Some Entrepreneurial Career Changers Assess Skills Without Tests

Card Sorting: An Overlooked Resource Tool

Countless would-be entrepreneurs have trouble identifying their values, motivations, and occupational interests. However, more than two hundred factors are involved, according to career development expert Richard Knowdell, so indecision is understandable.

Testing is one solution, but some people dislike tests while others find conventional methods incompatible with their learning style, which hinders getting accurate results.

To address these issues, Richard Knowdell MS, developed a simple, inexpensive, non-testing method: a card-sort game that would help people from different age and socioeconomic groups rapidly identify and rank their priorities, and assess their knowledge and occupational interests.

Using a playing card format removes testing-related barriers and allows for stress-free, game-like discovery, according to user feedback.

Richard Knowdell has taught at the University of California, and San Jose University, established one of the first successful corporate career development programs in the U.S., and directed a Silicon Valley corporate training and employee development division.

Knowdell also started an executive outplacement consulting firm and served as an executive coach.

President Clinton later appointed Richard Knowdell to the Board of Examiners of the United States Foreign Service.

Card Sort Profiles
Occupational Interests
Discover how to rank and identify appeal factors in 110 fields.
Details on knowledge and skills needed and entry requirements
are included with a manual

Career Values
Lists and describes 54 areas of work satisfaction

Motivated Skills
Identifies 51 possible transferable skills
Motivated Skills Worksheet
Completed PDF Sample

Editor’s note:  I enrolled in two separate college classes for credit: first, a vocational assessment class at a top community, and second a comprehensive personal development psychology course at a nonprofit university.  Many assessment tools were provided, but neither class mentioned the Knowdell system.

While the academic instruction was helpful, my independent research uncovered invaluable information about overlooked alternative assessment resources.

Sources

Knowdell Career Values Card Sort
https://www.knowdellcardsorts.com/Career-Values.cfm

One Required Community College Vocational Textbook
The Career Fitness Program
https://www.chegg.com/textbooks/the-career-fitness-program-0134059816

One Required Textbook for University
Personal Psychology Development  Class
https://www.chegg.com/textbooks/a-primer-in-positive-psychology-1st-edition-9780195188332-0195188330