A Week in the Life of a Profiler

1. A Week in the Life of a Profiler By Craig Hairston Midlands Technical College

2. Day One Pre-Work • Day Two Profiling Session • Day Three Replication • Day Four Report Writing • Day Five Presentation

3. Day 1 Pre-WorkSources of Information • Job Description • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) • Observation • Interviews with SMEs • Interview with Supervisor • Profiles from similar jobs • O*NET Database

4. Day 2 Profile • Laptop • Printer • Copier • Video or DVD player • Meeting or Conference room • SMEs (available all day)

5. SEWK Conference Technical Support Initial Task list

6. SEWK Conference Technical Support Task list

7. SEWK Conference Technical Support Importance Rating

8. Importance Rating Scale Step 1 Read each task statement. Step 2 If the task is NOT performed as part of your job, write a zero (0) in the box next to the task statement. If the task is performed as part of your job, think about how important the task is to your job. Importance refers to the significance of the task to overall job performance. In evaluating Importance, consider what may happen if the task is not performed properly. (Exclude the effects of gross negligence or intentional sabotage.) Step 3 Choose the Importance statement that best describes how important the task is to your job. Write the number of that Importance statement in the box next to the task statement. Importance Level 0 This task is not performed. 1 This task is not very important to the job I perform. 2 This task is of low importance to the job I perform. 3 This task is of moderate importance to the job I perform. 4 This task is very important to the job I perform. 5 This task is extremely important to the job I perform.

9. SEWK Conference Technical Support Time Spent Rating

10. Relative Time Spent Rating Scale Step 1 Read each task statement. Step 2 If the task is NOT performed as part of your job, write a zero (0) in the box next to the task statement. If the task is performed as part of your job, think about how much time is spent on this task relative to time spent on other tasks. Step 3 Choose the Relative Time Spent statement that best describes how much time you spend performing the task relative to that spent on the other tasks. Write the number of that Relative Time Spent statement in the box next to the task statement. Relative Time Spent Level 0 This task is not performed. 1 I spend a very small amount of time performing this task compared to that spent on other tasks. 2 I spend a small amount of time performing this task compared to that spent on other tasks. 3 I spend a moderate amount of time performing this task compared to that spent on other tasks. 4 I spend a large amount of time performing this task compared to that spent on other tasks. 5 I spend a very large amount of time performing this task compared to that spent on other tasks.

11. Skill Note Sheet Company SEWK Job Profiled Conference Tech Support Date of Profile 02/01/07 SKILL Locating Information Task Validated Notes

12. Locating Information Skill The WorkKeys® Locating Information skill is the skill people use when they work with workplace graphics such as charts, graphs, tables, forms, flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, maps, and instrument gauges. Employees use this skill when they find information in a graphic or insert information into a graphic. They also use it when they compare, summarize, and analyze information found in related graphics. There are four levels. Level 3 is the least complex and Level 6 is the most complex. At each new level, employees need more demanding skills in addition to the skills used at the previous levels. For example, Level 5 includes the skills used at Levels 3, 4, and 5. At Level 3, employees look for information in simple graphics and fill in information that is missing from simple graphics. At Level 6, employees may use the information in one or more complex graphics to draw conclusions and make decisions. The complexity can also increase as the quantity and/or density of the information increases. When considering the level of Locating Information skill needed for the tasks employees complete on the job, you should think about the difficulty of both the graphics and the task. You might consider the following questions: How difficult are the graphics? That is: • How many graphics are used? • Are the graphics simple or complicated? • Do the graphics use elementary, common language or do they include unfamiliar, technical terms or symbols? • How many extra details are included? How complicated is the employee’s task when using the graphics? That is: • Is it only necessary to use information that is stated clearly? • Does the information in the graphics need to be summarized or compared? • Is the information in the graphics used to draw conclusions or make decisions?

13. Locating Information Level 3 Level 3 workplace graphics are elementary. They may be simple order forms, bar graphs, tables, flowcharts, maps, instrument gauges, or floor plans. At Level 3, employees use one graphic at a time. When employees use Level 3 Locating Information skills on the job, they can: • Find one or two pieces of information in a graphic. • Fill in one or two pieces of information that are missing from a graphic (for example, they might fill in a bill number on a form).

14. An employee is a production manager at a small recreational vehicle plant which manufactures snowmobiles seven days a week. According to the line graph shown, how many snowmobiles were produced on Thursday?

15. Locating Information Level 4 Level 4 workplace graphics are straightforward. They may be basic order forms, diagrams, line graphs, tables, flowcharts, instrument gauges, or maps. At Level 4, employees may work with one or two graphics at a time. When employees use Level 4 Locating Information skills on the job, they can use the skills described at Level 3, and they can: • Find several pieces of information in one or more graphics. • Understand how graphics are related to each other (for example, they might use a parts table and shipping ticket together). • Summarize information from one or more straightforward graphics (for example, they might find how many oak trees in an inventory table are taller than four feet). • Identify trends shown in one or more straightforward graphics (for example, they might use a line graph to find how sales of a product change from one month to another). • Compare information and trends shown in one or more straightforward graphics.

16. An employee must sort clothes in a dry cleaning establishment according to the customer’s instructions. According to the form shown, how should this customer’s shirt be treated?

17. Locating Information Level 5 Level 5 workplace graphics are complicated. The graphics are sometimes in a less common format (such as a three-dimensional bar graph.) They may be detailed forms, tables, graphs, diagrams, maps, or instrument gauges. At Level 5, employees may work with one or more graphics at a time. When employees use Level 5 Locating Information skills on the job, they can use the skills described at Levels 3 and 4, and they can: • Sort through distracting information (that is, information in a graphic that may not be useful for the current task). • Summarize information from one or more detailed graphics (for example, they might find the maple trees in an inventory table that are taller than four feet, are less than $50, and are in the sales region). • Identify trends shown in one or more detailed or complicated graphics (for example, they might use a detailed line graph to find how sales of five separate products changed from March to July). • Compare information and trends from one or more complicated graphics

18. An employee is a sales associate at a flooring store. A customer wants to buy some Silver Eagle commercial vinyl tiles. The customer does not want to spend more than $1,200.00 for the tiles. Based on the tables shown, what are the dimensions of the largest area that the customer can tile for $1,200.00?

20. Day 3 - Replication • Repeat of profile with different SMEs • Independent analysis • May require a reconciliation

21. Day 4 –Report Writing • Using recommended or approved template • Includes task lists • Validates and justifies skill levels set by SMEs • Includes comments describing work environment • Links tasks and skills

22. Day 5 –Presentation • One to two hours • Describes relevant information • Explains how the client can and should use the WorkKeys information • Describe entry and effective levels • Prepares client to use WorkKeys assessments

23. Summary • The WorkKeys journey begins with job analysis (Profiling, Skillmap, Estimator) • Links Assessment scores to the job • Links Career Readiness Certificates to specific jobs • Questions? • Would you like to see a Profile report?