Mission, History,
and Acknowledgments
Mission
We strive to be the #1 source for expert, professional help in making career and educational choices -- affordable to all.
Our website gives you expert help with career choices
-- career changes, career planning, job skills, and choosing
a college major or educational program.
It is based on the best science and practices of career
counseling . . . and the most complete and accurate information
available.
The Career Key test is one of the few professional-quality
career tests on the Internet. The results of scientific
studies show that it measures what it is supposed to; as
experts say, it has validity. This is not true
for virtually all of the career tests, sorters, profilers,
and quizzes on the web. Beware that invalid career
measures can mislead or harm you. More
. . .
Career Key is the first to link the Holland personality types to all college majors and career clusters/pathways -- after more than a year of research and analysis. Students can now match their interests and personality to majors and programs of study with confidence. Research shows that, overall, the better the match, the better the grades and and likelihood of graduation! Read our free e-book, Choosing a College Major Based on Your Personality, What does the research say? More on matching college majors or career clusters/pathways.
My wife, Jeanine Wehr Jones, and I fund this site because
we want to help people and their families, worldwide, lead
happy and more satisfying lives. By providing accurate,
practical information to everyone, we hope The Career Key
will empower people to make informed decisions and act
in their best self-interest and, ultimately, the best interests
of their country. More on our charitable giving.
History
The Career Key (CK) was first published in 1987 by the
Ferguson Publishing Company. In 1990, Careers, Inc.
became its publisher. During this period, a number
of studies showed that its validity and reliability were
comparable to similar instruments and that users found
it helpful.
In 1997 the CK was launched on the Internet as a free
public service primarily for middle and high school students. Since
then, numerous refinements and additions have been made,
and it is widely used by students and adults. The
number of schools, colleges, libraries, and career services
linking to the website has rapidly grown -- more than 1000.
There were 1.8 million visitors in 2004.
The Career Key has been adapted for use in other countries. In
2001, we funded the translation, programming, and launch
of the Chinese Career Key (CCK). Dr. Siu-Man Raymond
Ting at N. C. State University provided expert consultation
throughout. He is coauthor of the paper-pencil CCK
and has an active research program with its use in Hong
Kong, collaborating with the Hong Kong Career Masters
Professor Wan-Suk Gim, at Ajou University, developed a Korean
version of the Career Key a well known and
respected public service for students and adults in South
Korea.
Ms. Angela deFreitas developed a Caribbean
version of the Career Key that is used extensively
by thousands of students and adults, primarily in Jamaica.
In 2002, a Spanish
version of the paper-pencil measure
was developed and field-tested in North Carolina. It
is available through our eBookStore.
In 2004, a Romanian version was developed in collaboration
with USAID and Sociale
Alternative for use with a program
for Romanian youth, primarily to prevent the exploitation
of youth, especially sex slavery trafficking. The
Romanian Career Key is now being distributed to teachers and counselors
by UNICEF.
Career Key Canada was launched in 2007 and has become a respected and popular source of practical, professional-quality help.
In 2007-2008 it was translated into Vietnamese and Arabic. The photo below shows us in Istanbul where we presented our work at the International Counseling Congress in 2008.
In 2010-11 we are working with a team in Turkey to create a Turkish version.
The Career Key is also being used in other countries,
including Mexico, Argentina, New Zealand, India,
Australia, Taiwan, Britain, and Singapore.
Return
to Top
Acknowledgements
Ideas
and Research of Others
I thank my wife, Jeanine Wehr Jones, for her loving support
-- and sharp editorial pencil.
Special thanks to my friend and colleague Professor
Edwin R. Gerler, Jr.. Without his creative vision and generous support, this
web site would not exist. I also very much appreciate the
support of faculty, students, and administrators at North
Carolina State University -- Stanley Baker, Joan Michaels,
June Brotherton, Lisa Grable, Harry Nicholos, in particular. The
College of Education is doing an outstanding job, and
it has enriched my life and work to be a part of it.
Many other contributions were made by colleagues in North
Carolina. Special recognition is due to the school, college,
and career counselors -- too numerous to mention -- who
have field tested the Career Key and generously offered
their ideas and support; and Nancy MacCormac, former Executive
Director, and Judy Woodson Bruhn, the current Director
of the N.C. State Occupational Information Committee.
Designers, Programmers & Others
Lawrence Jones (left), Nathan Keene (middle),
and Andrew
Wieselquist (right).
Career Key 2003-2005 Team Photo
|
Andrew Wieselquist (right) is currently enrolled in the
North Carolina State University Department of Computer
Science. He is the lead programmer and web consultant for
the Career Key. Some of his contributions include the following:
various cgi and html revisions, complete documentation,
and the eBookstore.
Nathan Keene (middle) is also a Computer Science student
at NCSU. He is a programmer and web consultant for the
Career Key. His accomplishments include, but aren't limited
to the following: various new html modules, html revisions,
and the eBookstore.
Since our move to Oregon, we have been fortunate to have
the talented services of the Gravitate
Design Studio and Jeremiah
Designs in
redesigning our website.
Jian Li was a graduate student at North Carolina State
University. From 1999 to 2003 he was the web
consultant and programmer for the Career Key website. During
this period, he and Longlong Yang programmed the
Chinese Career Key website.
Nathanael Ehrich was a student in the North Carolina State
University (NCSU) Department of Computer Science. He was
the web consultant and programmer for the 1999 revision
of the Career Key website.
Brian Burney was a Freshman at North Carolina State University
(NCSU). He was responsible for assisting in the design
and conversion to the May 2000 revision.
Sunny Kwok received his Master of Graphic Design in the
NCSU School of Design in May, 1999. He led the team in
the Spring of 1999 in the structuring and graphic design
of the redesigned website.
Craig Atkins, a Masters degree student in Landscape Architecture
at NCSU's School of Design, design consultant for the final
stages of the 1999 revision.
Panchali Sau, a senior in NCSU's School of Design, design
consultant for the final stages of the 1999 version.
Scott Sams was also a student in the NCSU Department of
Computer Science. He did all of the original programming
and CGI scripting for the Career Key site. He has produced
numerous commercial web sites.
Merry Carol Ward received her doctorate in May, 1999 from
the NCSU Department of Psychology. She contributed significantly
to the research and evaluation of the site and its components.
Barbara L. Glover developed the initial graphics, animation,
and programming for the site in 1997.
Return to Top
Ideas and Research of Others
This site would not be possible without the ideas and
research done by countless educators, counselors, labor
analysts, and psychologists. I would like to recognize
in particular:
- The creators of the Occupational Outlook Handbook at
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including Mike Pilot,
Chief, Division of Occupational Outlook, for his assistance;
- John L. Holland, the counseling psychologist whose
theory and research is the foundation of many ideas found
in this site and career counseling, in general;
- The creators of the Guide for Occupational Exploration
at the U.S. Employment Service; and
- Irving L. Janis and Leon Mann for their pioneering
research in the psychological analysis of conflict, decision
making, and commitment.
I also thank the many visitors to the Career Key website
who have offered their encouragement and ideas for strengthening
the site.
|
