Week 1

Looking back on Wednesday's class, I really enjoyed the interview question exercise. I also found a section in the first chapter that matched my ideas behind a few of the questions that I had created. In the text, Brown (2012) suggested that the primary reason of why people work is simply for the money to sustain life. I agree that money is necessary in order to buy both essential and nonessential goods and services. I also find it interesting though that there are many people that do not enjoy their jobs.

One of the questions that I had asked was, "if money and time we're not an issue, then what would your "dream job" be." My partner shared that she would want to open up an animal shelter because she has such a strong love of animals. When I think about the question, my answer would probably be a doctor. And then I reflected as to why I am not aspiring for that now. Why did she choose to go to grad school instead of doing something she seemed really interested in? Why did I? While I know that our field is very rewarding in regards to being able to help others, it tends to not be one of the most financially rewarding jobs. So then why did I make this decision?

That question in turn brought me back to the question in the activity of whether or not career development is ever a completed process. I think that human beings are constantly changing their minds, especially in regards to career choice. Brown (2012) also mentioned a survey in which workers were asked if they would stay with their current job if given the choice. Many participants said they would hope to find something more satisfying than their current job.  I think that many people often wonder about other careers because most people have a wide variety of interests and hobbies. I think that I will enjoy being a clinical psychologist very much, but there is always going to be a part of me wondering what it would be like to be a doctor or if I could rise up to the challenge to complete the necessary schooling to obtain such a career. Who knows maybe in 10 years I will decide to do something completely different with my life. I could end up being a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, anything is possible with effort. 

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development      (10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc

Blog 1: Intro

            Almost right off the bat, I made a connection between class on Wednesday and the text for the week. Unfortunately, it was in a grim and very real way. Dana mentioned that she knew two Latina students who took advanced high school classes, yet were handed pamphlets for the local community college by their counselor instead of being encouraged to go to a four-year school. The text backs this incident up stating that it is “likely that initial career choices and discrimination account for some of the discrepancies among white workers and Hispanic and African American workers (Brown, 2012, p. 6).” If it is common practice to encourage intelligent minorities to aim low, of course there is going to be a discrepancy in career choices as well as income.

            Before reading this chapter, I had no idea how much debate there is going on in the career-counseling world even in the definition of such words as career. I had always thought of career as its simplest definition: the jobs one has held over his pr her lifetime. I really like the idea, however, of it being a “lifelong process (Brown, 2012, p. 15)” of many different factors. This definition allows employers and others see a very complete account of what an individual has accomplished in her or her life. As people, we are more than just our job and many other aspects of ourselves can positively contribute to our career.

            I also really enjoyed reading about the future of work. It is something that will have a huge impact on my family, my friends, those persons that I will work with and myself. I, however, have given very little thought to it. This section also made me think about the subjective versus objective questions that we will be asking our students. During our class interviews, I asked questions that were based off of feelings or thoughts instead of facts. Even thought my idealistic self drifts towards the subjective, it may not be enough to help students find employment. If the job that is perfect for him or her is barely in existence anymore, I may have to ask more objective questions about skills in order to match the student with a job he or she is likely to get.  While it is important to follow one’s dreams, it is also important to have a fall back option if those dreams are not attained.

          

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development

(10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.