilling in you the values that will guide your decisions about the future. myStory is a tool designed to help you discover those interests, skills, competencies, and values to see how they fit into your life—constantly growing, exploring, and adapting to changes in our world and in you. The truth is, you may never finish this book. Instead, you will return to it over and over as you add details to the blueprint that is and will be your life.

This tool is designed to be used with friends, in conversations with trusted mentors, and also individually. There will be opportunities to dream with roommates about what you might do in the future. Chances to learn from family members what you wanted to do when you were a child.

Opportunities to reflect on what values are important to you.

As you work through this tool, take advantage of the personal board of advisors you are already developing. Talk with supervisors at jobs and internships about how you have exhibited the career readiness competencies every student needs and how you can develop the skills that will set you apart for that unique job or internship you are pursuing. Look to faculty as a key part of your network. Seek the wisdom of your pastor or small group leader as you wrestle through your values and how they will impact the way you will live your life.

And remember to talk with your CVC career coach. These professionals are trained to help you bring all of these pieces together, to teach you how to be nimble as the landscape of the future changes, and to direct you in developing and articulating the skills and competencies you will need as you continue mapping out your unique blueprint.

It is our hope that you will be equipped to leave Wheaton College with the ability to identify and articulate your developing skills and competencies, pursue and grow your interests, and shape your life in congruence with your personal values so that you are able to serve Christ and His kingdom in all the vocations you pursue.

Enjoy the journey!

Dee Pierce Director | Center for Vocation and Career Wheaton College 3

Table of Contents My Blueprint

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My Vocations

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My Self

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My Exploration

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My Blueprint Preparing for the future is multi-layered and sometimes messy. At the Center for Vocation and Career, we’ve created a basic blueprint to help you structure your effort and time as you navigate this new process.

My Vocations When thinking about vocation or calling, we often ask questions like…

• What does God want me to do?

• What if I choose the wrong major or career path?

• How do I know if this is what I’m supposed to be doing?

Most of us have wondered at one time or another if we are doing what God wants us to do.

Perhaps this is the first time you are considering whether God has called you to some specific path in life. The questions above are important ones that come out of a healthy desire to have meaning and to respond to God’s call. However, these common questions can also reveal an important misunderstanding about vocation.

Vocation comes from the Latin word vocare, which means to call. So, when we think about what God “calls” us to do we use the word vocation.

Jerry Sittser, author of The Will of God as a Way of Life, explains this misunderstanding about vocation:

KNOW YOURSELF: Knowing yourself is foundational when thinking about your future. Examining your vocations, interests, competencies, skills, and values sets you up for meaningful work. This is where you’ll want to exert most of your initial effort, and it’s where you’ll return as you explore and prepare, adding new layers from the learning you’ve done along the way.

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES: Exploration is the primary means for discovering what you will actually enjoy doing, rather than what you think you will enjoy doing. To do this well, you’ll need to have first spent time getting to know yourself.

PREPARE: Preparation includes assembling all the tools you’ll need to articulate who you are to prospective employers and graduate schools.

LAND: Once you have leaned into each layer of your blueprint effectively, you are best poised to land in a role that aligns with your interests, skills, competencies, and values. Whether you land on Broadway, Wall Street, or Main Street, we know God will use you to build the church and benefit society worldwide.

For some reason we assume God has opinions about everything. I’m not sure God does. God might remain silent because he has nothing to say. His silence might mean little more than ‘Fine, you can be an accountant or a teacher, move to Orlando or stay in Chicago, marry Sam or remain single. It doesn’t much matter to me. I’ll bless you either way.’...God’s will is like several trails leading to the same goal. We can take any one of them to arrive at our destination. It is a waste of time and energy to try and make the ‘perfect decision’ (assuming that there is such a thing), if all the alternatives are good ones.”

Sittser’s words are challenging but important to heed. We do not want to think about God’s calling as one path that we must find. For example, many of us think about the calling of the Apostle Paul; we hope to have Jesus appear to us and give us specific instructions on what to do with our life. This thinking often leads to paralysis and fear as we anticipate and wait for God’s instructions. And the reality is that, more often than not, God doesn’t speak directly regarding our callings. We are not the Apostle Paul, but many of us can identify with his apprentice Timothy. God also had a plan for Timothy, but it was never explicitly delivered to him at a single point in time. Rather, Timothy’s background, the godly counsel he received, and the circumstances he found himself in, contributed to the shaping of his life and vocations.

Fortunately, a good understanding of the theology of vocation can bring freedom and hope to the difficulty of important life decisions. Rather than playing hide and seek with God about His will for our lives, we can live in the freedom that He will delight in us regardless of our careers, as long as we are seeking after Him in the process!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Colossians 3:23

We’ve created myStory as a tool to help you navigate the Know and Explore sections of the blueprint. We encourage you to debrief each portion of this workbook with your career coach to cultivate new insights along the way!

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If we think about having multiple vocations at one time, we can see how the branches represent those multiple callings. One person’s tree might look something like this:

The Vocation Tree

Example: public servant

“We do the will of God when we work for his divine purpose in the world.”

As Sittser indicates, our lives are made up of “several trails that lead to the same goal.” In other words, we all have multiple vocations. As we live out our vocations it is helpful to think about how our love and pursuit of God impacts our vocations.

music lover Wheaton student

mentor

teacher

first job career change

artist

friend

entrepreneur spouse

community developer

– JERRY SITTSER

parent

child

Now as you examine your own life, what callings do you have? What activities and roles has God already given you? Write your callings in the tree branches provided.

Deepening love for God naturally results in holy service to others.

Failure to seek a deepening love for God makes one prone to a withering, selfish life.

The Vocation Tree can be a helpful way to visualize a theology of vocation. The roots of the tree symbolize our deep love of God. The leaves represent what happens when we live out our lives while loving God. Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added you.” In other words, deepening love for God = deepening roots and more fruit!

My Tree What are your specific callings?

As you think about the many ways God has equipped you for the future, the interests you already have and those you will develop, you can imagine a tree that is filled with many opportunities to live out your callings in God’s kingdom. In fact, sometimes the challenge is finding the time to do them all!

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My Self: Interests Dreams can be powerful indicators of what your heart ultimately seeks. If you take the time to name and examine your dreams, you might find clarity on where or what you want to be.

Select a few questions from those listed below and write out your answers on the next page:

Reflecting on the Past: 1. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? What did you like to play?

2. What has tended to come naturally to you? Where have you easily exceeded the capabilities of others?

Synthesizing the Present: 3. What do you enjoy doing so much that you may even lose track of time?

4. What problem in the world do you want to solve?

Projecting into the Future: 5. If social media did not exist, and you were free from the pressure/judgment of others, what would your dream job be? Where would it be?

6. In 20 years, if your life story were featured online for millions to see, what would you want it to be for?

7. If time, money, or prestige weren’t a factor, what would you choose to do?

Tip or Trick: What careers align with my interests?

Not sure? Use Sokanu.com to help.

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My Self: Skills & Competencies You’ve got to know yourself to tell your story. To tell your story well, you need to know your audience: employers. Even if you’re headed to grad school right now, someday you’ll be talking to an employer.

What is a skill?

A skill is a specific learned activity and can range widely in terms of complexity. “Mopping the floor” and “performing brain surgery” are both skills. They focus on the “what” in terms of the abilities you have to perform a function or activity.

What is a competency?

A competency is the application of skills and knowledge to efficiently and successfully complete a task. It captures the “how” you decide to manage a task and perform it well.

8 Competencies You Need to Land Below are eight must-have, non-negotiable career readiness competencies employers want in new hires, as identified by The National Association of Colleges and Employers:

Tip: Meet with your career coach after completing the activities in this section. They can help you create a plan to explore, grow, and develop your skills and competencies.

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Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Identify and analyze complex problems and propose creative solutions based on current or obtained facts, knowledge, and data.

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Teamwork/Collaboration: Build productive and effective relationships with colleagues and customers with diverse cultures, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints.

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Oral/Written Communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization.

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Digital Technology: Utilize new and existing technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

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£ Global/Intercultural Fluency: Demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people; valuing differences in race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.

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Professionalism/Work Ethic: Display personal accountability and effective work habits, understand impact of non-verbal communication on professional work image, and demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior.

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Career Management: Communicate skills, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired; develop career goals; explore job options; identify areas necessary for professional growth; and self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace.

Leadership/Initiative: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, manage his/her emotions and those of others; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate; and organize, prioritize, and delegate work.

Supporting Competencies with Skills Now that you know what skills and competencies are, it’s time to recognize, develop, and articulate them. If you’ve cultivated a career readiness competency, you should be able to articulate to an employer the skills that support that competency. In other words, you need to articulate how your skills demonstrate the competency.

Here are a few examples to help you think through how competencies and skills relate: • An athlete can be competent in basketball because she is skilled in dribbling, shooting, rebounding, etc.

• A market analyst can be competent in critical thinking because she notices a market trend and uses her research skills to comb through a database to find supporting data and materials.

• An artist can be competent in modern art styles and he can be skilled in painting or sculpture or photography.

• A chef can be a competent cook because he is skilled in knife handling, food safety standards, and nutrition.

• A surgeon can be competent in leadership and teamwork with coworkers and staff because she uses her skills of clear, concise instructions in the operating room, ensuring the team remains calm and focused.

Over the next four pages, we’ll discover how your skills point to competencies you may have, and explore the competencies and skills you want to develop.

ACTIVITY 1: SKILLS BRAINSTORMING (PAGES 14–15) Check out the tables of hard and soft skills on the next two pages.The lists aren’t exhaustive, of course, but it’s a place to start! Circle the ones you have, and brainstorm a couple of your own and fill in the blanks.

Consider these questions as you think about your skills: • What things/tasks do I find easier to do than those around me?

• What tasks do I tend to take initiative to complete?

ACTIVITY 2: COMPETENCIES BRAINSTORMING (PAGES 16 –17) Explore how your skills illustrate your competencies and think about the competencies and supporting skills you want to develop. Complete the charts on pages 16–17 and you’ll begin to see the stories you can tell, the skills and competencies you’ve already begun to master, and opportunities to develop new ones.

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Hard Skills

Soft Skills

Hard skills are specific, learned abilities that are easy to quantify. Typically, you’ll learn hard skills in the classroom, through books or other training materials, during an internship, or on the job.

Below are some examples to consider, and empty spaces for other hard skills you have:

Soft skills, in contrast, are subjective skills that are much harder to quantify. A combination of people skills, social intelligence, character traits, and habits, soft skills demonstrate your ability to navigate a complex social environment. Check out the examples below, and fill in the empty spaces with other soft skills you have:

Accounting Methods

Editing/Proofreading

Photoshop

Accuracy

Evaluation

Patience

Administering Injections

Event Planning

Predictive Modeling

Active Listening

Facilitating Group Conversations

Administration

Facility Management

Premiere Pro

Perceptiveness

Amazon Web Services

FileMaker Pro

Processing X-Ray Films

Business Storytelling

Flexibility/Adaptability

Persuasion

ArcGIS

Filming

Project Management Applications

Clarity and Concision

Goal Setting

Planning

Communication

Handling Confidential Information

Arranging Music

Final Cut Pro

Prospecting

Positivity

Asana

Financial Recording

Python

Compliance

Honesty

Prioritization

Asset Management

French

Qualitative Analysis

Confidence

Humility

Problem Solving

Auditing

German

Quantitative Analysis

Conflict Resolution

Identifying Measurable Outcomes

Public Speaking

AutoCAD

Google AdWords

R

Creativity

Integrity

Punctuality

Banking

Grant Writing

Realistic Drawing

Critical Thinking

Interpreting

Receiving Feedback

Benchmarking

Graphic Design

Research Methods

Customer Service

Investigation

Resilience

Billing

Hand Eye Coordination

ROI Calculations

Decision Making

Leading Meetings

Restructuring

Blogging

Handling Instruments

Salesforce

Defining Expectations

Management

Risk Assessment

Brand Management

HTML

Scheduling

Delegation

Mediating

Sales

C++

HubSpot

Sculpture

Delivering Feedback

Mentoring

Strategic Planning

Case Analysis

Illustrator

Social Media Management

Diagnosing

Motivating

Stress Management

Cataloging

InDesign

Spanish

Dissecting

Negotiation

Teachability

Charting

Java

Speech Writing

Emotional Intelligence

Networking

Teaching

Chinese

JMP

SQL

Empathy

Open-Mindedness

Teamwork

Coding for Medical Claims

MailChimp

SurveyMonkey

Enforcing Boundaries

Optimizing

Time Management

Cold Calling

MATLAB

SWOT Analysis

Ethics

Ownership/Commitment

Work Well Under Pressure

Composing Music

Mechanical Repair

System Administration

Conducting Music

Microsoft Excel

Taking Blood Pressure

Constructive Drawing

Microsoft PowerPoint

Technical Writing

Data Visualization

Music Production

Trello

Database Management

Patient Intake

Writing IEPs

Digital Radiography

Photography

Zoho

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Competencies and Skills I Have Competency I have

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Competencies and Skills I Want to Develop Skills I have to support it

Stories I can tell about this competency and these skills

Competency

Skills to support it

Where will I learn/develop this competency and these skills?

Digital Technology

SQLR, HTML, Social Media Management

At my internship last summer I learned SQL and HTML to manage the company website and database. I also curated the company’s social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Global/Intercultural Fluency

Spanish language and multicultural awareness

Right now I am taking a 200-level Spanish class. I would like to continue learning and developing my Spanish language proficiency through more classes and potentially study abroad next year in Peru.

Career Management

Time management, ownership and completion of tasks

Because of my interest in supply chain management, I have worked my way up in FedEx to become assistant to the regional manager. I was also named MVP last quarter amongst 9 other team members.

Oral Communication

Public speaking

Professionalism Work Ethic

Punctuality, empathy

As a hospital nurse intern in the cancer unit, I sought to serve patients in a timely manner according to their appointments and needs. I also remained calm, kind, and caring when patients received upsetting news or went through painful post-op procedures.

I still get very nervous when giving presentations, so I want to meet with 5 alumni that speak publicly in their roles and get their advice. I will also try to speak publicly in low-pressure situations more often, like speaking up in class and volunteering to give parts of group presentations.

Critical Thinking Digital Technology

AutoCAD, SketchUp, and customer service

I plan on learning AutoCAD and SketchUp at my internship at a local architecture firm. Once I learn to use these programs I hope to utilize them appropriately to solve problems and provide relevant solutions to my boss and clients.

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My Self: Values Scripture tells you that God cares for you. Just as He cares for the lilies in the field, just as He feeds the birds in the air, so your Heavenly Father will care for you— and all the details of your life.

Matthew 6:25-34

Creativity

Picture yourself heading to work. What are you wearing? What does your office space look like?

How are you getting there? Is it bright and early, or did you leave after rush hour settled down?

Whether we resist structure or flourish with routine – it’s important to know what rhythms of work feel energizing to us. Use the grid below to mark where you would fall on the spectrum of these values within the workplace.

Slow and Steady

Lone Wolf

Who Needs Cell Service?

No Ladder? No Problem!

Just Tell Me What to Do

Family No One Misses Sunday Lunch!

Once a Year is Fine with Me!

There are 5,000 Jobs Here, I’m Bound to Like One!

I Like My Role, That’s All I Need

Living Room, Airbnb, Mom and Dad’s - All My Offices!

There’s No Real Substitute for In-Person Communication!

Ten Feet Down the Hall

Train Time is Transition Time!

A Boss? No Thanks!

Could Someone Tell Me What to Do?

It’s surprisingly easy to make a decision that does not align with your values. We often don’t realize the number of factors we care about in a work setting until we are already there! It’s unlikely one role will capture all of your preferences, but it is important to determine which of these are non-negotiable, and which are more flexible for you.

Circle the top three that matter the most to you in making a decision about your first destination from Wheaton College.

Work Hours Working Nights? No Problem.

Yes, Please!

Independence

Group Dynamics

There’s Always FaceTime!

I’ll Have the Regular

Commute

Upward Mobility

Looking to Lead

Every Day is Different

Workplace Flexibility

Place

Ready to Climb that Ladder!

Variability of Work

Internal Mobility

Working Style

The Skyscraper is the Limit

Ramen for Dinner? Yes!

Feedback

Pace of Work Fast-Paced

If It’s Not Broken, Don’t Fix It!

Salary My Bank Account Matters!

Go Team!

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New Is Always Better

Gotta be Home by 5

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Consider coming back to this chart as a ‘tie-breaker’ if you have a few different opportunities you are trying to compare. See how they match up to your workplace values.

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My Exploration Your vocational journey begins with you, your understanding and development of your skills, competencies, values, and interests—but it doesn’t end there. Exploring the ways God can use you in His kingdom comes next. There are a lot of ways to begin exploring career possibilities.

Here are some we recommend: • Internships—The most effective way to explore a career is to do it! Get out there and do what you think you might enjoy. An internship requires only a short-term commitment because it is for a finite amount of time. You’ll discover whether you like the field, develop some skills, and your resume will get a boost too!

• Part-Time Jobs—Many students find that in addition to making a little money, they learn a lot about the type of work they like to do, the work environment that fits them, and if a particular field is of interest.

• Job Shadowing—Want to try out a few different fields before you commit to an internship? Spend a day with someone in the field. Use Wheaton in Network (WiN), LinkedIn, or other people in your personal network to identify opportunities.

• Informational Interview—Schedule time with someone in the field to share their experience with you. Ask lots of questions about job activities, education, necessary skills, and what a typical day looks like. You can learn a lot just talking to someone about their own experience.

• Talk to People—You know that man or woman at church you see every time you are home? Casually ask them about their career. How are they using the gifts God gave them? People love to talk about what they do. Sometimes you just have to ask!

• Online Research—A great source of information is job descriptions. The reality is you aren’t going to know every possible job out there. But you can use some online search tools to research different positions with keywords that match your interests and skills. Handshake is a great place to start!

Tip or Trick: Use the chart on the following pages to track your learning from your exploration experiences, especially internships!

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In addition, the CVC provides multiple opportunities for you to engage with alumni to explore careers. For full details on these activities, visit Handshake.

TACO TUESDAYS—These popular events include casual conversations with alumni who share their real-life experiences in a particular industry or functional role. Watch our weekly e-mail or check Handshake for information on the Taco Tuesday events scheduled for this year.

Debriefing My Exploration These exploration experiences, which may include student teaching, scientific research, and a paid or unpaid internship, are valuable in helping you develop your career readiness competencies, skills, and interests. And they will help you understand your values. The questions below can be a guide in processing through your learning.

What I liked about my role

What I didn’t like about it

The Work Environment: Where I did my work, the noise level, what I saw when I worked, etc.

The Work Culture: Structured or flexible, a lot of supervision or a lot of freedom, social or independent, the dress code.

The People: My supervisor, my peers, the leadership of the organization.

Internships are the number one way students land jobs in today’s marketplace.

Whether they receive an offer from their internship employer, develop new skills, or gain credibility with other employers, an internship is a must-have element in every student’s vocational journey.

The Tasks: Computer work, met with people, market research, data analysis, product testing, etc.

What do I understand about my “calling” after this experience? That is, where can God use me in His world?

EXTERNSHIP DAY—Each year on a Tuesday in February the CVC, in collaboration with the Alumni Association, arranges a full day of job shadowing. You apply, we find the alumni, and you benefit from a great day of learning!

NETWORKING NIGHT—This evening for juniors and seniors features exceptional young alumni in a range of industries and job roles. This is a low-pressure way to meet professionals in roles that you are interested in and expand your network of connections!

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Notes:

Notes:

The Center for Vocation and Career’s vision is that all students would develop a plan for life after graduation, have the tools necessary to implement their unique plan, and be provided ample opportunity to execute their vocational plan, as we educate them as whole persons who build the church and benefit society worldwide.

WHEATON COLLEGE CENTER FOR VOCATION AND CAREER wheaton.edu/cvc 630.752.5048 | cvc@wheaton.edu | SSB 209