Week 5

I read M. Guindon and F. Hanna's article on synchronicity carefully and multiple times and still do not understand what synchronicity is.  I find it hard to grasp such intangible concepts such as spirituality and religion which probably relates to why I cannot grasp this concept.  After reading the case studies, I was still at a loss as to what synchronicity is and how it was related to the three subjects finding career opportunities.  Specifically in the last two case studies, the counselors helped the clients build the tools necessary to find career opportunities and prepare themselves for pursuing opportunities when they arose.  I am not sure how faith, spirituality, or synchronicity played into the use of their skills attained and utilized and the subsequent career opportunities found.  I found their explanations of things such as Billie’s interpretation of her dream as the client searching for evidence to support their faith in order to validate something that is not fact based.  
 

I tried to apply this article to my own life to see if that would assist in my understanding.  In spring of 2011 I was failing in finding a job for income I needed necessary.  I began taking graduate classes as a non-degree student at Millersville that semester to better make a decision on whether I wanted to apply here or not.  After countless weeks of unemployment, I started with a temp agency as a secretary at a Cardiothoracic Surgeons office.  Four months later I was hired by the practice and eight months later the practice was bought out by Lancaster General.  I applied to the clinical psychology program in between these times and started full-time in spring of 2012.  I became increasingly unhappy in a position that did not utilize my education or skills and the stress of working at times full-time with a full-time course load.  I began looking for other opportunities prior to becoming a Lancaster General employee.  Once I became an employee, I checked employee classified advertisement on a weekly basis.  I applied to transfer within the company multiple times, but in May found an open position that my undergraduate degree was applicable for.  It just so happened at the same time I was offered an interview for that position, I was also offered an interview for a GA position at Millersville.  By July I was offered both positions and chose my current position in Lancaster General.  I find this as a result of the hard work and time I put into to constantly looking for a job that would accommodate my school needs, financial needs, and educational background.  I do not understand how my opportunities may have been a result of “a leap of faith” or miraculously appeared which is what I am taking from the article.

Guindon, M. H., & Hanna, F. J. (2002).  Coincidence, happenstance, serendipity, fate, or the hand of God: Case studies in synchronicity.  The Career Development Quarterly, 50, 195-208.