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Beth Person

Legal Career Compass, Basic Report
Law School Transparency
Introduction 00
Back to Table of ContentsThe Legal Career Compass Basic Report is designed to help you better understand yourself and how well the law is a fit for your career.
Your personalized report contains the following sections:
Cognitive Super Power: Your dominant Go-to Behavior is your Superpower, one that is fast, easy to use, and you may not even know that you have it or use it.
Distinctive Qualities: These are your most identifying characteristics, or how you're different from the norm as compared to our database of attorneys.
Career and Work Satisfaction: Uses your personality type to help illustrate what sort of work environments and core values suit you best.
Legal Trait Analysis: Quickly shows you all 22 traits measured by the Sheffield Legal Assessment and how your scores compare to our global database of attorneys.
Legal Career Satisfaction Score: Provides an overview of which practice areas and work settings might be most enjoyable and satisfying for you.
Engagement Styles: Describes how you prefer to interact and engage with others you are working with in order to help you visualize how you can make the biggest and most significant contributions.
We also recommend listening to our podcast, I Am The Law, which is available at LawSchoolTransparency.com/podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Both this report and the podcast can be used with the tools available on LST. When deciding on whether and where to attend law school, consider how well various schools can help you achieve your career goals. For example, if you have zero interest in working for a large law firm and instead want to practice family law in a particular state, it may not make sense to spend more money on a traditionally elite school. Different law schools have different strengths, especially as it relates to which employers (work settings) graduates of a school tend to find jobs with.
Premium Reports
There are two additional reports and eight toolkits that expand upon this report in many helpful ways. You can upgrade your report at LawSchoolTransparency.com/compass. Demos of each report are available there too.
01 Cognitive Super Power - Expanded
Back to Table of ContentsThis section describes your Superpower; your dominant, "go to" behavior that is so natural, fast, and easy to access, you may not even know you have or are using it.

Super Analyzing
Beth’s Superpower
- Compelled to help by making certain everything is accurate and logically consistent
- Does everything in her power to ensure things are properly categorized, sorted, identified and labeled
- Beth may sometimes be overly critical in an earnest attempt to help and make things better
- She loves analyzing to uncover the one most perfect solution to a problem
- Beth typically thinks all problems can and should be solved by logic and reasoning
Good Day

System Thinker
Bad Day

Sarcastic Critic
Super Analyzing
Beth understands logic and analyzes or figures out the essential principles. That is what Super Analyzing is all about. Those with this superpower are constantly evaluating, defining, and identifying if something is correct or incorrect based on the sophisticated logical models and complex mental concepts they use.
For Beth it is very frustrating that most other people do not logically analyze or figure out their decisions. She often can't turn off the need to analyze things. Those with Super Analyzing are often dismayed because almost the entire world seems illogical or 'stupid' to them.
Her sophisticated analysis can sometimes result in a fairly biting wit. And when overused this can result in a perfectionist approach and evaluation of both herself and those around her.
It is also this constant mental sharpening that results in amazing progress on any problem that can be analyzed and solved by principles. Beth often thinks all problems can and should be solved by logic and reasoning.
Original work by: Sterling Bates Gene Bellotti © Step Research Corporation
02 Distinctive Qualities
Back to Table of ContentsBased on your results on the Sheffield Assessment, this chapter shows your most distinctive, "stand out" characteristics relative to the attorneys in our database.
We have ranked your scores on each of the 22 traits from the Sheffield Assessment in terms of how distinguishable they are from the scores of the attorneys, representing 24 different practice areas and 6 work settings, in our sample. Based on that ranking, this chapter highlights several traits where your scores could make you “stand out” from the crowd. If you want to see your scores on all 22 traits relative to satisfied attorneys in our world-wide database, you can find them in the chapter Legal Trait Analysis.
As much as we seek to measure everything perfectly, that's not actually possible. Indeed, no matter how good the Sheffield is, it is not able to predict whether you can or will be successful or satisfied in any particular work setting. Therefore, it's still incumbent upon you, as the expert on yourself, to look at the qualities and determine how important the opportunity to exercise them at work is to you.
For qualities you don’t place much weight on, knowing that they are less likely to be represented in a particular setting may not have much of an impact on how eager or interested you are to explore that work setting further. But for those you do care about, knowing how likely it is that these qualities will be well-represented can be useful information in helping you to prioritize which work settings to investigate first. Moreover, when there is a mismatch between the qualities that are important to you and what’s representative in an otherwise appealing setting, this information can help you anticipate the need to “sell” the value of these qualities, as well as to look for other avenues in which you can gain the satisfaction of using them.
Self-Starter
Beth frequently takes initiative to complete tasks without requiring instruction or supervision from others. People with strengths in this area will recognize a need, develop a plan for completing a task and work towards completion of the task all on their own. Individuals with above average levels of this trait also generally possess higher emotional intelligence, as they generally express their thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a direct, yet constructive way.
Development Opportunities:
Beth prefers to drive projects forward and does so comfortably without getting input from others. However, she may need to watch that she doesn't disregard important norms, rules, or procedures that others hold dear, even if Beth may fail to see their merit. Moderation and restraint can be important behaviors for Beth to cultivate. Beth can try stepping back and examining situations more closely and carefully before getting going.
Goal-Driven
Beth frequently sets goals for planning purposes or for measuring personal or organizational success. Her goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about her future, and for turning this vision of the future into reality. Multiple studies have shown that explicit goal-setting has been found to be a shared trait among highly successful people.
Development Opportunities:
Beth’s drive to manage her life and career, set goals, and work her plan usually promises that milestones get realized. Her resolve and determination are admirable but if not managed carefully, can keep Beth stuck; confining her to following the letter of her plan rather than operating out of the spirit of it. Without some attention to this inclination, Beth may find herself unable to take advantage of spontaneous opportunities to learn and grow because they aren’t on the schedule. Beth would do well to occasionally ask herself if her plans and goals are still as appropriate as they were in the beginning. If not, Beth would do well to reflect on what has changed, and what she might have missed by being so single-minded.
Predictability
Beth finds comfort in predictable, routine patterns. This is a positive characteristic for practice areas that are more stable and systematic in nature such as regulatory, tax, insurance, finance, and other related practices.
Development Opportunities:
Beth may need to balance the tendency to stick with the familiar by making an effort to seek fresh or unique perspectives. Starting a new tradition, in which Beth seeks to learn more about what makes a project or person especially interesting or noteworthy, can act as motivator to keep her going when things feel unpredictable. Being willing to entertain and explore trends or possibilities keeps the lines of communication open, allows a more comprehensive view, and may provide Beth with a heads-up about changes that lie ahead.
Original work by: Sterling Bates Mark Levin Karl Schmitt © Step Research Corporation
03 Career and Work Satisfaction
Back to Table of ContentsThis section uses your personality type to help illustrate the work environments best aligned with your core values.
Beth prefers these environmental and cultural attributes at work:
Beth does best at work when the company’s culture aligns with her personal values. Based on her personality type, Beth prefers an environment where:
- Management allows people to be self-directed
- The culture appreciates fair but tough decision-making
- The environment, culture and pace allow you to consider things fully before having to respond
- The environment allows for freedom and flexibility and is loosely structured without too many rules
Based upon her personality type, Beth should consider these industries and professions:
- There are several opportunities to demonstrate competence
- The work allows you to utilize your natural ability to analyze and make objective, logical decisions
- The work involves theory and speculation
- The work involves creativity, imagination and a creative approach to problem solving
- The work involves looking beyond the present i.e., future possibilities, future products, future actions
- The work is not limited to what exists today but involves "what may be" and "what could be"
Those with Beth's personality prefer careers in which:
- Management allows people to be self-directed
- The culture appreciates fair but tough decision-making
- The work offers the opportunity to rapidly change direction and to respond to problems as they arise
- The work is fun and allows for some spontaneity
- You can apply your natural ability to focus and concentrate, rather than multitasking
- The environment allows for freedom and flexibility and is loosely structured without too many rules
- The environment, culture and pace allow you to consider things fully before having to respond
- The work allows you to work at a careful steady pace
- The work allows you adequate private time to work alone and to concentrate
- The environment allows for freedom and flexibility and is loosely structured without too many rules
The natural abilities and strengths of Beth's personality type include:
When Beth is able to utilize fully her natural abilities and talents, she performs at a higher level. Her ability to perform well and enjoy her job depends upon the degree to which she is able to leverage and capitalize on her strengths.
Beth has probably already experienced something like this: Her work aligns well with her natural abilities and she is motivated to bring her best to her roles and responsibilities. Her performance seems to flow, progress on projects is smooth, and the outcomes are successful.
The opposite is also true. When Beth is not working on a project or studying a subject not aligned with her natural abilities, her stress level tends to increase and she finds it difficult to face into her obligations. The result is not satisfying or satisfactory. The key is for Beth to be in "alignment" with her work.
Every profession offers a variety of roles and work expectations. This is true even within a specific role. If Beth can direct her career path into industries and roles where she is able to align and develop her natural abilities, she will be more satisfied and successful.
Anyone can work on developing a skill. When a skill is listed below, we are referring to a "preference" toward that skill. The person is likely to enjoy using and developing the skill. When something is listed as a "natural ability", it is refering to the same concept, a preference. It does not automatically mean the person has or will develop it. It does mean that the person will likely prefer and enjoy developing the ability. Which means a likelihood of spending more time developing it.
- Natural ability to think strategically
- Natural ability for coordinating, organizing and leading
- Natural ability to make things more efficient
- Natural ability to improve systems
- Natural ability to solve very complex problems
- Naturally ingenious
- Natural ability to invent and create
- Natural ability to study and learn technology and science
- Natural ability for research and development
- Natural ability to work independently without supervision
- Naturally persistent and resolute
Beth's core values likely include:
Her professional environment should align with her core values in order to achieve maximum job satisfaction and career success. The common core values for her personality type include:
- Demonstrated competence
- Achievement
- Creativity
- Ingenuity
- Knowledge
- Constant learning
- Excellence
- Perfection
- Independence
- New challenges
- Being calm, emotion free
- Logic
- Minimal repetitive work
- Rewards and recognition are for problem solving in creative and innovative ways
- The ability to work without much direction is appreciated
04 Legal Trait Analysis
Back to Table of ContentsThis chapter summarizes your results on all 22 traits measured by the Sheffield Assessment and allows you to compare your scores to the range for each trait derived from our database of attorneys
This chapter visually lays out your scores on the 22 traits measured in the Sheffield Assessment and how these compare to the range we computed for each trait using the scores of the attorneys in our global database.
The vertical, blue bar indicates where your score falls on each trait spectrum/trait continuum and the green band indicates the range into which the scores of 95% of attorneys in our sample fall (the mean score, plus two standard deviations in either direction). When your score for a trait falls outside the green band (the range) this is depicted by a yellow border. Being inside the green band on every trait is not a guarantee that you will find success in the legal profession. Moreover, having a score that falls outside of the green band on one or more traits does not mean you cannot become a successful member of the legal profession.
Each trait has a midpoint dividing it into two halves or poles. A pole or half being shaded blue, and its label being highlighted with bold type, tells you that your score lies closer to that pole of the trait spectrum/trait continuum. Because the range of results from the attorneys in our sample (the green band) always straddles the midpoint, neither the distance between your score and the midpoint, nor the side on which your score falls determines the likelihood of your success in the legal profession.
Although there are multiple profiles of successful and satisfied attorneys, when your scores on these traits are more similar to the attorneys in our sample, working in the legal field may be more comfortable. When your scores on these traits are more dissimilar, working in the legal field may be more demanding. However, your personal goals, desire to work in the field, and work ethic will be the most important drivers of success.
Visual Display of Your 22 Sheffield Trait Results
Original work by: Sterling Bates Mark Levin Karl Schmitt © Step Research Corporation
05 Legal Career Satisfaction Score
Back to Table of ContentsBased on the thousands of attorneys in our system, we use your Sheffield Assessment results to lay out which areas of law would suit you best.
From the perspective of a law practice, this information can help lower costs and lawyer turnover by placing prospective lawyers into areas of law that suit them, so that they will be the most satisfied with their role and what they do.
Satisfaction Score
This section provides insight as to which practice areas and work settings might be the best fit for Beth. Better fits are shown higher on each list, and are based upon trait patterns of thousands of attorneys and their reported satisfaction levels with their practice and work settings. The median score is 50 – satisfied with one’s work setting and practice area roughly half of the time. To be clear, this section is not saying that Beth couldn’t be successful in lower scoring practice areas or settings. Our research suggests, however, practice areas and settings with higher Satisfaction Scores will feel more natural. This section also refers to various types of law and practice areas. Curious about what attorneys in these practice areas do? Check out our resources page here for more information.
There are numerous good sources on the internet that describe these practice areas and what attorneys in each of these practices tend to do. One we find particularly good can be found here.
Similarity by Practice Areas
Similarity by Work Setting
Original work by: Sterling Bates Mark Levin Karl Schmitt © Step Research Corporation
06 Engagement Styles
Back to Table of ContentsThis section describes how you prefer to interact and engage when you are working with others in order to help you realize how you can make the biggest, most significant contributions.
Beth's Engagement Style:
- Your dominant engagement style describes how you prefer to interact and engage with others, especially when working on a project.
- Your engagement style can be helpful in identifying how you prefer to interact with teammates and how you make your best contributions.
- Each engagement style has several key opportunities for making a project successful.
- When an engagement style is overused, then that style can create threats to a project's success.
Opportunities | Threats | Score | |
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Opportunities
|
Threats
|
30 |
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Opportunities
|
Threats
|
55 |
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Opportunities
|
Threats
|
10 |
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Opportunities
|
Threats
|
5 |
Original work by: Sterling Bates Gene Bellotti © Step Research Corporation