Many people have no idea what to expect when they see a career counselor for the first time.
The purpose of the initial session, or the intake interview, is to gain as much information as is needed to help you make effective and appropriate decisions about your career. At the initial intake interview the career counselor may begin by looking at how you perceive yourself at work, at school and/or at home, and if there are other factors that may be affecting your career at the present time. For example, a career counselor might delve into the education and occupations of the client’s family members. Because of their circumstances, especially those over which they have no control, some clients may feel depressed. There may even be substance abuse problems or issues relating to the client’s home life that affect work performance.
A good career counselor is cognizant of these possibilities and others and is prepared to help the client get help with issues that may get in the way of making effective career decisions. When career counselors are trained in mental health counseling, they may deal with personal problems as well. For example, when entry-level job seekers have pressure on them from parents, the full-service career counselor may meet with other family members so that everyone in the family will be supportive in the likes and dislikes of the person seeking help. The career counselor continually monitors the client’s feelings with the main emphasis on support and helps the client understand that it is desirable to be himself or herself, not just what other people want him or her to be. The trick, of course, is to know the difference. This is where the career counselor’s expertise is invaluable.
She or he can help you sort through all those pieces of yourself so that you can determine who you are and what you want. Positive thinking yields positive results. Your counselor might very well engage in creative exercises throughout the counseling process to encourage support and have fun during the entire career search process. She or he is well versed in helping you help yourself toward a rewarding and fulfilling life. In order to do this, though, you and your counselor must first set some goals.
Watch for our next post in this series: Goal Setting.
BBCS – Baskin Career Counseling offers Career Counseling Services, New Jersey (NJ) and Nationwide for individual and Corporate Clients/Outplacement and Career Coaching . If you are looking for resume writers in the NJ area or anywhere in the USA, we are also pleased to assist you with these professional services as well. Please visit our main site at www.baskincareer.com.