Every day is an adventure as a career practitioner, says Carolyn Campbell.
She provides career guidance at three different high schools.
"A student comes in perhaps feeling lost and confused, and it is my responsibility
to turn that feeling of confusion into an action plan of activities and self
discovery," says Campbell.
"With the myriad of career choices available to today's youth, it can quickly
become overwhelming sifting through the possibilities. 'Where do I start?
How do I find the information? What careers would suit me best?' are only
a few of the questions asked."
Perhaps you've asked a few of those questions yourself. If so, you know
how much stress they can cause. As an employment counselor, you can help reduce
that stress for others by providing a sympathetic ear.
"Each time I meet with a teen for the first time, there is the opportunity
to develop a trusting relationship built with the understanding of confidentiality,
respect and support," says Campbell.
"I love listening to the excitement in their voices when I ask them to
talk about their interests. I often ask why a hobby or course is so uplifting.
I can then point out their enthusiasm and excitement and the characteristics
that invoke these feelings.
"Sometimes the student is not sure why I am asking these questions, but
eventually, they see that it is a window to them as a person," Campbell says.
"I point out that finding a career that fits you as a person is the goal.
We also talk about the importance of your career being a good fit with your
values, skills and personality."
Campbell's background includes 12 years as a human resources consultant
in the transportation industry. She later took some time off from the workforce
to raise her children.
A radio ad for a youth employment center inspired her to start volunteering
there. She assisted with job search workshops and did mock interviews with
youth aged 15 to 24.
"I found it extremely enjoyable and from there was offered a six-month
contract delivering the soft skills component of a youth employment program
in telecommunications," says Campbell.
Campbell then earned a certificate in career development. Following that,
she applied for her current position as a career practitioner with a school
district.
"I was using all of the skills I enjoyed from my previous work but without
the stress and fast pace required of the business world," says Campbell. "I
loved working with teens so it seemed to be a natural fit."
By having a job that fits her so well, Campbell is better able to help
others.
"This job is a passion for those of us that have chosen it," she says.
"It is not possible to build a sense of excitement about careers and the future
unless you are passionate about your own work."
Anthony Spadafore is also passionate about his work. He's a career choice
consultant in Alexandria, Virginia and co-author of Now What?: The Young Person's
Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career. He found his ideal career, like many
do, after first going down a path that wasn't right for him.
"My first hunch and curiosity about going into the career coaching field
was just after I graduated from college," says Spadafore.
"At 23 years old, I was a newly minted electrical engineer and on my first
job out in the real world. I moved my life from a small steel town south of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Washington, D.C. Metro area.
"Within the first six months on the job with a defense contractor, I was
getting the sense that I wasn't cut out for the work. I was bored and didn't
fit in with the people in this field -- all my colleagues were these math
whizzes who seemed to be interested in very different subjects.
"I had a sudden revelation that maybe I made a terrible mistake in choosing
engineering," says Spadafore.
"It really scared me. There I was, sitting in my prestigious office, staring
out the window in total confusion. A thought crossed my mind in that instant:
'I should have become a career coach.' That insight came and went in a microsecond.
"I ignored it and spent the next five years job-hopping to different engineering
companies. No matter where I went, the 'boredom' problem followed me. When
I turned 28, I started to get even more frustrated and worried that I was
wasting my life away. I got an ulcer -- my body was telling me to make a change."
Fortunately, Spadafore listened to what his body was telling him. But it
was difficult leaving a profession that paid him well.
"Lots of exciting things were happening in my field, but deep down I just
wasn't into technology enough to excel at it," says Spadafore.
"I began to feel like a fraud, which was very stressful. I couldn't put
my finger on what was missing, I just knew that I had this enormous potential,
but where exactly?
"I had no language for what my strengths were at that time. No one seemed
to have language for it. My parents and friends told me to bite the bullet,
work is work, it's not supposed to be enjoyable. I didn't buy it; I thought
that was a copout."
Spadafore felt trapped in the wrong field. But he didn't want to "give
up and be doomed to a life of drudgery." One day a co-worker told him he looked
miserable and tossed a business card on his desk. It was for someone who did
career aptitude testing.
"I practically ran out of the office, I was so eager to discover my natural
talents and abilities," says Spadafore.
The career aptitude testing revealed to Spadafore that he had practically
the inverse talents of an engineer.
"In the canine kingdom, I was like a Chesapeake Bay Retriever (a duck fetching
dog) trying to make a living as a sheep herding dog," says Spadafore.
"I was terribly mismatched, and I finally figured out why I was unhappy.
My best abilities were sitting completely idle. It's like keeping a retriever
locked up in the house with no exercise for 10 years -- they'd go nuts!"
Spadafore had finally found the key to unlocking his talents. He would
become a career consultant and help others unlock their talents.
"Exceptional career consultants have a knack for explaining and communicating
complex ideas in simple analogies and metaphors," says Spadafore.
"They are playful, original thinkers, full of creative ideas and curiosity
about how the wider world works. They tend to live outside the box, they tend
to be unconventional people. Most need plenty of autonomy, rather than working
for someone else -- they're cut out to be their own boss."
Employment counselors of all types -- whether they're independent consultants
or employees of an organization -- need to constantly learn. The job market
is always changing. New insights into psychology and other related subjects
are being made all the time.
Spadafore reads extensively in cognitive and evolutionary psychology, sociobiology,
behavioral economics, neuroscience, creativity research, happiness research,
all the social sciences, and many other topics.
All of that learning helps Spadafore tackle the complex question of what
people should do with their life. Even people who have invested many years
in their education, such as doctors, lawyers and scientists, seek out employment
counselors when they no longer find fulfillment in their work.
"Many professionals are puzzled -- they are financially successful and
yet have very little motivation and joy in their life and work," says Spadafore.
"Helping them discover their talents is incredibly rewarding -- I can't
believe I get paid to play for a living.... [Y]ou may be surprised how many
doctors and lawyers don't have the aptitudes for their career. They often
say they chose it because it was familiar and appeared to be a safe bet, the
same reasons I chose to be an engineer.
"After 20 years of career consulting, I've met thousands of people from
all professions and life stages," says Spadafore. "Just like how I struggled
to find my way, there are many college-educated professionals who are in the
same shoes. Most of my clients say they went to college before they knew themselves
well enough.
"Many of us are taught that 'things will work out later.' The truth is,
unless you proactively seek answers, life doesn't usually pan out in your
favor," says Spadafore. "On top of that, colleges don't see it as their responsibility
to help you discover your strengths and find your path. They assume you already
know."
Career advisor Karen Girard studied human resources at university and then
worked her way up to a personnel manager position. In between, she did some
contract work in publishing, employment counseling and interview coaching.
"Luckily, all the things I decided to do had the same type of education
in common, so I had many doors open to me," says Girard.
"Soon people began asking me for help with job search, interviews, resumes
and career selection, and I began to realize the connection between all the
things I had been doing and career coaching.
"I finally realized that most of the people I knew were still trying to
figure out 'what they wanted to do when they grew up,' and that there must
be a career that helped people do this... and I discovered the career counselor
positions."
Girard is now a career advisor at a high school, as well as an independent
career consultant and coach.
"The most rewarding thing for me is when people discover what is most important
to them and start to connect that with possible career options that may be
fulfilling -- they often see things they had never considered," says Girard.
"Most people take for granted certain things about themselves. They have
never considered why they like what they like, or what values are most important
to them."
Ultimately, you can think of an employment counselor as someone who helps
people reach their dreams. And what could be more rewarding than that?
"I love working with people who have a dream but don't think they can reach
it," says Girard.
"Often they are looking for something else because they don't
realize there are other paths or related areas to fulfill the same needs.
When we can pinpoint information, there is often a path or back door that
can still take them towards what they really want."