Solidify the foundation as I tend to say to anyone to gain successful results. "...80% of the results flow out of 20% of the [proactive] activities [not the other way around]. Problems would shrink to manageable proportions because you would be ...working on the roots, doing preventive things that keep situations from developing into crises in the first place." - hashtag#stephencovey
What do you think? Please share your comments. 06/01/2018
The Power of Planting Seeds for Nurturing a Client’s Career Passion and Interests By Juliana Parker A common goal that brings many clients to career counseling is the sincere wish to find one’s “passion”. As career counselors, the identification of this passion is something that we want for all of our clients, too. However, I was forced to rethink the concept of “career passion” when an anxious client commented to me, “Juliana, how can I figure out my career passion when I can’t even identify what I like or what I am curious about?” I realized the pressure that a client might feel when a counselor asks about passion. To clarify this question, I decided to look at my client’s statement from the very first step. In thinking about my clients, I realized that the pursuit of passion mirrors how every living thing begins. Human life, plant life, trees, animals, new relationships, and interests all begin with a tiny seed. And, since the career development process is a living organism too, the seeds of career exploration need to be the starting point. To prosper, the seeds of career development need three vital components; career options, a foundation for growth, and strong networks. The presence of these critical elements determines the fate of the seed of career passion and whether it will thrive or just remain a seed. In looking at career development, particularly the first stage of self-assessment and career exploration, I realized that one of my first goals, as a career counselor, is to help clients nurture and foster the interests and curiosities within them. The nurtured seed within our clients can then grow into a mighty oak tree as evidenced by a strong sense of their career direction and identity. To assist with this “gardening” project, I offer some helpful ways for counselors to support their clients in this process. Gardening Tip #1: Career options Water is essential for all living things. Despite other favorable circumstances, such as fertile soil and warm sun, nothing survives without water. As with our clients, we can help them identify the seeds of a possible major or career option, but we must also help provide abundant opportunities for the seeds to germinate. “Career hydration” for our clients may include:
Gardening Tip #2: Foundation for growth As a devoted gardener, you foster the development of career interests and rejoice when one day you notice that a few tiny leaves have sprouted. Success! However, there is still critical work to be done to ensure the sustainability of the career interests you planted.
Gardening Tip #3: Strong networks Slugs, dandelions, weeds, and other vermin can threaten the success of a plant, especially if the plant or tree bears fruit or vegetables. Companion planting is “the concept of planting two or more plants next to one another to enhance the growth or flavor of the plants.” As our clients begin to bear the fruit of their work and see their resumes come together they need to grow strong connections. Career resilience does not develop on its own. With our clients, creating a support network as they navigate through the career development process is essential. Akin to a support rod for the trunk of a tree, strong connections with mentors, counselors, instructors, and positive friends and family members creates a community for our clients. Additional resources include joining professional associations or Facebook communities to network with individuals with similar interests. Clients might also find volunteering in an area of interest another valuable way to create a strong and supportive network. Likewise, weeding out critical and unsupportive voices is also essential. Suggest that clients try the “Career Day Fantasy,” which only focuses on the positive aspects of the future. Just as a gardener looks at seed packets and garden designs to envision a lustrous garden, in the “Career Day Fantasy” exercise, clients can visualize all aspects of their ideal life and occupation. For example:
According to Christy Welhmi, an organic gardening instructor and blogger, “Gardening is entirely about patience. Waiting for seeds to germinate, for sprouts to generate true leaves, for the right weather to transplant out, for crops to mature.” As career counselors, we must communicate to our clients the power of patience while waiting for the seeds to sprout and grow. Like biting into the first juicy strawberry of the season, cultivating and harvesting these dreams and goals are worth the wait. Resources University of California, Berkeley. Career Center. Planning Your Future: Visualization Exercise. Retrieved from https://career.berkeley.edu/Plan/VisualizationExercise What is Companion Planting? Retrieved from www.veggiegardener.com Juliana Parker, M.S., CCC has a Master’s Degree in Career Counseling. She is a CalWORKs Counselor at Santa Monica College and an adjunct Career Counselor/Instructor at Cypress College. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Continue to reach your dreams! A devotional by Rick Warren http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/full-post/what-faith-does-to-your-dreams1#.WkRoE1QufFU.email Why Workplace Skills Training for Everyone
Titta Usry-Bland, July 2014 Adults, youth and even some staff question “Why does one need to sit in a 'soft skills/job readiness' training for 2 weeks? It seems like a waste of time if we already have work experience.” This class just completed 2 weeks of Workplace Skills training prior to starting their Continuing Education courses for certifications. They were skeptical prior to starting the class but in the end, they all agreed that it is a much needed course while searching for employment. They’ve learned skills that they will continue to use in the classroom in occupational skills and then on to worksites and employment. This class was a very diverse group ranging from the Baby Boom Generation to Generation Y, Z and from work experienced adults to the young who have yet to experience the workforce. Let’s face it, we can help individuals earn recognized credentials, associates and bachelor’s degrees, but without the necessary “workplace skills and tools” how will the individuals seek, gain and retain employment? What many employers look for in hiring candidates is strong “workplace/soft skills.” This is not your typical lecture on how to dress and be professional, the students interact with each other (along with instructor’s support) on behaviors, skills and experiences and learn how to compromise and work together through these generational differences. Granted, soft skills are not taught, they are introduced, practiced and reinforced. Communication is now different. The days of rotary dial phones and party lines are long gone and are being replaced with facebook, chat rooms and other means of social networking. Walking into a business to pick up a paper application is being replaced with walking into career centers and filling out an application online. Writing and penmanship skills are becoming lost with keyboarding and cellphone “texting” skills. OMG! Why can’t you just say or spell out “Oh my goodness.” Oh wait, can Gen Y spell it out? O mi gudness - Seriously! LOL! Oh yes, Gen Y&Z has a totally new universal “texting” language and unless you stay TU or Turned Up, Gen Baby Boom will not have a clue as to how they are communicating. Do you even understand what I just said? Exactly! Appearance is presumed to be very professional and conservative when applying and interviewing for employment. Now we have hair styles of red, blue and purple. We’ve come from one piercing in each ear to multiple piercings all over the face and body, not to mentioned permanent tattoos everywhere. Sorry, but this advanced technology and free spirited age is here. We either have to keep up to be competitive in the workforce, or tone it down a little conservatively or find that happy medium to where everyone can work as a team, no matter your age, race, origin, disability or experience. Let’s use conflict resolution options that do not lead to violence. To be successful in the workforce you cannot lose skills in respect, attitude, networking, time management (and yes we are living in an instant-want-it-right-now age), face-to-face contact and teamwork. Gen Baby Boom and older, I’m sorry but yes you should learn basic keyboarding and computer skills if you want apply to become a part of the workforce by now creating electronic resumes, business letters and communicate by email. So as I step off my soap box, I want to say one more thing. Traditional methods of seeking and retaining employment are rapidly changing and so should your resume. You may already have the skills and have a resume created, but there is always room for improvements, new skills learned and transferrable skills to add. Taking Workplace Skills training such as this won’t hurt you or downgrade you; it can only make you stronger and even more competitive for employment. As I struggled with some internal conflicts today with myself, I found some words that describes my thoughts that I had written down before.
3 of 10 Things to Remember When You Feel Stuck
"At times our vision can outpace our abilities to lead it or abilities to implement it." "One of the main ways that you love others in your work is through the ministry of competence." ~Butterfly Faith About 2-3 years ago, I've been trying to stick with my favorite mantra...
"I cheated on my fears, broke up with my doubts, got engaged to my faith and now...I'm marrying my Dreams." But there is one fear that I can't seem to cheat on, and that's with finding the right words to say the first time. A lot of times I say things to people (or talk about things) and later when no longer in their presence, I kicked myself and tell myself, I should have said it differently. Man, why didn't I think of that when I was talking because this is what I really meant. I'm reminded of Moses and his situation in Exodus 4:1-13 but particularly 4:10 - But Moses said to the Lord, "But Lord, I am telling you the truth, I am not a skilled speaker. I have never been able to speak well. And now, even after talking to you, I am still not a good speaker. You know that I talk slowly and don't use the best words." I digress with my Dreams! God is not through with me yet. :-) This is my first time creating a blog. Please bear with me as I am not sure on how to do this. What I do know is that I've been wanting to start a career ministry in some type of way but as I am trying to decide, time keeps passing me by. So now I am telling myself, quit wasting time and just do it! I may not get it right the first time, but if I at least start somewhere, then at least I have started to learn my way. I am praying for guidance from HIM to lead the way. So here we go! Today is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for the encouragement and the ability to begin. 11/24/16
UPDATE 12/4/16 Telling other people about your plans creates accountability, but it also allows others to help and support you along the way. "Success takes people. It's failure we get to do alone." -Simon Sinek (Find Your Passion, Derick Van Ness) With that being said, I invite you to comment or ask questions on this blog. I'm not here to do this alone. God did not design us to work alone but together to succeed as a whole body [community]. (refer to post 11/29/16) Let's have conversations about work life, our passions or non-passions so that we can be a community help to each other. I'm asking you to hold me accountable in continuing my faith in this blog. :) ~Butterfly Faith My Pastor says all the time "Trust and Obey", meaning that if you think the Lord wants you to do something and it seems to be in alignment with everything we have been talking about, then do it! If you hear HIM, follow HIM. ~Rev. Roscoe F. Perry Work is one of the ways we make ourselves useful to others, rather than just living a life for ourselves. Also, work is also one of the ways we discover who we are, because it is through work that we come to understand our distinct abilities and gifts, a major component in our identities. (Every Good Endeavor, Timothy Keller)
|
Details
Archives
November 2019
Categories |