Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Blog 12: Chapters 11 & 16 and Presentations



               The first two presentations were great.  There were a few things I enjoyed from each presentation.  The elementary group was fun particularly because of the age group it was intended for.  It was neat to look back and think about what I would have thought when I was younger.  The guest speakers are the part I remember the most!  What I liked about the higher education group was the use of narrative therapy.  I think that it was a neat idea to include in a workshop, as most school counselors may not think of using that.  I also liked the inclusion of FOCUS 2. 
                There are a lot of skills needed to find a job.  If you’re someone who has worked for the same company for awhile, you may not know the range of skills needed from building a resume to interviewing.  It can be a daunting journey.  It’s also a part-time, or possibly full-time, job to search for jobs.  As I have mentioned before, hunting for jobs has changed over the decades.  Some employers still like people to apply in person, but very many are now requiring applicants to apply online.  Another set of skills that take practice are interview skills.  Many factors go into a successful interview: proper attire, eye contact, poise and composure, ability to sell yourself, and explain what one can offer to the company as well as what one expects in return.  I have practiced for interviews before with family and friends because it’s important to be prepared for those tough questions. 
                Some of the information listed in the charts of table 11.1 and 11.2 are surprising.  One thing is the fact that extracurricular activities are listed last.  When I was in high school, we were told to participate in a lot of them because colleges placed a large emphasis on them in their application process.  I don’t totally agree with it; it was just surprising to see it deemphasized. 
                In regards to Chapter 16, I think it’s sad that programs are not evaluated on a regular basis.  Schools and even companies are constantly making difficult cuts.  So it’s important that things are worth the money and investment.  If a program isn’t working, there’s no point in continuing to dump money into it.  There should be an emphasis on collecting data on the effectiveness of these programs.  


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

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