Its already a week since the Fair. How did that happen? Everybody agrees it was a good one -with far more attenders than last year. I did a bit of C2 interviewing and 2 sessions of ‘Great answers to tough interview questions’ I devleoped a methodology for this ‘masterclass’ with Jeff Riley about 4/5 years ago. It started as a rip-off of Blind-date ( £ intervieweees on stools all being asked the same question and evolved into the current format of the goldfish bowl. Students seem to love it – even at £10 a go.
Archive for June, 2008
Telling the truth
June 12, 20082 clients yesterday presented assumptions about the labour market that I knew to be incorrect. So the issue was not so much do I tell them, but how do I tell them. It seemed important that they did not leave the session without their assumptions being challenged.
In one case I challenged in the form of a question. Does it sound a good idea to spend 12 weeks and £900 on a training course to do a job that you do not intend to do?
In the second case, the client had appplied to a number of organisations we were discussing. But that was 3 years ago, prior to her current job. She clearly thought – I have been tried by them and found wanting. But she was now a different candidate. 3 years of work had given her a strong sense of her strengths as a ploicy researcher. I said several times – you are a diffenrent candidate. I think my intention was to inspire her.
The other interesting thing that happened was that one client had said that what she wanted to do was step outside her comfort zone and ‘make a difference’. What emerged was that all of the avenues we explored that did precisely that were rejected; she said herself – maybe i do not want to step too far outside the comfort zone or ‘make a difference’ to people who were in genuine need. I wondered if i should have spent more time exploring what she meant by those phrases. Another judgement call. Assumptions were made – by me. Not sure whether this damaged the exchange by exploring inappropriate areas. Or helped it by giving the client a reality check. On balance, i think I took the right approach – though the client may not have seen it like that. What price ‘clarifying your thinking’ if the clarification does not yiled the prize of a new and promising direction. she left with a couple of course ideas, both cheaper than the one she was contemplating – and a new job area. Whether she thought this was worthwhile I do not know. But I did. Sometimes a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.
Guidance theory
June 11, 2008What role does knowledge have in a career discussion? Not much, say some. But I have never been convinced that this is true. It is certainly the case that what matters is the client’s ability to access resources, make choices, take actions. However, the Careers Adviser has a particular role in helping the navigation. And that help can be delivered effectively and in a timely way by TELLING the client something they do not know.
INFORMING the client of something is sometimes better than helping them to inform themselves. Why? Well it might save time. It might help them to focus their own learning in a more purposive way. There is something more dynamic about ‘telling’ Its more committed. You are trusting your judgement and encouraging a client to trust it too. Its this that gets people nervous. Why should you be trusted? How do you know what you know? How do you know what you know is true? How do you know that what you know is true is helpful to the client?
Oh well. like a good guidance specialist, its all about questions. But I need to develop some answers. I think they will centre around the importance of ‘context’ in guidance. Too little has been mnade of this in the literature.
Action Learning
June 2, 2008Preparing an idea for a session on action planning. I have put my draft description down here
Action Learning for Career Change
The Session:
Many graduates face severe difficulties in managing the progress of their careers. They feel trapped in roles that are unfulfilling, stressful or unsuitable. Ways forward are not clear.
Action Learning is a group process devised for tackling complex problems with no clear solutions. A tutor will manage the process but the key element is the focussing of collective enquiry into the issue that the individual brings.
The Process:
In this session each participant will present to a group of half a dozen learners, for a minimum of 5 minutes, the career difficulty or dilemma he or she is currently experiencing.
The rest of the group and the tutor will listen to the presentation and then by means of questioning will assist them to explore and to build a plan of action to address the issues raised.
It follows that most of the time will be spent listening and questioning a fellow learner. These periods are a key part of the career learning process. Learning how others mange their career development issues is a rich and inspirational resource for dealing with your own
The Outcomes
- An introduction to the theory and practice of Action Learning
- An opportunity to share and discuss career-related issues with other learners and with an experienced tutor / adviser
- Support in preparing a plan of action for your own career development
- Commitment to a number of actions to progress your career
