Will you be attending the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Conference in Los Angeles? PAR will be attending ASCA's Reach for the Stars Conference from July 14 through 17. Be sure to stop by the booth to take advantage of the 15% conference discount and free ground shipping. Not only that, but we will also be giving out free Self-Directed Search (SDS) sample packs at the booth. It's a great time to stop by to ask any questions, get a hands-on look at new products, or find out more about your old favorites.

We can't wait to see you, so be sure to stop by and say hello!

If you haven’t added the Handbook for Using the Self-Directed Search®: Integrating RIASEC and CIP Theories in Practice by Robert C. Reardon, PhD, and Janet G. Lenz, PhD, to your career assessment library, there is no better time than now! A second edition to The Self-Directed Search® and Related Holland Career Materials: A Practitioner’s Guide, this book is designed for professional counselors, psychologists, career development facilitators, career guidance technicians, librarians, social workers, and graduate students learning to be career counselors. It incorporates John Holland’s RIASEC theory with cognitive information processing (CIP) theory and studies four aspects of the career choice process: self-knowledge, options, decision making, and executive processing.

But don’t take our word for it. Here is what others are saying about this important new edition. 

“Through explaining SDS administration and interpretation, Reardon and Lenz effectively link RIASEC and CIP theories to practice…As a result, the writing style is refreshingly personable and enriching.”

-Matthew McClanahan, East Carolina University. Book Review: Handbook for using the Self-Directed Search: Integrating RIASEC and CIP Theories in Practice. The Professional Counselor.

 

“There is little else to do but rave on about the virtues and resources offered in the Handbook. Janet Lenz and Bob Reardon are to be commended for doing such a fantastic job in producing and editing the Handbook. No career center, counselor’s, or practitioner’s shelf should be without one. John Holland would be proud, and rightly so.”

-Peter Manzi, EdD, School of Counseling, College of Social and Behavioral Science, Walden University. Handbook for using the Self-Directed Search: Integrating RIASEC and CIP Theories in Practice. NCDA Career Convergence Web Magazine.

 

“Suggesting the integration of two theories (RIASEC and CIP) is a major contribution for providing career practitioners with the means and the process when working with adults…In summary, the Handbook is a useful resource for career practitioners and others who use the SDS in their practices. For those who have studied RIASEC theory and the SDS, the Handbook is a comprehensive update and review.”

 -D. Furbish. Handbook for Using the Self-Directed Search: Integrating RIASEC and CIP Theories in Practice. Journal of Employment Counseling December, 53.

Learn more or get your copy today!

Have you seen the new Self-Directed Search? Based on data collected for the SDS Form R, 5^th Edition (2013), the gold standard in career personality assessment has been rebranded, repackaged, and refreshed! The online SDS experience also reflects the recently updated and revised StandardSDS and StudentSDS print materials.

A bold new look and a cleaner, more user-friendly interface means clients can easily learn more about their personality and find a career that fits.

Since it was released in 1971, the SDS has helped millions of people find occupations and programs of study that match their personality. The SDS is based on Dr. John Holland’s theory, known as the RIASEC theory, that both people and working environments can be classified according to six basic types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

So if your clients are exploring occupations, want a career change, or are searching for a program of study, knowing more about what types of potential career paths fit their personality will greatly improve their search.

Visit http://www.self-directed-search.com/ to learn more!

 

The next generation of John Holland’s Self-Directed Search is here! Based on data collected for the SDS Form R, 5^th Edition (2013), the gold standard in career personality assessment has been rebranded, repackaged, and refreshed!

A bold new look and a cleaner, more user-friendly interface means clients can easily learn more about their personality and find a career that fits.

Self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted, the SDS is based on the theory that both people and working environments can be classified according to six basic types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Known as RIASEC theory, it is based on the idea that if your personality type matches your work environment type, you are more likely to find job fulfillment and career satisfaction.

So if you are looking for a job, want a career change, or are searching for a program of study, knowing more about what types of potential careers fit your personality will greatly improve your search.

Attending the National Career Development Association Global Conference in Denver? Make sure to stop by the PAR booth (#36-37) to see our newest products!

The Self-Directed Search (SDS) and the Working Styles Assessment (WSA) will be featured in a few presentations during the conference. Check your programs for room and time information. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about these two products!

#5-2 Holland Codes Change When Clients Have More Answer Options: The SDS With a 2– and 5–Point Likert Scale

Ever wondered if there was an advantage to the number of answer options on interest inventories? Why does the SDS have 2 answer options while the Strong has 5? Research will be presented on the implications of having 2 or 5 answer options on the Self–Directed Search (5th edition). Melanie Leuty and Erica Mathis, University of Southern Mississippi

#5-9 Once a Leader, Always a Leader? Examining the Trajectories of O*NET Work Styles across Career Stages

Workplace strengths and preferences are often developed and refined over the course of a lifetime. Work Styles, as measured by the Working Styles Assessment, are personal characteristics that affect job performance and satisfaction. Individual trajectories and differences in Work Style preferences during early, mid and late career stages are examined. Heather Ureksoy, PAR, Inc.

#5-4 Using a Career Course to Assist a Diverse Student Population in Exploring Careers and Imagining Future Possibilities

Understanding diverse student populations is necessary to becoming an effective practitioner. This presentation will share research on why students from varied ethnic groups choose to enroll in a career development course, how they differ in levels of negative thinking and shed light on Self–Directed Search constructs such as profile elevation and differentiation. Vanessa Freeman, Christine Edralin, and Emily Fiore, Florida State University

 

More than 35 million people worldwide have used the Self-Directed Search® (SDS®) to discover the careers and fields of study that are likely to be a good fit for their interests and skills. Now, the SDS is even better with the addition of a Web-based, easy-to-use report that provides a personalized snapshot of your client’s career-related personality. The new Interactive Report is offered in addition to the traditional printable report at no extra cost!

See what’s important

• A simple interface allows clients to more quickly and easily navigate the various sections of the report.


• Custom links enable immediate access to job openings nearby and allow clients to see the typical salary range for their recommended occupations.


• A Summary and Resources tab provides helpful links and follow-up recommendations.

Customize the experience

• The SDS display can be customized to show occupation, field of study, and leisure activity results by how closely they match a person’s results.


• Sorting and filtering tools narrow results.

Be confident in the results

• The Interactive Report is the newest offering of the SDS, one of the most widely used career interest inventories in the world.


• A full, printable SDS report with detailed, personalized information is available.

Help your clients find their future with an even better SDS experience. Available only at www.self-directed-search.com!

PAR is pleased to announce the PARiConnect release of the NEO™ Five-Factor Inventory-3: Four-Factor Version (NEO™-FFI-3:4FV) and the NEO™ Personality Inventory-3: Four-Factor Version (NEO™-PI-3:4FV). The NEO-FFI-3:4FV and the NEO-PI-3:4FV provide information on four personality domains: Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Both measures are designed for use in employment and counseling settings involving activities such as career counseling, career development, and employee training where these four domains are the main focus. Items, normative data, and scoring are taken from the E, O, A, and C factors of the NEO-PI-3 or NEO-FFI-3.

 

The NEO-PI-3:4FV and NEO-FFI-3:4FV are available for administration and scoring only on PARiConnect. A self-report form (Form S) and a form for rating others (Form R) are available.

 

Learn more about this new addition to the NEO family of products today!

One of the most respected and widely used career interest inventories in the world has been revised and updated to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking clients.

Developed concurrently with the English version, the Self-Directed Search (SDS), 5^th Edition Spanish Version by John L. Holland, PhD and Melissa A. Messer, MHS is a self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted career counseling tool designed specifically for use with Spanish speakers living in the U.S. Translated by experts and reviewed by practicing bilingual counselors, the SDS Spanish components include the Assessment Booklet, the Occupations Finder, and the You and Your Career booklet; the complete SDS Spanish Kit also includes the 5^th Edition Professional Manual (in English) along with a Manual Supplement for the Spanish Version.

An online Spanish Version is also available at www.self-directed-search.com, where clients can not only take the SDS online but also receive their client reports in Spanish, as well. Visit the SDS Web site to take the SDS in Spanish or to see the new Spanish language features and resources.