In today's world, the whole arena of work is different than it used to be a few decades ago; so it requires a different preparation to cope with that world. Young people have their whole lives ahead of them and as exciting as that may seem, it can also be a very scary, uncertain thing. The youth of today will almost assuredly make several job and/or career changes during their lifetime. The better a person is at doing that, the less stressful those transitions become.
Depending on the student's current grade level, there are things that could be done to begin preparing for the world of work. Students in the 7th or 8th grade could be learning more about occupations that exist. Even if they are not sure that college is in their future, it can help to include some college preparatory work in high school. The middle grades are also a good time to begin exploring the world of work, the kinds of activities they enjoy, and their hobbies.
High school students should consider including a foreign language, if available at their school; additionally, four years of math and English are required for admissions to most baccalaureate programs and many associate degree programs. Students entering high school who have identified their career preferences will want to learn the other courses they should be taking to position themselves for their preferred major. Even if the student decides not to pursue college right after graduation, they will still have that in their background. All indications are that in the workforce in the next 5 to 10 years, a baccalaureate degree or specialized training will be required for workers to have any chance of earning a decent wage; so it is best to do whatever is possible in preparation for that.
Another thing to keep in mind is that interests and priorities do change, so the best plan is to have a flexible plan - ideally one that would allow the student to go more than one direction or into more than one job, or alternative career from the same major.
The basic thing is that students should not wait until their senior year to begin thinking about what the next stage of their lives may include.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, grief work and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Check out her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Selecting People to Serve as References
If you are planning to conduct a job search, you should identify a few people to serve as professional references for you. Generally, you need to have 3 or 4 references and at least two of them should be familiar with your work - directly. If necessary, you can include one personal reference - someone who can speak to your personal characteristics. Your professional references should be able to share insights into your work-related strengths with a potential employer.
People who you have worked for or with are potential references, although you should select those who would be most likely to say positive things about you and sound professional in doing so. You should always check with the potential references to make sure you can list them. While having the discussion, you should also make sure that you have their correct contact information and current job title.
When you create your list of references for a job search, you should list each reference with their title, employer, and contact information. You should also include a statement about how they know your work - or your working relationship with them. You generally don't need more than four references and if you only have three names, that is generally okay too.
Students who are graduating that don't have three work-related references may choose to ask a professor to serve as a reference. Ideally, it would be a professor who teaches in your major field of study, although it could be someone with whom you worked on a class or research project or study.
Once you have identified your references and verified their contact information, you will need to type your list. Use a simple heading - References for _________. You may want to list them in the order of significance or they could be listed in alphabetical order. You should carry a clean copy of your references with you to each job interview.
During the job search, you will want to keep in contact with your references to update them on your search. Obviously, when you do accept a job offer, you will want to send a thank you note to your references and let them know where you will be working, what you will be doing, etc.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; recognized as a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Check out her web site at wwww.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
People who you have worked for or with are potential references, although you should select those who would be most likely to say positive things about you and sound professional in doing so. You should always check with the potential references to make sure you can list them. While having the discussion, you should also make sure that you have their correct contact information and current job title.
When you create your list of references for a job search, you should list each reference with their title, employer, and contact information. You should also include a statement about how they know your work - or your working relationship with them. You generally don't need more than four references and if you only have three names, that is generally okay too.
Students who are graduating that don't have three work-related references may choose to ask a professor to serve as a reference. Ideally, it would be a professor who teaches in your major field of study, although it could be someone with whom you worked on a class or research project or study.
Once you have identified your references and verified their contact information, you will need to type your list. Use a simple heading - References for _________. You may want to list them in the order of significance or they could be listed in alphabetical order. You should carry a clean copy of your references with you to each job interview.
During the job search, you will want to keep in contact with your references to update them on your search. Obviously, when you do accept a job offer, you will want to send a thank you note to your references and let them know where you will be working, what you will be doing, etc.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; recognized as a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Check out her web site at wwww.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
April is Counseling Awareness Month
The American Counseling Association, the prominent organization for counseling professionals, came into existence in 1952 when four independent organizations (The National Vocational Guidance Association, The National Association of Guidance and Counselor Trainers, the Student Personnel Association for Teacher Education, and the American College Personnel Association) gathered in order to provide a greater voice for the profession. The organization and its members have made great strides in reducing stigma that was involved in seeing a counselor. Recently there have been movies and television shows involving counselors or therapists. Although they are often comedies, it does still indicate we are more comfortable discussing concerns with a professional who can provide insight, reassurance, and/or support in coping with life's circumstances.
Today there are a number of counseling specialities, including career work. A career counselor can assist you by listening to your concerns about your ability, or inability, to make decisions that relate to your work and/or career or to implement related plans. They can also discuss how your career impacts other aspects of your life. If needed, career counselors can also assist you with career assessments and the interpretation of the resulting information, to help you identify personal traits, qualities, skills, and interests and relate those to potential career options. Some career counselors can also assist you with components of a job search.
If you have concerns that you have not been able to work through or you are in the midst of or planning a career change, you may consider talking with a counselor. The Greater Cincinnati Counseling Association (found at http://cincinnaticounseling.com) or the American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org) can assist you in identifying counselors in various specialities located in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; recognized as a Life/Work Counselor (L/WC) by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Check out her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a confidential and personal voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Today there are a number of counseling specialities, including career work. A career counselor can assist you by listening to your concerns about your ability, or inability, to make decisions that relate to your work and/or career or to implement related plans. They can also discuss how your career impacts other aspects of your life. If needed, career counselors can also assist you with career assessments and the interpretation of the resulting information, to help you identify personal traits, qualities, skills, and interests and relate those to potential career options. Some career counselors can also assist you with components of a job search.
If you have concerns that you have not been able to work through or you are in the midst of or planning a career change, you may consider talking with a counselor. The Greater Cincinnati Counseling Association (found at http://cincinnaticounseling.com) or the American Counseling Association (www.counseling.org) can assist you in identifying counselors in various specialities located in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Mary Ann Davis, M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; recognized as a Life/Work Counselor (L/WC) by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Check out her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.
To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a confidential and personal voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
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