Career Decision
Making
Activity Book
Career Decision Making - 1
Content developers: QUT Careers and Employment - http://www.careers.qut.edu.au/
ACTIVITY ONE – THE INTERESTS, VALUES & SKILLS INFLUENCING MY CAREER CHOICES
List your top three interests, values and skills and then describe how you can use these in your career choice.
Interests
Interest
How could this be incorporated into my career choice?
1
2
3
Values
Value
How will this impact on my career choice?
1
2
3
Skills
Skill
How do I see myself using this in my career choice?
1
2
3
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 2
ACTIVITY TWO – MY PREFERRED OPPORTUNITIES
List your top five career opportunities in your chosen profession, and then describe why each one interests
you.
Opportunity
This opportunity interests me because…
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 3
ACTIVITY THREE – DISCOVER YOUR PREFERRED DECISION MAKING STYLE
Instructions: Rank the four alternatives in each column as either: 1, 2, 4 or 8, with the highest number
indicating your highest degree of preference. Each response in any set of four must be ranked
differently, that is, you cannot use a number more than one for each question. At the end, total your
scores in each column. Your highest score indicates your preferred decision-making style.
Column A
Rank Column B
1, 2,
4, 8
Rank Column C
1, 2,
4, 8
Rank Column D
1, 2,
4, 8
1. My prime
objective is to:
Be the best in my
field
Feel secure in my
job
Achieve
Recognition for
my work
Have a position
with status
2. I enjoy jobs
that:
Have
considerable
variety
Involve people
Allow
independent
action
Are technical and
well defined
Receptive to
suggestions
Committed and
responsive
Productive and fast
Highly capable
3. I expect
people working
for me to be:
4. In my job I
look for:
The best
solutions
A good working
environment
New approaches
or ideas
Practical results
5. I
communicate
best with
others:
In writing
In a formal
meeting
By having a group
discussion
On a direct one-toone basis
6. In my
planning I
emphasise:
Meeting
objectives
Developing
people
S careers
Future goals
Current problems
7. When faced
with solving a
problem, I:
Apply careful
analysis
Rely on my
feelings
Look for creative
approaches
Rely on proven
approaches
8. When using
information, I
prefer:
Accurate and
complete data
Limited data that
are easily
understood
Broad coverage of
many points
Specific facts
9. When I am
not sure about
what to do, I:
Search for facts
Wait before
making a decision
Look for a
possible
compromise
Rely on intuition
10. Whenever
possible, I
avoid:
Incomplete work
Conflict with
others
Using numbers or
formulas
Long debates
11. I am
especially good
at:
Solving difficult
problems
Interacting with
others
Seeing many
possibilities
Remembering
dates and facts
12. When time
is important, I:
Follow plans and
priorities
Seek guidance or
support
Refuse to be
pressures
Decide and act
quickly
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Rank
1, 2,
4, 8
Career Decision Making - 4
Column A
Rank Column C
1, 2,
4, 8
Rank Column D
1, 2,
4, 8
Listen to the
conversation
Observe what is
going on
Speak with others
14. I am good at Places where I
met others
remembering:
People’s
personalities
People’s faces
People’s names
Challenging
15. The work I
do provides me assignment
with:
Acceptance by
the group
Achieving my
personal goals
The power to
influence others
16. I work well Self-confident
with those who
are:
Polite and
trusting
Open-minded
Energetic and
ambitious
17. When under Concentrate on
the problem
stress, I:
Am forgetful
Become
frustrated
Become anxious
13. In social
settings, I
generally:
Think about what
is being said
Rank Column B
1, 2,
4, 8
18. Other
consider me:
Disciplined
Supportive
Imaginative
Aggressive
19. My
decisions
typically are:
Systematic or
abstract
Sensitive to the
needs of others
Broad flexible
Realistic and direct
20. I dislike:
Boring work
Being rejected
Following rules
Losing control
Total points:
Highest Score in Column A = Analytical Decision Maker
Highest Score in Column B = Behavioural Decision Maker
Highest Score in Column C = Conceptual Decision Maker
Highest Score in Column D = Directive Decision Maker
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Rank
1, 2,
4, 8
Career Decision Making - 5
The table below gives a brief overview of the Decision-Making Styles based on Preferences for Structure,
and Human versus Task Orientation. Notice how your decision style relates to or differs from the other
styles.
High Tolerance for Ambiguity
(low need for structure)
Oriented to
Task and
Technical
concerns
Low Tolerance for Ambiguity
(high need for structure)
Analytical
Directive Decision Maker
Solves problems by analysis,
planning, and forecasting
Solves problems by applying
operational objectives in a
systematic and efficient way
Pros – gathers a wide range of information
and makes rational decisions after weighing
all the perspective.
Cons – can spend too long obtaining
information leading to confusion and an
inability to decide.
Strategies – set a time limit on the
information gathering process and use a
structured decision-making process.
Pros – uses objective information to make
decision. Generally integrates information
and makes decisions quickly and in a logical
manner.
Cons – can be focused on the short rather
than long term. Can be too task focussed
and not consider other people’s opinions
which can make them seem too
authoritative, inflexible and difficult to work
with.
Strategies – take time to listen to other
people and consider the human cost of the
decision.
Oriented to
Human and
Social
Concerns
Conceptual Decision Maker Behavioural Decision
Solves problems by exploring new
Maker
options, forming new strategies,
being creative, and taking risks
Pros – has broad outlook and often focuses
on the long term big picture. Creative
thinking identifies alternative options.
Solves problems through people
Pros – shows concern for others and is
interested in their opinion.
Cons – often overlooks short-term solutions
and can be impractical.
Cons – can overlook facts and make
decisions which are based on feelings rather
than being rational. Can take too long to
make decision.
Strategies – identify key current concerns
and incorporate these aspects into the
decision to make sure it is achievable.
Strategies – carefully evaluate the utility of
others decisions and adopt a rational
process.
Now proceed to the following page to read about the pros and cons of your preferred Decision Making
Style and how this can help or hinder your choices. Then, using the information you have gathered, write
your personal Decision Making Style summary.
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 6
Decision Making Style Summary
My decision making style is…
This style affects my decision making as I may tend to…
To improve my decision making, I could…
Keep these points in mind when making a decision to ensure you make the best choice.
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 7
ACTIVITY FOUR – IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO CAN GIVE YOU INFORMATION
Write a list of any people you know who might work in the fields you are interested in. For instance, do
any of your parents' friends work in any of the fields you are considering?
Write a list of those people who could give you information about any careers you are considering.
People who work in my
preferred career
Brother’s friend
People who can give me information about
potential career choices
University tutor
You may have identified a lot more people than you thought! Imagine how much information you can
gather about the career you are interested in just by talking to these people. Each person will give you
fresh insights opinions and valuable information about the careers you are considering, whether they are
currently working in that field or are only remotely related to or associated with it.
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 8
ACTIVITY FIVE – CAREER DECISION MAKING MATRIX
Read through the following instructions and supporting documents on Blackboard about how to
complete the Career Decision Making Matrix. Then, complete one of your own.
Stage 1: Determine what you find important in a job by setting your own Important Criteria
Examples of important criteria:
Having autonomy, helping others, using technology, financial rewards, big office, working independently, using
my skills, leadership, working in a team, travel, security, opportunity for advancement, community respect,
creative expression, research, analytical, environmentally sustainable, political satisfaction, and more… It is up
to you.
1. On the top row of the following decision making matrix insert the tasks and rewards, both intrinsic
and extrinsic, you would most value in a job.
2. Weight the Criteria from 0 (not at all important) to 5 (extremely important)
Stage 2: Determine your ideal jobs
1. In the left hand column list all the potential jobs/careers you are considering. Gather and review all
the information you have about each job.
2. Give each criterion for each job a rating from 0 - 3 meaning ‘not likely to occur in the job’ and 3
meaning ‘extremely likely to occur in that job.’
3. To complete the matrix, multiply your first row (what you most value in a job) by the left hand column
(your most desired job). This gives each graded criterion its ‘weight.’
4. If you need more information to rank an aspect in a job then --- seek more information! If no more
information is available, make your choice based on the knowledge you have and what you think is
most likely.
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 9
Stage Three:
Completing the Matrix
1. Multiply your first row (what you most value in a job) by the left hand column (your most desired job).
2. Once you have weighted and ranked all your alternatives, look to see which one is rated highest and
highlight it. This is most likely the best choice given all the information that you have available
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
DECISION MAKING MATRIX
Important criteria 
Write the tasks and rewards you
would most value in a job/career
Total 
Weighting 
How important are these criteria
0 not at all important
5 extremely important
Options
Occupations that interest you 
For each job, rate how likely it is that each criteria would occur in this job. 0 = not likely to occur, 3 = very likely to occur
0 = not likely
3 = very likely
weighted
0 = not likely
3 = very likely
weighted
0 = not likely
3 = very likely
weighted
0 = not likely
3 = very likely
weighted
0 = not likely
3 = very likely
weighted
ACTIVITY SIX – CAREER ACTION PLANNING BASED ON JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Start with Job Advertisements that interest you.
Finding jobs advertisements that interest you is a worthwhile activity, even if you are not currently
applying for jobs. You may not yet be eligible to apply for your dream job, but you can still gain a lot
of information that can be applied to your career planning.
Once you have chosen your job advertisement, check out related roles, and you may see some
common threads in what employers seek.
Do an audit of what the employer is seeking and any essential or desirable selection criteria, and
think about how you do or don’t match the job’s selection criteria.
You can use this information to make career goals, and think strategically about how you can
develop experiences which will help you meet more of the selection criteria in the future.
Following your research you should complete Career Action Planning Based on Job
Advertisements
In this exercise you are invited to make commitments in relation to achieving your career goals. Start
by thinking “In 5 years time…” move backwards to “In 2 years time…” and finally with some short
term goals “In the next six months…”
In 5 years time I wish to have achieved the following in relation to my career:
Constraints:
Action required:
Who or what can help me:
Career Decision Making - 12
In 2 years time I wish to have achieved the following in relation to my career:
Constraints:
Action required:
Who or what can help me:
In 6 months time I wish to have achieved the following in relation to my career:
Constraints:
Action required:
Who or what can help me:
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.
Career Decision Making - 13
ACTIVITY SIX –MY GOAL STATEMENT
What is your basic goal?
S - Is it specific? (Who? What? Where? When? Why?)
M - Is it measurable? How will I measure progress? (How many? How much?)
A - Is it attainable? (Can this really happen? Attainable with enough effort? What steps are involved
R - Is it realistic? (What knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to reach this goal?)
T - Is it time-bound? (Can I set fixed deadlines? What are the deadlines?)
CareerStart is adapted from the Career Development Program of Queensland University of Technology.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Australia
License. Please attribute Queensland University of Technology http://qut.edu.au/.