What is My Guide?
My Guide is an online career exploration tool. Users can create a career profile, explore career ideas, make decisions about different pathways and create a career plan. It is personalised, interactive and free, allowing users to develop an account and re-visit their information and activities whenever they wish.
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How reliable is the Interest Activity?
The Interest Activity in My Guide uses the Career Interest Test 4.1, developed by Dr James Athanasou. It provides one way for people to learn about career options and can provide a practical starting point for thinking about jobs and careers. Results can be used to provide reassurance about choices, to narrow the range of options or to stimulate career explorations by indicating the types of work you might want to explore.
When using the Interest Activity and results, it is important to note that peoples’ interests can change and that they are only a part of helping you decide about occupations. The Interest Activity should be taken regularly during career exploration. Abilities, opportunities and personal circumstances will also determine what you do.
The Career Interest Test is reviewed regularly. Users can be assured it is reliable but the test should not be used in isolation of other career exploration activities or relied upon to make long-term predictions about career development.
Qualified career professionals seeking further details regarding the validity and reliability of the Career Interest Test should enquire through myfuture’s Contact us page.
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Is My Guide accessible?
myfuture, including its career exploration tools, are tested and implemented according to Australian and international web accessibility guidelines.
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Were users involved in the design of My Guide?
myfuture and its tools, including My Guide 2.0, are developed using a range of feedback and expertise in web design and career development theory and practice. Ideas are collected and reviewed from the following people:
- individual users who contact us and/or answer our site surveys
- teachers and trainers who attend myfuture training sessions
- teachers and students involved in myfuture’s evaluation
- myfuture Champions who work in career and transition areas and represent all of the Australian departments of education and training
- career experts and career development practitioners
- researchers, both in Australia and internationally.
We welcome feedback from everyone. Please submit comments and suggestions via Contact us.
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How does My Guide work out occupation and career fields suggestions?
My Guide makes occupation and career field suggestions based on your responses in the My Profile section. These include your interests, level of education, skills and knowledge. Your preferences are matched with the requirements and characteristics of occupations and career fields. You are able to explore the suggested occupations and career fields in more detail.
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How are enjoyed skills different from current skills?
You might have developed a range of skills that you use at school, work, volunteering and in other settings. However, you might enjoy using some skills more than others. If you can identify skills you enjoy using, you might consider these when considering different career paths.
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How do I make sure I don't send personal details to others from My Guide?
My Guide allows you to email your results to yourself or another trusted person, such as your teacher or parents. Before you select to email, review your results and make sure you are comfortable to send the information to someone else.
My Career Plan Summary allows you to select which sections of your plan you wish to send to another person. You can do this by checking the box next to each section.
Visit the Cybersmart website [opens in new window] to find out more about using the internet safely.
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Is my information from My Guide 1.0 still available?
No. The most recent activities saved between 1 January 2007 and 22 January 2010 have been transferred to the new My Guide 2.0.
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What happens if I don’t access my account for a long time?
As of 22 January 2010, if you have not accessed your account for three years you will be notified via email (if you have provided an email address) that your account will be deactivated unless you log in within 28 days. A final reminder will be emailed to you 7 days prior to the date of deactivation.
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Why doesn't my dream job appear in suggested occupations?
The Dream Job activity asks you to write down your ideas about an occupation or job that you would like to do in the future. The occupations and career suggestions offered in the Explore Career Ideas section are based on your responses to the interests, skills, knowledge and education questionnaires in the My Profile section.
If you have completed these questionnaires and included skills or interests that you believe are preferred or essential for your dream job, it may be that it is an emerging occupation not yet available on myfuture’s occupational profile list.
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Why won't My Guide create an account for me?
- Your username and password must contain at least five letters and/or numbers.
- Make sure your username and password does not contain spaces or characters (e.g. * or @).
- Your username has to be unique. If someone has the same username it cannot be used by someone else.
- The email you give must be a valid address.
The password and password confirmation entry needs to be identical.
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Why can’t I edit the bookmark section in My Profile?
Bookmarks are created in the Explore Career Ideas section of My Guide. They are saved in My Profile for you to research and explore. You can add and delete bookmarks in both the Explore Career Ideas and the Help Me Decide sections.
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Why does the order of my bookmarks in My Profile keep changing?
The order of your bookmarks changes when you rank and compare your career ideas in the Help Me Decide section. A record of your last saved ranking is always available for you to view in My Profile – Bookmarks.
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