5 minute read
CAREER DEVELOPMENT What's your AQ?
How adaptable are you to change in your career?
By Melanie Hayes
MOST OF US have heard of IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient) – but what is AQ? AQ is Adaptability Quotient, and it is gaining increasing attention due to the ever-changing nature of work. While IQ focuses on knowledge and facts, and EQ on emotional awareness and abilities, AQ focuses on one’s ability to be agile and adapt to change. It should be noted though that these metrics don’t function in isolation from one another - research has highlighted the importance in developing emotional intelligence to strengthen career adaptability. (1) To be adaptable, it is necessary to have a strong sense of self-awareness, to be able to regulate your own emotional responses, and to empathise with others.
AQ is not a new concept in career development literature. Some 40 years ago, Super and Knasel (1981) defined the term career adaptability as one’s “readiness to cope with changing work and working conditions”. (2) More recently, Savickas (2005) has identified four core competencies for career adaptability: concern, control, curiosity, and confidence. These reflect an individual’s ability to be aware of and prepare for the future, to take personal responsibility for their career, to explore and learn, and to successfully overcome obstacles. (3) AQ helps individuals to adapt to unpredictability, changing demands, and career transitions throughout their life. (4) Further, research has shown that career adaptability is important for career satisfaction. (5)
How can you develop your AQ?
Here are some simple activities that might help you respond positively to life and work changes:
• Take time to consider your values and motivations, and how you would like them to influence your work
• Plan how to achieve the goals you have for yourself
• Learn new skills (continuing professional development)
• Boost your resilience by identifying examples of change in your life, and how you positively responded to this change (or alternatively, how you would behave differently next time)
There are also Career Development resources in the Members area of the DHAA website, which may help you learn about career development across the lifespan, and how to work towards fulfilling and meaningful careers.
Dr Melanie Hayes (PhD) is a dental hygienist who has enjoyed a diverse career in clinical practice, teaching, research and management. She has a Master of Education majoring in Career Development, and is now working in an interdisciplinary role at the University of Sydney.
Adapting to survive
Jacquie Biggar is an ideal example of somebody reacting to her environment to remain relevant
THE WORLD OF work is constantly changing, and this has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For this edition, I interviewed Jacquie Biggar from Senior Dental Care about her career, and as you can see from her diverse range of work experiences and her ability to adapt her new business during COVID-19, AQ was an important part of her career journey.
Tell us about your current role.
My current role involves being a jack of all trades. I am helping manage a private practice as well as being a clinician. Unfortunately, the students at the University of Sydney are not treating patients due to COVID-19 so my clinical educator role is on hold.
I started a new business called Senior Dental Care at the start of the year which has definitely been a highlight and has taught me a whole new role as being a business owner.
What education or experience did you need for this role?
Being a business owner is something I am learning about all the time, I have never owned a business before, and the only experience I have had in the past is the small managing roles in private clinics.
I completed the Graduate Certificate of Oral Health Science in 2018 and this gave me the scope and confidence to be able to treat people over 18. The Senior Dental Cares model is to provide continuous preventative dental treatment to seniors that are in and out of aged care facilities. This extra study wasn’t required but it gave me confidence in my examination and diagnosis skills for referrals.
What are the day-to-day activities?
Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit a fortnight after my first day of patients and since then it has been difficult to access these high-risk patients. I have taken this time to refine my business plan and incorporated teledentistry.
I have also tried to grow my social media presence and have kept in contact with a few people who are interested in doing something similar!
What’s the scariest or most challenging part of choosing an alternate career path?
Instead of choosing an alternate path altogether I chose to work part time in private practice as I increase awareness of my services. It was super scary to take the leap of becoming a business owner as I felt out of my depth with the taxation/accounting side of things, however I would choose to do it over again and again!
I have had the idea of Senior Dental Care brewing for over eight years but roadblock after roadblock stopped me from going ahead with it, the best piece of advice I was given was from an old boss and practice owner, just do it and learn along the way, you’re never going to know everything!
Were there people along the way who helped you get the career you wanted?
Mentors are so important and I’m so lucky to have a few of them in my life! My family friends were great support but the people who were in the industry and who are already business owners were the people who helped the most! I surrounded myself with people who provided support and advice and this was priceless.
Do you have any advice for DH or OHT who are looking for a change from clinical practice?
Yes definitely, there are so many career pathways other than clinical practice! We are health professionals who have a set of very unique skills, if you are at all interested in other things like business ownership or education explore them! I highly recommend both!
References: 1 Coetzee, M., & Harry, N. (2014). Emotional intelligence as a predictor of employees’ career adaptability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 84(1), 90-97. 2 Super, D. E., & Knasel, E. G. (1981). Career development in adulthood: Some theoretical problems and a possible solution. British Journal of Guidance &Counselling, 9, 194- 201. doi:10.1080/03069888108258214 3 Savickas, M. L. (2005). The theory and practice of career construction. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 42–70). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons 4 Maggiori, C., Rossier, J., & Savickas, M. L. (2017). Career adapt-abilities scale–short form (CAAS-SF): Construction and validation. Journal of Career Assessment, 25(2), 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072714565856 5 Chan, S. H. J., & Mai, X. (2015). The relation of career adaptability to satisfaction and turnover intentions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 89, 130-139.
