The Assessment that Scientifically Predicts Pathways to Your Calling

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How do you know which paths to take for greater meaning, purpose, and joy in your calling? Introducing PathwayU.

PathwayU is a platform that uses predictive science to help you discover which paths could create more purpose, meaning, and joy in your life and work. Think of it as a calling assessment, possibility finder, job hunter, coaching tool, and educational resource rolled into one platform.

PathwayU was originally designed for college students to choose best fits for educational majors and careers, but it’s also used by teenagers, working professionals, and retirees who are looking to build a more meaningful and impactful life. It was created by vocational psychologists using top scientific models and methods for validity and reliability.

Here's how it works.

The Four Assessments

The starting point is taking the four assessments that are built into the platform: Work-related values, Interests, Personality, and Workplace preferences. The assessments don’t take long to complete, and the user interface is very friendly.

According to PathwayU, the four key areas that the assessments measure are:

Work-related values:

"The relative importance individuals place on various aspects of their work. When people perform tasks that are related to their core values, they find work meaningful and satisfying. PathwayU measures 20 needs that combine to form the six value dimensions drawn from the Theory of Work Adjustment¹:"

• Achievement
• Independence
• Recognition
• Relationships
• Support
• Working Conditions

Interests:

"Individuals’ likes and dislike for types of work activities or occupations. When people perform tasks they find interesting, they are engaged and motivated to do well and improve. PathwayU incorporates the most heavily-researched theory of vocational interests in history: John L. Holland’s theory of vocational types², which postulates that both people and work environments can be classified according to each of six interest types:"

• Realistic
• Investigative
• Artistic
• Social
• Enterprising
• Conventional

Personality:

"Stable traits that reflect how people tend to think, feel, and act over time and across situations. PathwayU assesses personality using the heavily researched Five Factor Model³, which consists of the following traits:"

• Openness to experience
• Conscientiousness
• Extraversion
• Agreeableness
• Negative emotionality

Workplace Preferences:

"The needs individuals express for particular values, beliefs, and actions that characterize an organization’s culture. PathwayU assesses seven workplace preferences drawn from a revision of the Organizational Culture Profile⁴, arguably the most well-regarded assessment of organizational culture available."

These dimensions are:

• Excellence
• Guiding Principles
• Collaboration
• Innovation
• Recognition
• Performance
• Stability

After you take the four assessments, you can see your scores and read feedback about them. This is when the real fun begins, it’s time for predictive science.

Here's a summary of my results:

Predictive Science

Based on your assessment results, PathwayU suggests core subject areas and career matches that may be a fit. Your customized list is ordered with the most “Very Strong” career matches appearing at the top. Career information is powered by the US Department of Labor’s O*NET database.

Here’s my list of suggested subject areas:

It suggests that Education and Human Services would be strong matches.

• Education: This subject area includes opportunities related to administration and administrative support; professional support services; and teaching and training. 
• Human Services: This subject area includes opportunities related to consumer services; counseling and mental health services; early childhood development and services; family and community services; and personal care services. 

From what you know of me, would you agree?

Click on the Subject Area to View Careers within that Subject Area.

When I clicked on Education, it gave a list of actual job titles within Education. From there, it suggested that Self-Enrichment Education Teacher would be a very strong match.

• Self-Enrichment Education Teacher: Teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness. 

From what you know of me, would you agree?

Click on the particular Career tile for lots of information on that Career.

When I clicked on Self-Enrichment Education Teacher, it provided a lot of information about the job including a job description, sample on-the-job activities, abilities, skills, salary information, and even a career video. Plus more information that didn't fit in the screen shot.

You can even find and apply for Jobs via the Indeed plugin.

Value of PathwayU

Now you can see the value of PathwayU. Whether you’re looking for a first career, educational field of study, career change, path to calling, or retirement transition, PathwayU has reliable guidance for you.

By making predictions based on vocational science, PathwayU can get you thinking about paths you hadn’t considered before. Or it can confirm what others have told you or what you have suspected yourself. Perhaps you didn’t have the science before, but now you will.

PathwayU also provides a library of resources to help on your journey. Find downloads and articles that explain the science behind the PathwayU assessments and coaching/counseling tools to aid in discovery. 

_{1 Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
2 Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments (3rd Ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
3 Goldberg, L. R. (1992). The development of markers for the Big-Five factor structure. Psychological Assessment, 4, 26-42.
4 O’Reilly, C. A., Chatman, J. & Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparisons approach to assessing person organizational fit. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 487-516; Judge, T. A., & Cable, D. M. (1997). Applicant personality, organizational culture, and organizational attraction. Personnel Psychology, 50, 359-394; Sarros, J. C., Gray, J., Densten, I. L., & Cooper, B. (2005). The Organizational Culture Profile Revisited and Revised: An Australian Perspective. Australian Journal of Management, 30, 159-182.}