Starting Pint # 35: Vocational Activity Readiness Survey

St. Leonard Wellness Program Vocational Activity Readiness Questionnaire- VAR-Q This questionnaire is one of the first steps to take when you are planning to evaluate your vocational wellness. The VAR-Q will help you decide whether or not you may need to seek outside support from your medical team, mentors, or clergy to begin the sometimes emotional process of improving your vocational wellness. Having other professionals involved in your vocational improvement plan is a good idea, as they can help you with the change process. Please read the questions carefully and check YES or NO opposite the question if it applies to you. If yes, please explain. YES NO ____ ____ 1. Has anyone ever suggested that you are underemployed or underutilized? Yes, ____________________________________________ ____ ____ 2. Do you avoid career/volunteer counseling? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 3. Have you neglected to have a strategy for your career/volunteer path? Yes, ____________________________________________ ____ 4. Are you hesitant to take an inventory of your job/volunteer skills? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 5. Have you neglected to plan for succession and /or trained a replacement for your current work or volunteer position? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 6. Are you in a plateau concerning your job/volunteer placement/advancement? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 7. Does the department that you work/volunteer for lack camaraderie, and trust? Yes______________________________________________ ____ ____ 8. Are you a workaholic? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 9. Do you feel disconnected when you work/volunteer with regard to your social interactions with peers or management? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 10. Do you feel that nobody listens to your ideas and concerns? Yes, _____________________________________________ ____ ____ 11. Do you have trouble with contributing to and being happy in your current work/volunteer position? ____ ____ 12. Are you unsure about your career/volunteer choice or retirement goals? Yes, ________________________________________________ If you answered NO to all of the questions above, it gives a general indication that your vocational wellness is stable. You may now wish to keep a journal of your vocational wellness. This journal can act as a teaching tool for others who may need your help in this area. If you answered Yes to any of the above questions, then you should evaluate the issue and develop a plan for improvement in this area. Seek outside support as often as needed, and remember that change can be difficult if it occurs in isolation or without a network of support from friends or family.