Staff project based in the Careers Services.

2018 staff round

Career Weaver is the result of the Careers Compass project. For more information, see the Career Weaver information site  https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/career-weaver/

PROJECT ABSTRACT

The Careers Compass project, designed by the Careers Service (OUCS), enables individuals to uncover and define their core values and motivations as they relate to working life, career satisfaction and personal development.  IT Innovation Challenge funding will enable creation of a web-based app  (Career Weaver) that includes gamification of an extended variety of exercises, and generation of a personal report which can be shared with advisers or managers. It will increase accessibility, enhance the user experience and deliver greater impact.

The Career Weaver app will provide a range exercises to stimulate reflection and yield insights into an individual’s hidden drivers. The variety of tools has been designed to appeal to people with differing work styles and learning preferences and will prompt individuals to reflect in a structured way on their experiences and choices. Users will uncover their personal pattern of underlying preferences and motivations, identify supporting evidence from their own experiences, and articulate career related goals more clearly. The summary report, as a basis for discussion, will enhance decision making and underpin a commitment to purposeful action for improved outcomes and satisfaction.

The Careers Compass project directly supports the OUCS’s work with undergraduates, post-graduates and early career researchers. The app will further support individuals across the University, and the insights and clarity gained will help in many possible scenarios, for example: helping managers and staff identify and plan development objectives within the PDR process, or supporting and empowering staff who potentially face disadvantage in career progression, including staff returning from career breaks.