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Values and drivers assessment

Schein's Career Anchors

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Career Anchors Online Assessment: 40 questions  

"Schein's Career Anchors" is a theory developed by Edgar Schein, a prominent organisational psychologist and professor at MIT Sloan School of Management. According to Schein, a career anchor is a set of self-perceived talents, motives, and values that are so significant that they can guide an individual throughout their career. 

According to Schein, an individual's career anchor is shaped by their personal background, work experience, and values. Identifying one's career anchor can be useful in making career decisions and finding job satisfaction. 

Schein identified eight Career Anchors, which are as follows:

  1. Technical/Functional competence: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to become experts in their chosen field and to use their skills and knowledge to solve problems and create solutions. 
  2. Managerial competence: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to manage and lead others. They enjoy organizing and directing the work of others, and they are typically good at creating and implementing plans. 
  3. Creativity: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to create new things, whether it's new products, services, or ideas. They enjoy taking risks and experimenting with new approaches. 
  4. Autonomy/Independence: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to be independent and self-directed. They prefer to work alone or in small groups, and they value the freedom to make their own decisions. 
  5. Security/Stability: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire for security and stability. They value job security and are willing to sacrifice other things, such as job satisfaction, to achieve it. 
  6. Service/Dedication to a cause: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to help others or make a positive impact on the world. They are typically drawn to careers in non-profit organizations or social service agencies. 
  7. Lifestyle: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire for a particular lifestyle, such as work-life balance, flexible hours, or the ability to work from home. 
  8. Entrepreneurial creativity: Individuals with this career anchor are motivated by the desire to start their own business or venture. They enjoy taking risks and are willing to work hard to make their vision a reality. 

Pros and cons of career anchors

Pros of Career Anchors

Self-awareness: Understanding your career anchor can help you better understand yourself and what motivates you in your career. 

Career direction: Knowing your career anchor can help you make more informed career decisions and choose jobs that align with your values and interests. 

Job satisfaction: Aligning your career with your career anchor can lead to greater job satisfaction and fulfillment. 

Personal growth: Focusing on your career anchor can help you develop your skills and expertise in your chosen field. 

Cons of Career Anchors

Limited perspective: Relying too heavily on your career anchor can limit your perspective and prevent you from considering other career options that may be a better fit for you. 

Inflexibility: Being too anchored in a particular career path can make it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances or to take advantage of new opportunities. 

Lack of challenge: Sticking too closely to your career anchor may prevent you from taking on new challenges or exploring new areas of interest. 

Overemphasis on values: Overemphasis on certain values associated with a career anchor may lead to a limited perspective and lack of understanding of other perspectives or values. 

Other assessments

Personality tests

Values and strengths tests

Skills and career interests tests

References

Career Anchors Online (2006) About Edgar Schein. Available at: https://www.careeranchorsonline.com/SCA/ESabout.do?open=es (Accessed: 16 March 2020). 

Career Anchors Online (2006) Product Overview. Available at: https://www.careeranchorsonline.com/SCA/about.do?open=prod (Accessed: 16 March 2020). 

Chapman, J.R. (2015) ‘Fostering career management using career anchor theory’, in P J Hartung, P.J., Savickas, M.L. and Walsh, W.B. (eds.) APA handbook of career intervention: Vol. 2. Applications. Washington DC: APA, pp. 507-520.

Danziger, N., Rachman‐Moore, D. and Valency, R. (2008) ‘The construct validity of Schein’s career anchors orientation inventory’, Career Development International, 13(1), pp. 7-19. doi:10.1108/13620430810849506

NHS (no date) Career Planning. Available at: https://healthandcaretalentmanagement.hee.nhs.uk/hcls/career-planning (Accessed: 12 February 2020). 

Schein. E.H. and Van Maanan, J. (2013) Career Anchors: The Changing Nature of Careers Participant Workbook, 4th edn. San Francisco: Wiley.

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