What does this tool do?

The Work Values Matcher helps you learn about the workplace values that are important to you. The method of identifying your work values is a card sort: you read and consider 20 statements about your work preferences then rank them in order of importance.

Your results will show how your preferences relate to six core work values. You’ll also see a list of careers that might be a good fit for your work values, and learn how to research job opportunities and employers to find the right workplace for your individual values.

What are work values?

Work values are a person's beliefs about which traits are most important in their work. For example, your work values might include working independently, gaining recognition from supervisors, or having close relationships at work. 

Every place of work also operates by particular values that create its workplace culture. A company culture might be built around valuing innovation, customer relationships, or speed of service, for example.

How do I get started?

When you click “Get Started” you’ll come to a screen with a stack of 20 cards. Each card has a statement that describes a trait you could have in a job such as “I use my talents and abilities." Follow the instructions on the page to rank each of these 20 statements—you’ll be placing each of the cards into a category such as “Most important” “Somewhat important,” according to how important each is to you in your ideal job.

Place the top card of the deck in any of three ways:

• Click the blue heading ("Most", "Less", etc.) of the category you want to place it in.
• Click any open space in the column you want to place it in.
• Click the card and drag it to the correct column while still clicking it, then release it anywhere in the correct column.

Once you’ve placed all the cards, click “See My Results” in the middle of the screen. If you don't see a “See My Results” button, you haven't finished placing all the cards.

Can I change my answers while I’m still sorting the cards?

Yes, you can move your cards to new categories at any time. You have three options:

• Click on any card you want to move and drag it to a new spot while you’re clicking on it. When you release, the card will stay in the new spot.
• Click the X in the upper right corner of any card you’ve placed; that card will move back to the deck of cards and you can re-place it.
• Click “Start Over” on the lower right of your screen. This will clear all of the cards you’ve placed and you can begin placing them again.

How does the Work Values Matcher come up with results?

The Work Values Matcher uses a statistical formula to compare your 20 ranked statements to the work values ratings associated with more than 900 O*NET occupations. More details may be found at O*NET's Work Importance Locator.

Where does this information come from?

The Work Values Matcher is based on the O*NET® Work Importance Locator™. Additional information in this tool is from the O*NET Work Values dataset from the O*NET 29.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Who can I contact for help?

If you have questions about career planning, please contact your local American Job Center. If you have questions about how the Work Values Matcher works, please contact the CareerOneStop Service Center at info@careeronestop.org.