The Flower Exercise

Perhaps the TikTok-prescribed self-evaluation should have been warning enough, but digging into you is not as easy as it sounds!

This self-inventory is dubbed "The Flower Exercise" by Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute? The flower is composed of 7 petals that will help you think of yourself in 7 distinct ways: people, working conditions, transferable skills, knowledge, salary, geography, and purpose in life. 

Today, we will explore the first petal: People.

The first petal refers to the type of people with whom you prefer to work beside or serve. Why is this important or even relevant in your job search? Bolles explains that knowing this about yourself will help you narrow your search or open doors you have not considered before. The first step is to figure out your Holland Codes.

Naturally, I was intrigued and ready to jump in because this was my first time learning about the Holland Codes. 

Developed by American psychologist John L. Holland, the Holland Codes are a taxonomy of interests based on a theory of careers and vocational choice. The working theory is that individuals find the greatest happiness and success when they work in a field that matches their personality category. Based on the number of universities and career-help websites with entire sections dedicated to people finding their Holland Code, there must be some merit to this!

Image taken from New York Health Careers

The idea is that you must choose the top 3 groups that best resonate with you. Too hard to choose? Multiple free online quizzes can help you! I took this one.

After a few minutes of self-reflection, I got my code: SIA.

According to this quiz results, my preferred work environment is firstly Social (S), but also Investigative (I) and Artistic (A). 

My results make a lot of sense to me, although they contradict one another. My S code means I enjoy working with people to help them learn and grow. As a child, I wanted to be a teacher because I loved helping my neighbors to read and do math. Social checks out.

The I for says that I prefer to work with ideas (contradicting ideas). The I represents being curious, intellectual, and research-oriented. Investigative ties back in with my Clifton Strength of Input! Check out this blog post if you're curious about Clifton's Strengths. I also checks out.

The last code name is A for artistic. Artistic was a bit harder for me to accept as factual. I work in marketing, yes. I create flyers and product labels and run social media accounts, yes. However, I never described myself as artistic. I am not an artist. I cannot draw, paint, or make beautiful ceramic figures. However, the Holland Code of Artistic also refers to enjoying work that delves into the artistic side of things, such as designing. I do that. So maybe it checks out?

The other code I thought I'd use was C for Conventional. But mostly because I need deadlines and set processes to follow. I like having the freedom to pivot if I notice a procedure is not working, but I work much better when I follow a path versus when I have to make my own. I get lost in the research and the endless possibilities! I feel like A and C are complete opposites, which adds to the complexity of boxing me into a code of 3 letters. But this knowledge is a start to help me understand how I work best.

Completing the first petal took me an entire Sunday. I look forward to the next one!