Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Amy Mazur, Ed. M., NCC, MCDP

Career Development Specialist

amym@careercounselorsne.org

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your

one wild and precious life?-Mary Oliver

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Take a Breath– What happens?

A Metaphor– What we will do today– What you will do with clients

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Outline

– Introduction– Career Development Overview– Principles and Processes – Theory and Ethical Guidelines– Helping Relationship: 5 Step Process– Career Information & Resources– Wrap up

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Welcome

– Name

– Title and Work Functions

– Experience with Career Counseling

– Expectations of the Day

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

- Maintaining Boundaries- Evaluating Realistic Options- Motivating Clients- Understanding Possibility- Engendering Hope

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

What is Work?

What Is Working?

What is Career?

What is Career Counseling?

What is Work?

Job Occupation Career Vocation

Right Livelihood Calling Mission Life’s Work

Job vs. Career

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA2W_oa3lSE&videos=8G9uyQvGfsg

What is Working?

The Psychology of Working

by David Blustein, 2006

What is a Career Counselor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV5OAfKhe34

Who is a Career Counselor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LCggmsCXk4&videos=n6BYC_UTVyQ

Definition of Career Counseling

The process of assisting individuals in the development of a life-career with focus on the definition of the worker role and how that role interacts with other life roles.

NCDA in Swanson & Fouad

Career Development Model

Self

Match

Action Options

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Self (Reflection)– Includes:

Roles Values Aptitudes Environments

Interest Skills Personal Style Priorities

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Options (Exploration)

– Includes: Research on occupations, industries and labor market Job shadowing Volunteer or part-time work Informational interviews Written materials, the internet

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Match (Decision-Making)

– Includes: Identifying and evaluating possibilities Exploring alternatives Choosing options – long and short-term Goal Setting

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Action (Strategy)

– Includes: Building in support, accountability and rewards Networking Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews Negotiating Employment

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Considering Context– Gender– Family– Racial/Ethnic– Dominant Culture

Rosie Bingham, 2007

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

What is a Counseling Theory?

A conceptual frameworkDescribes complex human developmentMay explain, generalize and summarize what we do

in counselingHelps client make constructive changesOutcome: Success and Satisfaction

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Why Use a Theory?

To make sense of experience To bridge gaps To summarize information To explain information To make predictions To point out relationships To formulate goals To stimulate research

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Five Central Tenets Most career theories assume:

1. Individualism and autonomy2. A certain level of affluence3. Opportunities are available to all individuals who work

hard4. Work is central in people’s lives5. Linearity in the career counseling process

-Neville, Gysbers, Heppner, and Johnson (1998), working from a multicultural perspective

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Examples of Career Development Theory

Structural-Interactive (Trait & Factor) Life-Span (Developmental) Social Learning/Social Cognitive Parental Influence Constructivist Culturally and Contextually Diverse

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Trait & Factor Theory (1909)Parsons

Vocation depends on: Accurate knowledge of yourself

Thorough knowledge of job specifications

Ability to make a proper match between the two

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Person Environment Fit (1960)Holland

Job satisfaction is the result of congruence between personality and work environment

Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Developmental Theory (1957)Super

- Career Maturity is manifested in the successful accomplishment of age and stage developmental tasks throughout the lifespan.

- Growth, Exploration, Establishment, Maintenance, Disengagement

- Stages & Tasks

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Social Learning Theory (1976)Krumboltz

Certain behaviors are modeled, rewarded and reinforced.– Positive and Negative

Learning experiences (interaction with the environment) provide information moving us toward or away from occupational options.

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (1980’s)Betz

One’s belief in one’s capabilities to successfully engage in a specific area of behavior (performance accomplishments, vicarious learning, emotional arousal, and social persuasion & encouragement)

Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectation

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Parental Influence Theory

– Individuals can predict occupational selection based on the psychological needs that develop from the interaction between children and their parents.

– Child-rearing practices and family systems can significantly influence career choice and decision making.

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Constructivist Theory

Career Construction Theory…surveys how individuals construct their careers by using life themes to integrate self-organization of personality and the self-extension of career adaptability into a self-defining whole that animates work, directs occupational choice and shapes vocational adjustment.

-Savickas

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Constructivist TheoryShift from:

Information to Experience Psychometric self to Storied self Objective to Subjective

Career as carrier of personal meaningClient & Counselor as Co-CollaboratorsBuilds on development framework:

Takes context and development into account

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Multicultural ConsiderationsWork is a cultural negotiation.

Cognitive appraisals of individuals’ environment (e.g., opportunities, supports, and barriers) and of themselves (self-referent beliefs) direct their academic and career choice behavior.

Cultural identity may be indicator of how cultured experiences may be appraised/interpreted that shape how individuals approach or evaluate vocational choices and outcomes.

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Multicultural Considerations (cont’d)

Occupational landscape is uneven.

Bias and preference privilege members of some groups over others in the job market.

Perceptions of vocational opportunity may contribute to uneven representation of groups in career fields.

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Relational Cultural Theory A Healthy Psychological Self

Staying in connection with one’s self, with others & with the world.– Gilligan, 1991

Increasing proficiency in connecting to others. – Jean Baker Miller, 1976

5 Good Things

Sense of Zest/Well-Being Empowered Action Increased Knowledge of Self & Other Increased Sense of Worth Desire for More Connection

Relational Cultural Practice in Career Decision-Making

Awareness of relational perspective as central Assessing client’s relational world Exploring a range of relationships - connections & disconnections Assessing client’s relational self & voice - resonant spaces Using relational resources & minimizing negative influences Validating & assisting with disconnections around career issues Enhancing relational connection between client & counselor

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Ethics

– Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. Spencer Johnson

– Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you. H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Ethics (www.ncda.org)

American Counseling Association 1959 - First formal ethics document reviewed 1961 - Document reviewed by membership

Career Counselors - NCDA One of 17 divisions of ACA Ethics Guidelines based on ACA document

Training for New & Aspiring Career Counselors

Ethics

The Counseling Relationship Confidentiality Professional Responsibility Relationship with Other Professionals Evaluation, Assessment and Interpretation Teaching, Training and Supervision Research and Publication Resolving Ethical Issues

The Helping Relationship

Five Steps Relationship Building

Assessment

Goal Setting

Intervention

Termination and follow-up

The Helping Relationship

Relationship Building

– Listen with Authenticity– Slow Down, Do not anticipate– Start with blank slate, Do not assume– Understand contexts– Focus on Process, not Outcome– Trust Yourself, Use Intuition

The Helping Relationship

Assessment: Traditional

Identifying Skills

Clarifying Values

Exploring Interests

Assessing Abilities

The Helping Relationship

Assessment: Non - Traditional– Hear the Story

– Consider Contexts

– Witness and Reflect

– Interests, Values & Skills – non-traditional approaches

– Relational Map, Vocational Genogram, Developmental Work History, Peak Experiences

The Helping Relationship

Goal Setting

S specific M measurable A achievable R realistic T timely

Career Planning & Development Questions

The Helping Relationship

Intervention Assessing Readiness

Role Playing

Information Giving

Challenging Assumptions

Identifying Road Blocks

The Helping Relationship

Termination and Follow-up

Review

Articulate future plans

Follow-up

Use of Technology