DR. DEB OSBORN CAREER COUNSELING INTAKE INTERVIEW

SIMILAR TO “REGULAR” INTAKE INTERVIEWING Main Purpose: Understand the concern, underlying emotions and fears, barriers and supports Other purposes: Gather information Identify needs/problems Identify contributors to the problem Determine barriers (perceived/real) and supports Diagnose (possibly) Identify negative/dysfunctional thoughts Develop preliminary goals

COUNSELING SKILLS NEEDED Basic listening skills Reflection of feelings, paraphrasing, summarizing, confronting, silence, clarifying, open-ended questions (but not too many – don’t make it an interview), pacing Career counseling knowledge Tools for self-knowledge Tools for occupational knowledge Tools for job search A plan (career theory)

POSSIBLE CAREER PROBLEMS Career/major choice or change Expanding/narrowing career or educational options Negative career thinking Job search (resume, interviewing, networking) Pre-foreclosure on options Underemployment, unemployment Career transitions (self/partner) Issues suggested by career theory: Holland-incongruence PEC – lack of fit, values not valued CIP-dysfunctional thinking

OTHER CAREER PROBLEMS Mental health issues – which came first? Anxiety, depression, self-esteem Personality disorders Disability Discrimination

INTAKE INTERVIEW SEQUENCE 1.Welcome 2.Confidentiality 3.Current status 4.Life roles/potential conflict 5.Problems interfering with career development 6.Develop goals and objectives

SAMPLE INTAKE QUESTIONS What brings you by? What options are you considering? How do you typically go about making decisions? How would you like this decision to be different? What role has your family played in how you see yourself and your options? What role has your culture played in how you see yourself and your options? What other factors are important to you as you are making this career decision? What do you think is keeping you from making a career decision/reaching your goal? Ideally, what would you like to accomplish by the end of our last session? Tell me about your occupational and educational history What are your current plans? If you had to choose today, what would you choose? Other supports Other issues-depression, anxiety, poverty, discrimination? At this point in my career development I am trying to…”?

ADDITIONAL SESSIONS Working sessions Assessment Information/research Goal setting Job search (mock interviewing)

FIRST SESSION – DO’S Go over purpose of the sessions Confidentiality Use basic counseling skills Get a clear picture of their expectations What do they want to occur by the last session? Is it reasonable? Determine a goal for meeting Ask pertinent questions End on time

FIRST SESSION – DON’TS Chew gum Look unprofessional Forget about confidentiality Forget to record (test first!) End too early or go over time limits Leave without a clear goal in mind Ask too many questions Forget your basic counseling skills Rush or panic Remember – you are getting their story!!!

THE STORIED/NARRATIVE APPROACH

NARRATIVE/STORIED APPROACH Constructivist Approach Differs from traditional approach Post-modern approach

ASSESSMENT IN THE NARRATIVE APPROACH Occupational identities created, not discovered QuantitativeQualitative

ARE THERE PATTERNS? Yes, but…. “A pattern is always interesting but a pattern interrupted is much more interesting.” -Vincent Versace

OPENING SEQUENCE 1.Questioning 2.Asking 3.Explaining 4.Agreeing 5.Identifying

STORIES

STEPS OF STORY CONSTRUCTION Co-construct Deconstruct Construct

START WITH A LIFELINE (CO- CONSTRUCT) X BirthdateToday’s date 1.How much of your lifeline represents birth- graduation? Mark it, and write graduation date. 2.Continue with lifeline to present. 3.Future?

ROLE OF COUNSELOR Track story development Note limits Explore alternative stories Ask influencing ?s

SAMPLE OF INFLUENCE QUESTIONS Defining Moments Sparkling Moments OPENINGOPENING SPACESPACE Peopled stories Preferences Construction begins Going in Your Preferred Direction? Choose What would your grandmother say?

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS What does that experience say about what's important to you? What is the significance of that moment in your life? What have you learned from that experience?”

DECONSTRUCTION History Chapters Opening spaces Find exceptions Use the missed opportunities Imagine different experiences Identify different points of view Future orientation

CONSTRUCTION –EXPLORE LIFE ROLES Current/potential roles (family, student, worker, leisure, community)

FINISH WITH A GOAL MAP

CAREER STYLE INTERVIEW 1.“How can I be useful to you?” 2.Holland types 3.Success formula 4.Questions – Take notes! 5.Other questions… (see Blackboard)

EARLY MEMORIES Three Feelings VICTORY Action Verb Headline

SUMMARIZING PROCESS Counselor quietly reviews notes Repeated words, phrases, interests Note action words Themes Potential Holland types

SHARE/VERIFY IMPRESSIONS Next steps? Does reflection fit? Both share