Career counseling is something that
I have not much experience with. I don’t
remember having a lot of help during school to help me with the decisions
involved with choosing a career. My high
school advisor had a lot of students, and I never felt comfortable enough to ask
him for help. I explored some things on
my own, and had taken a few tests to help match me with a career that fits my
personality. My college search and
application process was pretty much on my own, since I did not have that help
from my school and the experience was new for my parents as well.
Something
I feel worth mentioning in regards to this introduction of career counseling is
the amount of unemployed college graduates.
One part of the problem is of course our economy. But another part of the problem is that students
are going to school for things that just are not marketable or are no longer in
demand. Students are told to go to
school for something they will enjoy.
There is merit to this idea, but there are other factors involved
including the amount of jobs available in that field. When I decided to declare an undergrad major
in psychology, I was unaware that I needed a Master’s degree to do much of
anything in the field. I didn’t want to
be stuck as a TSS for the rest of my life, which is why I applied to graduate
school. I am glad to be where I am right
now, but wish that someone could have warned me!
Brown
recognizes that people largely work for monetary needs. But he also mentions that a “psychological
product of work is the development of self-esteem” (pg. 18). We often spend 40-60 hours a week working, so
it is a large part of our lives. For
some people, it defines who they are. Work
also makes us feel productive; it gives us a purpose. I have seen both of my parents lose their
jobs at different times, and have witnessed both of them sink into depression because
of it.
During class, I was asked what I would
do if money and time were not an issue, such as if I won the lottery. I would
still want to work; not for monetary reasons, but towards something I
feel passionate about. In fact, what I
would really want to do is open an animal shelter. I think this is an interesting question because
it reveals what someone is truly passionate about.
I was struggling a little bit with
the question of why this class is required for clinical licensure. Brown makes a comment toward the end of
chapter 1 that put things into a different light for me: “Career development
interventions advance them down that road [of life] toward self-fulfillment,
dignity, social equity, and self-esteem” (pg. 20). If a satisfying career can give someone these
four things, then it’s definitely something I need to know about as a future clinician.
Brown, D. (2012). Career
information, career counseling, and career development
(10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
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