Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the CALL and who is Follow Your Calling?

Why was the CALL created?
The CALL Vocational and Life Purpose Guide was developed through a partnership between Focus on the Family, a ministry working to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family; Profiles International a leader in design, validation and delivery of on-line assessments; and Follow Your Calling the exclusive provider of The CALL. Follow Your Calling is dedicated to providing faith-based tools to promote wiser career and life choices.

The CALL was created because of a need within the Christian community to incorporate a spiritual gifts dimension into a Biblically-based validated "whole-person" career assessment tool. The CALL is based on recent research findings making it more accurate.
Who is Follow Your Calling?
Follow Your Calling is a team of career assessment professionals dedicated to providing you with better insight into your life purpose and career decisions. We are the exclusive providers of The CALL Vocational and Life Purpose Guide. For more information, please click on our About Us tab.
Who is Focus on the Family?
Focus on the Family is a ministry working to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family. For more information, go to: www.family.org.
Who is Profiles International?
Profiles International is a leader in design, validation and delivery of on-line assessments. For more information, go to www.profilesinternational.com
How is The CALL different than other career assessment tools?
The CALL Vocational & Life Purpose is really 4 assessments combined into one. There are no other "whole-person" tools like it because The CALL includes our spiritual gifts gifts and ties into The O*NET, the best job resource tool available anywhere. It's also one of the most complete and reliable assessments available today. Click here to learn more.
What is Reliability and Validity?
Validity means the assessment is measuring what it is supposed to measure. The CALL was designed to measure Job-Fit in both secular and ministry occupations. Many other career assessments were designed for reasons other than what they have been marketed and used to do.

Reliability means that the assessment is consistent over time. If you take an assessment today you should get roughly the same results if you take it again in the future.

An assessment can be reliable but not valid. But, an assessment cannot be valid if it is not reliable.
How do I know The CALL has good predictive validity and reliability?
The Thinking Styles, Behavioral Traits and Interests sections have been validated by Profiles International using hundreds of thousands of participants. Average reliability is above .8 for these scales. Anything above .7 is considered reliable.

Once good reliability is established, good validity can be demonstrated by matching top performers to our benchmarks.

2. Taking The CALL

What is the recommended age to take The CALL Vocational
and Life Purpose Guide?
We recommend the assessment for those who are at least 16 years old. While there are some exceptions to this, our research indicates most high school juniors or seniors have the necessary verbal and numeric education to answer the questions. They will also have some background from which to answer questions involving personality, interests and gifts.
How long does it take to complete The CALL?
The CALL takes about an hour to complete. We strongly recommend you find a quiet time when you can complete the assessment without being interrupted. However, if you get interrupted, it's easy for you to return at a later time and pick up where you left off.
How do I sign up to take The CALL?

In order to take the assessment, you must first register online.

When you click on the "Take The CALL--- Start Here" red button to purchase The CALL, the registration page will appear. You will be asked to provide payment information as well as a unique user name and password to create your user profile. This user profile will also allow you to:

� resume work on an incomplete assessment
� view your results after you've completed the assessment

To register:
From your Microsoft Internet Explorer browser, click the Register button. This will take you to the registration page for The CALL.

In the section, "Assessment User Information," create a unique User Name (6 to 25 characters, letters and/or numbers), and a Password (4 to 20 numbers or case-sensitive characters). Re-enter the password to confirm.

NOTE: This user name authorizes you to access The CALL assessment, save a partial assessment or view and print results from completed assessments.

Complete remaining fields with your name, e-mail address and payment information, and then click Continue.

NOTE: All major credit cards are accepted for payment.
Review the information submitted. If you need to make any corrections, use your browser's Back button. If all the information is correct, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Purchase.
Is there a time limit for completing the assessment?
There is no time limit, so take as long as you wish. Most people will finish in about an hour. We highly recommend that you find a quiet time when you can complete the assessment without being interrupted.
If I am unable to complete the CALL, can I save it and come back to it later?
Yes. Be sure to write down and remember the user name and password you create when you register, and keep this information in a safe place where you can refer to it later.
Are there different versions of The CALL for professionals, career changers, parents, students, ministry, etc.?
No, there is only one version of The CALL Vocational & Life Purpose Guide. The questions are the same for everyone taking the assessment, but the report is personalized to you, based upon your answers to the questions.
Why are spiritual (motivational) gifts part of The CALL?
We believe everyone has at least one gift that will give us extra motivation and greater satisfaction. We believe we are to use our gifts to honor our Creator by serving others. For more information, please click here.
Why are there math and word problems in the assessment?
Research shows that math and verbal skills are excellent predictors of job success. Practically speaking, if you have a job that is a close match with your math and verbal capabilities, you are more likely to enjoy and be competent at that job. Some of the problems measure your ability to remember things you probably learned in high school. Other problems measure how well you can reason based on the information you have.
How many questions are on The CALL?
In order to establish good reliability and validity, we have 325 questions on The CALL. These questions give you a valid measurement in 27 different dimensions of your gifts, abilities, personality and interests. There are seven sections of questions in The CALL.

3. Pricing and Ordering The CALL

Why do you charge $79 for The CALL?
For $79, The CALL will pay for itself many times over by giving you the wisdom to choose wisely and avoid costly mistakes with your career and education.

Some people question why we don't make this assessment tool available for free. Here are 7 reasons that The CALL gives you more value for your investment.

The CALL has been thoroughly tested to ensure quality and accuracy of results. Many commonly used low-cost or free career assessments and tests lack "predictive validity" (accuracy of results). Many are not even statistically validated. As a result, they can lead you in the wrong direction.
The CALL is more comprehensive than other popular assessments, measuring 27 distinct dimensions, and the extensive reports are customized to you. Our assessment measures cognitive abilities (Thinking Style), which is the single best indicator or predictor of job success. Many other career tools completely ignore this measurement of abilities. As a result, you may choose a career that is a complete mismatch of your talents and abilities for your job.
The CALL measures the seven spiritual or "motivational" gifts, as defined in Romans 12. Most commonly used assessments employ secular methods or "pop psychology," which are at odds with a biblical Christian worldview -- and give you no insight into your spiritual gifts. We believe that understanding and using your spiritual gifts has great value, both practically and spiritually.
The CALL is priced competitively. Other sophisticated assessments like The CALL used by career and counseling professionals can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars, while giving you no virtually insight into your spiritual gifts or many of the dimensions of our assessment.
The CALL can help you achieve more job satisfaction by using your God-given strengths, abilities, and gifts. Your career choice is an important decision, with practical, spiritual and financial consequences. Over your lifetime, the average person will make over a million dollars. It makes economic sense to choose a job that is right for you.
It has taken over 3 years to develop The CALL, including research and validation, technical programming, customized reporting and development of all the necessary web-based resources to make the assessment a useful and valuable experience for you.
We understand that other assessments are available for free. However, we think that The CALL provides you with more value, career direction and depth of insight than any other tool available today.

How Do I Register To Take The CALL?
In order to take the assessment, you must first register online.

When you click on the "Take The CALL -- Start Here" red button to purchase The CALL, the registration page will appear. You will be asked to provide payment information as well as a unique user name and password to create your user profile. This user profile will allow you to:
� resume work on incomplete assessments
� view results of completed assessments

To register:
From your Microsoft Internet Explorer browser, click the Register button. This will take you to the registration page for The CALL^TM .

In the section, "Assessment User Information," create a unique User Name (6 to 25 characters, letters and/or numbers), and a Password (4 to 20 numbers or case-sensitive characters). Re-enter the password to confirm.
NOTE: This user name authorizes you to access The CALL^TM assessment, save a partial assessment or view and print results from completed assessments.
Complete remaining fields with your name, e-mail address and payment information, and then click Continue.
NOTE: All major credit cards are accepted for payment.
Review the information submitted. If you need to make any corrections, use your browser's Back button. If all the information is correct, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Purchase.
Do you accept any payment methods other than credit cards?
Yes. We are happy to email you an invoice with payment options. Please email us at CustomerService@FollowYourCalling.com. Or, you are welcome to call us at 303-400-3574.
Can I take The CALL on paper instead of the computer?
Yes. Please email us at CustomerService@FollowYourCalling.com and we will be happy to include our booklet of questions in an email reply back to you.
How do I get a refund?
If you�re not satisfied with The CALL within 30 days from the date of taking The CALL, send an email to us at customersupport@followyourcalling.com with the words �Refund Request� on the subject line, and we�ll refund your purchase price. We need to have the name of the person who registered for the assessment. Refunds will only be made as a credit to the credit card used to purchase your assessment. Sorry, no cash refunds are available.
What information will appear on my credit card statement?
A transaction with �Profiles International, Inc.� will appear on your credit card statement. During your registration process, a receipt is displayed showing payment information and a registration reference number. Use the Print button on your browser to print this receipt for your records.
Are quantity discounts available?
Yes. We offer discounts for Christian Schools, Churches, Ministries and qualified re-sellers. Please email us at customersupport@followyourcalling.com for more information.

4. Technical and Computer Questions

What kind of computer set-up do I need?
Most personal computer systems with internet access and a browser will be adequate. Access to our system works best with Internet Explorer. Reports are generated in RTF (Rich Text Format) which is readable by most computers.

Viewing The CALL reports requires Microsoft Word (97 or greater) or Microsoft Word Viewer (97 or greater). If you have a Macintosh computer, you will need "Word for Mac" software to view The Call report.
What does the VeriSign logo in the registration area of The CALL vocational assessment mean?
The Profiles International Web site is a VeriSign Secure Site. The VeriSign Secured Seal assures you that the Profiles International Web site has been authenticated by VeriSign and that confidential transactions with this site are secured by SSL encryption.
What is the file size of my report if I use the email function? How can I access my CALL report online?
Your CALL report is around 455 Kb (less than one-half Mb). Your CALL report is available at www.profilesontheWeb.com. Log in with the username and password you created. (If you have lost or forgotten your username and/or password, the system will help you). Once you have successfully logged in, click on My Schedule on the left side of the page. Next, click on the word "reporting" (this will appear after you have completed The CALL). You will then have the option of either e-mailing your report or calling it up on your screen.

5. Getting Your CALL results

How soon are my results available after I complete my assessment?
Immediately.
After I complete The CALL, how do I view my report on-line at a later time?
Your CALL report is available at www.profilesontheWeb.com. Log in with the username and password you created. (If you have lost or forgotten your username and/or password, the system will help you). Once you have successfully logged in, click on My Schedule on the left side of the page. Next, click on the word "reporting" (this will appear after you have completed The CALL). You will then have the option of either e-mailing your report or calling it up on your screen.
Why can't I Log In to access my report?
Make sure you are using the correct User Name and password when you registered. Only the password is case sensitive.

If you have forgotten your User Name, you can look it up by clicking on the button called "Look it up." Be sure the use the same email address you used when registering.

If you have forgotten your password, click on "Get a new one" button and our system will email you a new one.
I cannot remember my password.
If you have forgotten your password, click on "Get a new one" button and our system will email you a new one.

6. How to get the most out of your CALL report

Will my scores change over time?
It is highly unlikely your CALL scores will radically change over time, with one exception. It is not uncommon for an individual�s interests (see "Your Occupational Interests" section of your report) to change over time. For instance, if you are now 35-40, you may have interests that are quite different from those you had when you were 16. The more reliable predictors of your job success and satisfaction (see "Your Thinking Style" section of your report) will generally not change substantially over time.
How will The CALL help me determine my life purpose now that I have completed The CALL?
The seven motivational gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8 (see the "Your Motivational Gifts" section of your CALL report) reveal our natural path to maturity and becoming like Jesus. Since we are created by God, and given gifts for accomplishing His purposes, it follows that our purpose is then to use those gifts for Him during our lives. Listed below is a short statement of general life purpose for each of the seven gifts in Romans 12:

Prophesying: boldly and persuasively standing up for truth
Serving: helping to expedite practical tasks for others
Teaching: researching and explaining the truth
Encouraging: offering uplifting and positive hope through faith
Contributing: finding and generously providing needed resources
Leadership: orchestrating people, resources and tasks for results
Showing Mercy: providing emotional support to others

While anyone can grow strong and mature in all seven of these "Jesus-like" characteristics, one or two will remain constant and dominant throughout your life. When you follow your dominant gifts, you will feel the most satisfied, be the most productive and be following your Calling.

Read (or re-read) Rick Warren's best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, which is full of valuable insights and practical advice.
Where can I learn more about the Motivational Gifts listed
in Romans 12?
There are many excellent resources devoted to the seven gifts listed in Romans 12. Some of our favorites include:
- Any translation of the Bible
- Unraveling the Mystery Of the Motivational Gifts by Rick Walston, Xulon Press, 2002.
- Ministering Through Spiritual Gifts, Recognize your Personal Gifts and Use Them to Further the Kingdom by Charles Stanley, Thomas Nelson publishers, 1999
- The Institute In Basic Life Principles. (www.IBLP.org)
- Any of the books by Don and Katie Fortune. (http://www.thefoundationonline.com)
- On Target Ministries. (www.otm.org)
- The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
How can I use The CALL to get an ideal job?
There are no guarantees for success in this life. Choosing the right occupation can be a million-dollar decision when you consider your accumulated pay over your lifetime. Invest the time necessary to make a wise career decision. Start by studying your CALL results, then use the resources on this web site. Consider showing your report to show career advisors or potential employers, too.
How can I use my CALL report with a coach or counselor?
Seeking out wise counsel and advice is a good way to make better choices. Scripture supports the use of wise counselors. Consider:

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who listens to counsel is wise." Proverbs 12:15 (AMP)

"Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success." Proverbs 15:22 (NLT)

"Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." Proverbs 11:14 (MSG)

"Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed." Proverbs 15:22 (MSG)

A skilled counselor/coach can help you create an action plan based on your CALL report.
How can I use my CALL report with my resume and job search?

Proverbs 27:2 says: "Don't praise yourself; let others do it!" (NLT). Your CALL report is loaded with positive and objective third party praise. Because of the faith-based wording in The CALL, you should use your discretion in what pages you show a perspective employer.

Combining the wisdom of Proverbs 27:2 and The CALL just might result in the right job for you.
Is it possible to have your link put on our organization�s web site?
Yes. Send us an email at customerservice@FollowYourCalling.com
How can I pass along a suggestion, comment or idea to you?
Email us at customersupport@followyourcalling.com. We want to make The CALL more useful for helping people discover their calling.

7. Tips for taking The CALL

Is there anything that might create a problem, skew the results or create incorrect scores in my assessment report?
Use of calculators, dictionaries or help from others is discouraged, and will only result in an inaccurate report. Answering questions dishonestly, trying to give an answer that might appear more "acceptable" or just guessing at answers instead of doing your best to correctly answer questions can also provide inaccurate results.
Will my scores likely to change over time?
It is highly unlikely your CALL scores will radically change over time, with one exception. It is not uncommon for an individual's interests (see "Your Occupational Interests" section of your report) to change over time. For instance, if you are now 35-40, you may have interests that are quite different from those you had when you were 16. More reliable predictors of your job success and satisfaction (see "Your Thinking Style" section of your report) will generally not change substantially over time.
Do I have to answer every question?
No. Just do your best to answer all questions to the best of your ability. Section 1 allows a total of seven omitted answers. Sections 2 and 7 each allow a total of three omitted answers. However, if you exceed the maximum omissions allowed, the system will not permit you to continue until you have provided more answers.
If I am unable to complete the CALL, can I save it and come back to it later?
Yes. Be sure to write down and remember the user name and password you create when you register, and keep this information in a safe place where you can refer to it later.
What is the best way to answer questions?
The CALL is not a "test." You cannot flunk who you are. Therefore, in an effort to discover how God has "wired" you, you should provide honest input and answer all questions to the best of your ability.

Of the seven sections, Sections 1, 2 and 7 have no "right" or "wrong" answers.

Section 1 has 142 "yes" or "no" questions. Respond with the answer that first comes to mind that is true more than half the time.

Sections 2 and 7 are "forced choice" questions in which you must decide between two different activities. We recognize in some cases neither option will appeal to you, and in some cases both options might appeal to you, however, please use the "two-second rule" and go with your first impression that is true the majority of the time. Our research shows that this method produces valid results.

Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 involve word usage and number calculation. While you are welcome to use scratch paper for calculations, if you use any other tool such as a calculator, dictionary, word finder or outside help you will distort your results and they will not be accurate. Therefore, we recommend you use only scratch paper and pencil as an aid.
Can I go back and change my answers?
Once you click on the "Complete" button at the end of the questions, you cannot change any answers. Prior to that, it is easy to review all your answers and make changes.
Why are there math and word problems in the assessment?
Research shows that math and verbal skills are excellent predictors of job success. Practically speaking, if you have a job that is a close match with your math and verbal capabilities, you are more likely to enjoy and be competent at that job. Some of the problems measure your ability to remember things you probably learned in high school. Other problems measure how well you can reason based on the information you have.
Why are Motivational Gifts included in The CALL?
Read "About Motivational Gifts" here.
How are motivational gifts different from other spiritual gifts?
There are many resources, opinions, controversies and positions on the topic of spiritual gifts. Generally speaking, the Bible says that "Spiritual Gifts" (beyond Motivational Gifts) are given to believers on a situational basis by the Holy Spirit, and are used by God to "edify" (instruct, build up, strengthen, grow, enlighten) believers, in the Church, the Body of Christ. We recommend that you explore the topic thoroughly for yourself, considering the Bible as the final authority. Learn more here
Is there a time limit for completing the assessment? There is not a time limit, so take as long as you wish. Most people will finish in about an hour. We highly recommend that you find a quiet time when you can complete the assessment without being interrupted.

8. What is the O*NET online?

What is the O*NET?
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is a comprehensive US Department of Labor database of worker attributes and job characteristics . As the replacement for the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), O*NET will be the nation's primary source of occupational information.

O*NET is being developed as a timely, easy-to-use resource that supports public and private sector efforts to identify and develop the skills of the American workforce. It provides a common language for defining and describing occupations. Its flexible design also captures rapidly changing job requirements. In addition, O*NET moves occupational information into the technological age.

It provides the essential foundation for facilitating career counseling, education, employment and training activities. The database contains information about knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs), interests, general work activities (GWAs) and work context. O*NET data and structure will also link related occupational, educational and labor market information databases to the system.

O*NET may be used to:

Align educational and job training curricula with current workplace needs
Create occupational clusters based on KSA information
Develop job descriptions or specifications, job orders and resumes
Facilitate employee training and development initiatives
Develop and supplement assessment tools to identify worker attributes
Structure compensation and reward systems
Evaluate and forecast human resource requirements
Design and implement organizational development initiatives
Identify criteria to establish performance appraisal and management systems
Identify criteria to guide selection and placement decisions
Create skills-match profiles
Explore career options that capitalize on individual KSA profiles
Target recruitment efforts to maximize person-job-organization fit
Improve vocational and career counseling effort

For more information, visit O*NET OnLine at
http://online.onetcenter.org

How do I access the O*NET online?
http://online.onetcenter.org

9. About Job-Fit Percentages

What do Job-Fit percentages mean?
Click here to Understanding Job-Fit - Key to Your Ideal Career
How are the Job-Fit percentages calculated?
Click here to Understanding Job-Fit - Key to Your Ideal Career
What if my highest Job-Fit score is less than 70%?
Everyone has at least one job in the world where they are a high job fit compatibility percentage. If you have very few job matches above 70%, don't be discouraged. It's very possible that one of the following explanations may be true for you:

You may not be destined to work in one of the common occupations listed in The CALL report. You may be more ideally suited to work in a rare and less common occupation. If so, pay extra attention to your gifts, thinking style, personality and interests. The narrative bullet points are designed to give you a roadmap for choosing wisely.
Your Call scores may be inaccurate. If you were not relaxed or able to fully concentrate when you answered the questions, your report may not give an accurate picture of you. The seven sections of the assessment usually take about an hour. We have had some cases where people answer on a random basis, not a thoughtful basis. This can throw off the overall scores, especially on the sections with numbers and words.

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