Who AM I Essay Samples

Each individual is different and has a distinct personality, shaped by the unique experiences in their life. I am a 35-year-old college student at the University of Rio Grande. Before attending college, I worked three years as an assistant manager at a retail store. Later, I worked at a food processing plant for almost 11 years. I come from a small family, and I am the younger of two brothers. My parents are religious and I grew up in a religious home. When I was younger, my family went to church every week. Although I do not attend church services now, I do consider myself a spiritual person. Also, I enjoy watching and playing sports and sports have always been a huge part of my life. Out of all the factors that have shaped my life, the most important ones are God and family.
Since I am a nontraditional student, it took a lot of courage for me to leave the workforce and return to college. I was always an average, sometimes below average student. Also, I was never on the honor role. So, thinking about going to college was a difficult thought. I knew there would be a learning curve, not to mention familiarity with all the latest technology used in classrooms today. I was also afraid about the social aspect of college life as nontraditional students are a minority in colleges. I knew I had to be comfortable with myself and committed to my goals to help me face this challenge. After much prayer and talking to my family about my plans, I was ready to do what I believed to be the right thing to do. My family has always taught me to put God first and to acknowledge Him in everything I do. I always believe that God is in control and this has given me a lot of confidence. It is this confidence that allows me to accept difficult challenges and remain persistent in the face of setbacks. My relationship with God, my family, my passion in sports, and all the jobs I have held over the years are the biggest factors that have contributed to the type of person I am today.
In this paper, I will explore my Type Focus Personality Profile, my Type Focus Interests and Values assessments, their relationship to my background, and how they relate to my future career. The first step in career planning is self-assessment to determine personal strengths and skills. Although I have always been aware of my personal skills, taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment provided me with a detailed explanation about my strengths and the career fields suitable for me. According to the Type Focus Customized Summary Report, my career of interest lies in health and wellness, particularly in Occupational Therapy. The training and education for this profession includes completion of high school or college-level algebra, biology, and chemistry with a 'C' or higher. Moreover, twenty hours of volunteer time, under the direct supervision of a licensed occupational therapist, along with an autobiography, is required. Once accepted, students are required to complete 73 credit hours of classroom and field work.
In order to start working as an occupational therapist, I need to obtain an associate’s degree in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program (OTA). Currently, I am completing my general studies at the University of Rio Grande Community College. After that, I will transfer to Shawnee State University to start the Occupational Therapy Assistant program in fall 2015. Presently, I am learning about the prerequisites for the program, so I can start working on them. I need to complete the general courses before starting the OTAT coursework. In the meantime, I plan to continue learning and researching about the profession of Occupational Therapy. One of the most important things I have learned is that occupational therapists are in demand and the job outlook for occupational therapists is expected to grow over the next several years. Thus, I will remain motivated, follow my plan, and work hard to achieve my goal.
A career in occupational therapy is very rewarding. I am interested in being an occupational therapist because it requires values that are part of my personality. I believe it is important to help and serve others who are less fortunate. It can be enjoyable to help someone accomplish a new task, master a new skill, and recover from injury. It is rewarding to help disabled people overcome obstacles and teach them to take care of themselves.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment predicted my personality type as ISTP. ISTP stands for Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, and Perception. Some parts of ISTP fit me perfectly, such as, being sensing, thinking, and perceptive, but I do not consider myself an introvert. I believe I am more inclined towards the type factor E (Extraversion). I am very social, and have always worked in a team. I have excellent communication skills and this will be an asset for me as an occupational therapist because occupational therapists deal with all kinds of people, injured, impaired, developmentally delayed, children, adults, and old people. They need strong people skills to foster productive relationships with their clients and colleagues.
The type factor S (Sensing) suggests that ISTPs are detail oriented, organized, and generally work with practical applications. As an ISTP, my personality is better fit to work jobs that involve practical details. This is very true as I am extremely coordinated, pragmatic, and meticulous. My previous work experience fits extremely well with this description. Previously, I worked as an assistant manager at a retail store for about three years. Being a retail assistant manager requires a lot of responsibility. As an assistant manager, I supervised the sales and service process, received and stocked inventory, filed invoices, receipts, and other paperwork, directed employees, and performed other duties related with store management. All this work required strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and hard work.
Having the type factor S (Sensing) will help me in my future career as being an occupational therapist requires hard work, coordination, and discipline. Some of my personal interests, such as playing sports, will also help me in my future profession. I have been playing sports, especially football, since a very young age. This has taught me some valuable life lessons, such as perseverance, teamwork, and discipline. Life is full of challenges and it is easy to quit and give up. But if we persevere and fight through those setbacks, we will eventually be rewarded. Discipline is also very important for success. Discipline is one of many tools that I have used in playing football to overcome the difficulties. I have transferred these lessons in every area of my life, including my previous jobs, and will also use them in my future career. Being an occupational therapist requires working in a team, cooperating with colleagues, patients and their families. From my experiences, I have learned that there is no “I” in “team”. It takes more than one player on a team to score a touchdown. It is important to know your role and the role of your teammates for success in any line of work.
The type factor T (Thinking) suggests that my personality is better suited for jobs that involve management. It really fits my personality as I am very logical and businesslike. I have worked at a food processing plant for almost 11 years. This job required working long hours, working in a fast paced environment, and following the step-by-step strategy. The experience I learned from this job will help me as an occupational therapist because I will be mapping out and planning goals for my clients and devising a systematic method to help the client achieve them.
Lastly, my type factor P (Perceiving) recommends that I should pursue a career which involves creativity, problem solving, and independence. Being occupational therapists requires helping and managing multiple clients, customizing treatments for clients, and documenting their treatment. Also, it is helpful to have excellent problem solving skills as occupational therapists need to develop practical and innovative solutions to their clients’ problems.
The key to success is belief and trust in one’s abilities, strengths, and values. My strength lies in believing in God, and it has always helped me to remain motivated, productive, and achieve my goals. After reflecting on the report, I have come to the conclusion that Occupational Therapy is probably the best future career for me. I have already planned to go to school for the OTA program. My experience as a nontraditional student and my coursework in OTA program will prepare me for a career in Occupational Therapy at a nursing home, a hospital, a private practice, or a clinic. My background and the challenges I have faced to reach so far guide me to strive for the best in life. I am very hard working and my belief in God influences my future decisions. Every day, I remind myself to never stop trying and to look ahead to new possibilities in life. My belief allows me to keep working hard and to focus on the future. Looking back at my experiences, I constantly remind myself to keep moving forward. My belief in God will always continue to guide me and encourage me to accept new challenges in life.