Counselling students who are unsure of their goals and aspirations Catholic Education WA Career Development Practitioners Network Day 15 March 2010 Judy Denham MBus(Mgmt), MCareerDev, GradDipPsych, BApplSc(Psych), Teachers Higher Cert., Registered Psychologist

“Career development involves one’s whole life, not just an occupation… It concerns the individual in the ever-changing context of his or her life…self and circumstances – evolving, changing, unfolding in mutual interaction.” Career Development Judy Denham 2010 Wolp & Kolb in McMahon, Patton & Tatham (2003)

Work/ learning Personal well-being Relationships Context Judy Denham 2010

Sense of achievement/contribution Sense of being valued/appreciated Challenge/new learning Valued social interactions Flexibility of work time/location/mode Financial or other extrinsic rewards Judy Denham 2010 Work and Life Satisfaction Principles

Judy Denham 2010 Career Development Model

Individual Pathway Plans Career Development and Transition Portfolios Exit Plans Western Australian Guidelines for Career Development & Transition Support Services (2007) Judy Denham 2010

Degree holders have on average 10.7 jobs from ages 18 to 40, with the vast majority of jobs being held before age 31. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (2009) Job Change Statistics Judy Denham 2010

Everyone has unique gifts and talents – identify and use strengths and preferences Practitioners are Influenced by Personal Beliefs and Actions Judy Denham 2010

Optimistic/possibility outlook Practitioners are Influenced by Personal Beliefs Judy Denham 2010

Life is a journey with hills, valleys, many pathways, some false trails, flowers and weeds Practitioners are Influenced by Personal Beliefs Judy Denham 2010

Lifelong Learning Principles J. Denham, 2007 Suspend assumptions/judgements Judy Denham 2010

Develop and maintain a support network Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Frequently remind yourself of strengths and preferences Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Take risks – be willing to make mistakes Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Be willing to admit you don’t know everything Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Be curious – ask questions – try new experiences Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Apply what you learn and persevere Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Be kind and patient with yourself as you learn Judy Denham 2010 Lifelong Learning Principles

Counselling students Catholic Education WA Career Development Practitioners Network Day 15 March 2010 Judy Denham 2010 Counselling students who are unsure of their goals and aspirations

The Role of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication gives expression to thoughts and feelings through visible bodily action. Warning: If nonverbal communication is ignored, understanding of human expression is only partial. Judy Denham 2010

Inconsistencies in content ( Pause or “That’s interesting”) content and feelings content and gestures Absolutes never, always, can’t (repeat word with upward questioning intonation) Assumptions unsubstantiated (pause) “That’s interesting” generalisations/judgements (ask for specific examples and exceptions) Beliefs relevance/rational basis “ What leads you to believe..?” Judy Denham, 2010 Career Conversation Application of Nonverbal Communication

Unsure of their goals and aspirations Catholic Education WA Career Development Practitioners Network Day 15 March 2010 Judy Denham 2010 Counselling students who are unsure of their goals and aspirations

“ If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” John Krumboltz (2009) An alternative perspective Judy Denham 2010

Four propositions: (1) The goal of career counselling is to help clients learn to take actions to achieve more satisfying career and personal lives—not to make a single career decision. John Krumboltz (2009) Happenstance Learning Theory Judy Denham 2010

(2) Assessments are to stimulate learning, not match personal characteristics with occupational characteristics. John Krumboltz (2009) Happenstance Learning Theory Judy Denham 2010

(3) Clients learn to engage in exploratory actions as a way of generating beneficial unplanned events. John Krumboltz (2009) Happenstance Learning Theory Judy Denham 2010

(4) The success of counselling is assessed by what the client accomplishes in the real world outside the counseling session. John Krumboltz (2009) Happenstance Learning Theory Judy Denham 2010

“.. have some vague ideas and do some generally positive things in broadly the right direction and have confidence that if you do that, things will happen. The theory is called ‘Planned Happenstance”. John Krumboltz (2009) No career plan? Try a ‘Planned Happenstance’ Approach Judy Denham 2010

“Opportunity seldom knocks on closed doors.” “Recognize, Create, and Incorporate chance events into your ongoing career management” John Krumboltz (2009) Incorporate Chance Events Judy Denham 2010

Brainstorm creative career combinations (which may include job titles/work yet to be invented or named) integrating: Preferred Industries, Career Clusters & Occupations and Organisations Career Ideas Career Dreams Special Talents Skills Other strengths and preferences Career Combinations Judy Denham 2010

Definition of successful intelligence: 1.Intelligence defined in terms of the ability to achieve success in life in terms of one’s personal standards, within one’s sociocultural context. 2. One’s ability to achieve success depends on capitalizing on one’s strengths and correcting or compensating for one’s weaknesses. 3.Balancing abilities is achieved in order to adapt to, shape, and select environments. Robert J. Sternberg (2003). Wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized. (p42, 43) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Judy Denham 2010

Components of successful intelligence: Analytical intelligence – traditional intelligence – abstract problem solving and information processing (analyse, evaluate, judge, compare, contrast) Creative intelligence – novel convergent or divergent problem solving Emotional intelligence – self & social awareness/management Practical intelligence – highly contexualised daily life problem solving, (tacit knowledge) including using tacit knowledge/street smarts (adapt to, shape, and select environments) Judy Denham 2010 Robert J. Sternberg (2003). Wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized. (p42, 43) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wise Solutions may not be obvious e.g. King Solomon’s solution when two women claimed a baby Judy Denham 2010

Adapted from Figure 7.1 Wisdom as successful intelligence balancing goals, responses, and interests. Robert J. Sternberg (2003). Wisdom, intelligence, and creativity synthesized. (p153) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. VALUESVALUES Successful Intelligence (analytical, creative, emotional, practical) + Creativity Balance Responses to environmental context G O A LCommon Good Balance Interests IntrapersonalInterpersonal Extrapersonal ShapeSelect Adapt to Judy Denham 2010

Face eyes, eyebrows, lips, cheeks, nose Body posture, head, arms, hands, fingers, legs Voice loudness, speed, tone, pitch, intonation, pauses, style, control Nonverbal Communication Channels Judy Denham 2010

Career Conversations – Rapport Building Environments Judy Denham 2010

Career Conversations – Working Environment Judy Denham 2010

Shared Focus when Working Together Judy Denham 2010

What? When? Where With whom? How? Questions Judy Denham 2010

Content (specific attributes) Frequency (how may times mentioned) Intensity (strength of feelings) Commonality (across different areas e.g work, learning, life) The aim is to broaden and deepen understanding to achieve new insights about ways of thinking, feeling and acting. It includes identifying themes and patterns of strength, preference, meaning/values, goals and success criteria. Judy Denham, 2010 Career Conversations/Career Counselling

Curiosity - exploring new learning opportunities Persistence - exerting effort despite setbacks Flexibility - changing attitudes and circumstances Optimism - viewing new opportunities as possible and attainable Risk Taking - taking action in the face of uncertain outcomes. Krumboltz et al (1999) Judy Denham 2010 Happenstance/Planned Luck Principles

Breathe and focus Change the viewing Differentiate Goals defined by success criteria Change the doing Generate Integrate Experiment Evaluate for success not perfection Persevere and praise Denham (2010) Judy Denham 2010 Creative Facilitation Principles

Be focused AND flexible about what you want Be aware AND wary about what you know Be objective AND optimistic about what you believe Be practical AND magical about what you do HB Gelatt (2003) Judy Denham 2010 Positive Uncertainty Principles