PERSONAL GLOBE INVENTORY Interpretive Report by Terence J. G. Tracey. How to use the PGI

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1 1 PERSONAL GLOBE INVENTORY Interpretive Report by Terence J. G. Tracey The Personal Globe Inventory (PGI) is designed to measure your interests in activities and help you relate these interests to life decisions such as what to choose for a career and/or a major focus of study, as well as what hobbies and out of work interests you may find rewarding. The goal of the PGI is to give you a model to think about interests and relate how your interests are similar and different from those of other people. How to use the PGI The PGI is similar to someone asking you a series of questions about what you like to do and then summarizing your answers into an easy to understand set of scales that represent major interest areas. The goal is to help you organize your thinking about your interests. An advantage to using a formal interest measure like the PGI is that you also get to see how your interests compare to those of others. The information reported can help you think through important life decisions by providing information on: -what to choose for a career -what to choose for a major or program of study -how am I different from others in terms of what I like to do -new career possibilities that I had not previously considered -confirm current career plans -find out new outside-career interests -help select both a career and hobbies to make me happiest In general, the more your career, area of study, and outside of work activities match your interests, the more satisfied you will be. The goal is to provide information on your interest area so that you can choose those areas in which you will most likely be satisfied. Examine the scores reported in your PGI profile and use them to think further about your choices. The PGI does NOT measure your actual abilities, only what you like and feel good at doing. So the scores do not represent how well you will perform in different activities or jobs, only the extent to which you might enjoy doing them. The PGI is broad enough to provide a wealth of information on a wide range of interest areas. There are over 151 separate scores that are calculated for each individual. However this is far too many scales to be helpful to most all test-takers and further, not all the information is relevant for all individuals. To better enable you to use the most relevant information, only those scores most pertinent to you will be presented. The reporting of scores and the interpretive information are thus geared to you individually. No two individuals will have identical scores reported nor will similar interpretations be made. Indeed, if you compared your report with those of others, you may find that there is little similarity in terms of what is reported, with each having very different charts reported. Of course, you are provided with a complete set of scores on your Technical Information Summary, but only the most important scales are selected for your interpretation.

2 2 PGI Model- The Globe There are at least three ways in which you profile is customized: First with respect to the specific interest areas reported for your basic interests, Second with respect to your endorsement of high or low prestige interest scales, Third, with respect to the similarity of the activities that you like and in which you feel competent. Basic Interest Area Scales Research has demonstrated that the major interest areas can be represented as points on the surface of a three-dimensional globe, those interest areas closer to each other are more similar and those far apart are dissimilar. The most important set of interest areas are those that exist on the equator and this set is called the Basic Interest Area Scales which form the basis of the PGI interpretation. This interest equator can be represented as either 4 or 6 or 8 different interest areas. Depending upon how you responded in your instrument (i.e., the more different you saw the items, the greater the number of interest areas reported) you will get scores on 4 or 6 or 8 different Basic Interest Area Scales. So if you did not answer the different interest items very differently, you might get 4 scales reported; whereas if you saw great differences in your liking the different activities, you might get 8 scales reported. Hence the number of basic interest scales reported match the amount of distinction you make in responding to the items. The scales reported on the four interest area report are: People: focuses on liking to be around others Data: focuses on detail activities Things: focuses on working with ones hands and on physical things Ideas: focuses on a preference for thinking about things The scales reported on the six interest area report are: Realistic: preference for working with ones hands and outdoors Investigative: preference for scientific activities Artistic: preference for creative and expressive activities Social: preference for working with others Enterprising: preference for liking business activities Conventional: preference for detail and office activities The scales reported on the eight interest are report are: Social Facilitating: focuses on working with others Managing: focuses on liking various aspects of running a business Business Detail: focuses on detail and office activities in business Data Processing: focuses on aspects of managing detail and information Mechanical: focuses on liking to understand and work on machinery Nature/Outdoors: focuses on liking to work and be outdoors Artistic: focuses on creative and expressive activities Helping: focuses on helping others in a variety of manners. Importance of Prestige Continuing with the Globe description of the interest scales, the axis running between the north and south pole represents the importance of prestige in what you like to do. Prestige represents the general difficulty, training, knowledge, and education required of the various activities. Some people very much like activities that require extensive training and are difficult to perform. Others prefer activities that are easier to learn

3 3 and require less training. There are many different interest areas that lie on the northern hemisphere of the PGI Globe reflecting high prestige and many others that lie on the southern hemisphere reflecting lower prestige. If your scores to the PGI items showed a pattern for either lower or higher prestige interest areas, then these scales are reported and interpreted. For example if you liked the lower prestige activities, you would be provided with scores and charts on the lower prestige interest area scales. If you liked the higher prestige activities, you would be provided with the scores and charts of the higher prestige interest area scales. If you tended to favor neither higher nor lower prestige interests, neither the high nor low prestige scales would be highlighted in your interpretation. The low prestige scales are: Quality Control: focuses on checking details Manual Work: focuses on working with hands or simple machines Personal Service: focuses on working with people in everyday transactions Construction/Repair: focuses on working with machinery to repair to build Basic Services: focuses on selling products and services. The high prestige scales are: Social Sciences: focuses on psychological and medical helping Influence: focuses on leading and directing others Business Systems: focuses applying knowledge to running businesses Financial Analysis: focuses on helping others with financial issues Science: focuses on a general interest in science Discrepancy between activities liked and perceived competent in If you responded to the part of the PGI that asked you what activities you liked and how good you were at these activities, a comparison is made of how well your liking agrees with what you feel you are good at. If there are differences in what you see yourself good at and what you like, then Basic Interest Area scores for your liking and your competence are reported. By seeing how your liking and views of your competencies match and mismatch in different interest areas, you can learn more about yourself and incorporate this into your decisions. For example, if you found that you like artistic activities but did not feel competent in such activities, you might need to think about getting added training to help increase your skills or whether artistic careers would be appropriate for you. If you decide that you do not have the skill required to adequately pursue art as a career, your high liking scores show that you enjoy being involved in artistic things and you may want to continue such activities, but more as a hobby and less as a career. In this example it might prove valuable to look for ways in which you could participate in art but not in a way that great skill is required (for example by attending concerts and plays or by joining recreational singing groups). If the things you like were similar to the things you felt competent at, then the separate Basic Interest Area scores on the liking and competence are not reported. How to read your Interest scores You will be provided with a score for each scale which ranges from 20 to 80, with an average of 50. Most people (approximately 70%) score between 40 and 60 and these scores are viewed as average. Scores higher than 60 are viewed as high and demonstrate that your interest area scores are higher than most people and thus this interest area is an important one to you. Scores below 40 are viewed as low and indicate that you are less interested in this area than most people. Interest areas with low scores are those for which you

4 4 show little preference. It is best to focus on your highest scores, as these are the areas in which you have demonstrated the most interest. Some individuals do not have any high interest scores and some others have only low interest scores. These lower scores reflect a lack of interest in a variety of activities and it is not uncommon for younger test-takers (under 19 years of age) to have this pattern of responses. In these cases, it is best to focus on your highest scores because these are the interest areas that you show the greatest preference. Basic Interest Area Circle The Basic Interest Areas Scores are represented on a circle; those areas more similar are closer. In general your scores on Basic Interest Area scales that are next to each other are more similar than are your scores to scales that are on opposite sides of the circle. The circle is intended to help you organize your interests. You can focus on parts of the circle where you have the highest scores. The graph of your Basic Interest Area Scores looks somewhat like a spider web. Those scores that are higher are further out from the center and those scores lower are closer to the center. By quickly looking at the scales that are furthest out, you can get an idea of what your highest interest areas are. You will also note that there is a line (called a vector) that is on the Basic Interest Area Circle. This vector starts at the center of the circle and then points toward the edge of the circle. This vector is a quick summary of all your Basic Interest Area Scores. It shows the general direction of all your interest scores as well as the strength of your interests. For example a vector pointing toward the Management Basic Interest Area would indicate that this area was your major area of interest. The distance from the center would indicate the strength of your interest in the Management Interest Area. As above, most scores fall between 40-60; scores below 40 are low and scores above 60 are high. If the vector had a score of 70, it would come out far from the center and would demonstrate a very strong interest in Management to the exclusion of most other interest areas. A vector of 30 would not come out much from the center and would show a slight preference for management activities but not appreciably more so than many of the other scales. Thus the vector score is a summary of all your Basic Interest Area Scales and it shows the direction of your major interest area and the relative exclusiveness of your interests. With widely ranging interests this vector would not be high. High and Low Prestige Semi-Circles If your scores demonstrated a high interest in either high or low prestige activities, you would get an added set of scales reported. If your responses showed a preference for lower prestige activities, the lower prestige scales would be presented in the form of two semicircles. If your responses showed a preference for high prestige activities, the high prestige interest area scales would be presented in the form of two semicircles. If prestige did not characterize your responses to the PGI, then there would be no high or low prestige interest area scale reported. As with the Basic Interest Area Scales, each score would be graphed on the circle and its distance from the center would indicate its magnitude. Also for each semi-circle there is a vector presented to help understand how all the scales best can be summarized. The vector indicates the area of greatest interest and the strength of interest.

5 5 Similar Occupations To assist you in using this information in career planning, a list of occupations that are similar to your interest area pattern is generated. Your interest scores are compared with the interest patterns of a broad sample of over 300 occupations which includes the occupations in which 90% of the population is employed. From this comparison of your scores with these occupations, a list of occupations most similar to your interests is generated. The occupations are listed in decreasing order of similarity, with more similar occupations listed first. Use this listing of occupations as confirmation of your plans or as a stimulus to explore new occupation that you had not previously thought about. Information on these occupations can be obtained from many sources including your public library and/or career or guidance office. One source that may be very helpful is the Occupational Outlook Handbook put out by the US government, which details many aspects of each occupation, including duties, training, salary, and employment outlook. Summary PGI Technical Information As noted above, the information presented in your interpretation has been individualized with only the most relevant scores reported. However all scores generated by the PGI are listed on the Technical Information page. So if you are interested in your score on any specific scale that was not reported, this is where it can be found. You may also be interested in how your scores compare with others in your gender. All scores reported are based on norms generated from both genders, but same gender normed scores are available in the Technical Information.

6 6 PGI Scale Names and Descriptions Basic Interest Areas Social Facilitating Scale measures interest in working with other people by selling, assisting, providing information or administering such services. Occupations related to this area include: Social Service Director, Personnel Director, Publicity Director, Salesperson, Travel Agent, and Aerobics Instructor. Managing An interest in managing and planning the major activities of business or organizations. The scale includes such activities as processing information, problem solving and decision making, forecasting and planning ahead, communication to others, organizing, coordinating, and supervising others, and persuading. Office Manager, Department Store Manager, Sales Clerk, Sales Manager, and Hotel Manager are examples of occupations scoring high on this scale. Business Detail Accounting, assessing, estimating, advising, and budgeting are interests of people scoring high on this scale. Occupations such as Financial Analyst, Bank Examiner, Cost Estimator, and Certified Public Accountant are related to this area. Data Processing An interest in the use of mathematics and systems for the analysis and interpretation of data and for clarifying and solving technical problems are represented by this scale. Electrical Engineer, Computer Programmer, and Microelectronics Technician are some of the occupations scoring high on this scale. Mechanical Understanding how machinery works and designing, installing and maintaining machinery are the main focus of this scale. Machinery includes large engines to machine tools. Occupational examples are: Airplane Mechanic, Auto Mechanic, Avionics Technician, Chemical Engineer, and Machinist. Nature/Outdoors Applying knowledge of the life sciences to plants and animals are interests shared by Ecologist, Forester, Oceanographer, Naturalist, Fish & Game Warden, and Veterinarian. Artistic Scale measures interest in visual, performing and literary arts as expressed in occupations such Sculptor, Musician, Composer, Poet, Playwright, and Author. Helping An interest in helping relationships with people from all age groups is measured by this scale. Liking to teach, provide for, support, and counsel are interests of people in occupations such as Speech Therapist, School Counselor, Social Worker, Child Care Worker, Family Therapist, and Educational Psychologist.

7 7 Higher Prestige Interest Areas Social Sciences Helping others solve medical and psychological problems in a personal manner are activities associated with occupations such as Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatric Case Worker, Pediatrician, and Family Physician. Influence This scale measures an interest in leading and directing people in business, politics, and science. People scoring high like to influencing people's behavior through persuasion and are found in occupations such as Scientific Research Director, Research Scientist, Surgeon, Physicist, and Astronomer. Business Systems Writing and designing programs and systems, and applying this knowledge to business and finance is the main focus of this scale. Business Computer Specialist, Business Programmer, System Analyst, and Computer Consultant are examples of occupations scoring high. Financial Analysis People in this interest area work directly with customers on their finances. Occupational examples are: Budget Consultant, Business Management Analyst, Market Research Analyst, Personal Investment Analyst, Consumer Affairs Director, and Stockbroker. Science Studying phenomena, conducting research, and developing knowledge in biological, physical, and behavior sciences are the areas of interest tapped by this scale. Biologist, Anthropologist, Earth Scientist, Geologist, and Chemist are some of the occupations related to this area.

8 8 Lower Prestige Interest Areas Quality Control Checking and protecting the quality and safety of products, materials, and services are interests of people who have high scores on this scale. People with high scores are often found in occupations like Locksmith, Bridge Inspector, Building Inspector, and High School Shop Teacher. Manual Work An interest in operating machinery or vehicles and attendant services and working in occupations that have minimal training requirements is expressed by people in these occupations: Maid, Meter Reader, Window Cleaner, Ride Attendant, Cloakroom Attendant, and Bus Driver Personal Service Interests in activities offering help to people in everyday transactions is the focus of this scale. People scoring high on the scale like serving others food and drink, giving them information, helping them buy clothes, and seeing to their comfort. Examples of occupations are: Flight Attendant, Sightseeing Guide, Waiter/Waitress, Travel Guide, and Personal Shopper. Construction/Repair An interest in working outdoors, working with ones hands building structures and operating or repairing machines is the focus of this scale. Occupations include: Bulldozer Operator, Crane Operator, Tree Pruner, Construction Worker, Roofer, and Building Contractor Basic Services This scale measures interest in selling products and services, greeting people, making reservations, renting equipment, and cleaning. People scoring high usually work directly with the customer in such occupations as Receptionist, Hotel Clerk, Hair Stylist, Mail Clerk, Escort, and Secretary