Career Counseling Field & Leadership

There are many different paths to take to get to the next step in our career/life. And there are different routes one might take. But I'll give it a shot anyway.

First, some questions you might want to consider. What do you mean by leadership position? Are you looking to be an executive in a career counseling agency or Executive director or CEO? (These comments are meant to help you clarify your statements when making connections. Offer information as clearly as possible, so the listener doesn't have to try to figure out what you mean.) So, clarify what career goals you are interested in. When that is done, look at ways you can learn all you can about what they are, where they are done, who does them now, what are the projected earnings, etc.

Then understand what you have that is transferable and what you would need. There are sometimes ways to gather experience through volunteering or shadowing. Often, counselors are available to offer an informational interview to people interested in the field of career counseling. I might ask what is drawing you to the field and how do you envision the work. Also, check out ACPI (Association of Career Professionals International) or ICDA (Illinois Career Development Association) or NCDA (National Career Development Association) for information on the field.

To summarize:
1. Clarify
2. Research
3. Self Assessment
4. Who can help you with the search (counselor/contacts/library and internet resources.)
5. Create target list
6. Follow through with resume, branding, search techniques

We also have some helpful information on our Career Coaching Job Search Strategy web page.

Choices for a High School Student

I commend you for beginning to think about your future while still in school. It might be a little early to decide on a final career, but it certainly isn't too early to begin the process. First, you might connect with your high school counselor and see what career programs or services are offered in your high school. Then you might spend a little time thinking about and asking people in your life what they do, how they got there and whether they find it satisfying. There are many good websites that can further help you explore.

Our teen librarian has created a Jobs & Careers section, and this website has Resources for Teens and a Career Library section. The Illinois Workforce site has some good assessments that can offer information and Review.com can help you explore.

At your age, however, it is important to connect with someone that can walk you through the process, offer feedback and help you think through everything! Don't try to figure it out all by yourself!

Fatigued and Disabled; Options?

This is a question that is not easily answered. I might recommend that you connect with other career counseling agencies that work with persons with disabilities for some suggestions. The only suggestion I can make is to open discussions with people who are currently working in positions in nursing to ask for some suggestions. You do not indicate what salary range you are seeking, what other skills you have and what other restrictions you have. A career counselor may be able to help you further explore your options.

If you have a documented disability, some one may be able to help you make arrangements with an employer to accommodate you. Good luck to you.

Finding a Career Counselor

Working with a career counselor or career coach may indeed help you move forward in your career. But be careful of your expectations - it is a collaborative process. No one, proven or not, can answer the questions you have posed without a great deal of effort on your part. And some of the questions you raised may be beyond the scope of a career counselor's work. But there are many assessments, techniques and information available to help you navigate this territory.

There are many excellent career counselors and coaches in the Chicago area. You might contact ICDA (Illinois Career Development Association) for a referral, or an association of career coaches.

It can be a long, arduous process, but the steps it takes to move down the road can be enlightening, exciting and certainly rewarding. It is important that you feel comfortable with whomever you choose, so you might have to interview several until you find the one that will work best with you. And make sure that you are motivated and ready to engage in the process!

There are several excellent non profit agencies that only charge a small fee for service, and there are many private practitioners that charge fees that vary greatly. You might also contact the ACPI, Association for Career Professional International, they have a Chicago chapter. They will have a listing of private counselors.

Finding My Niche

This question is way more complicated than a simple answer over the internet can accomplish. You might also look at why it is difficult for you to make a decision. Sounds like you would benefit from meeting with a career counselor that could help you clarify your skills, interests, needs and values so you can begin to focus your efforts. Then you can begin researching and exploring possibilities, direct yourself toward that goal and implement a search strategy. There are many good books at the library that address the issue of passion. But for many, there may be more than one career path that will bring satisfaction and financial reward. Things have to be prioritized and compromises need to be made.

The process takes time, energy and effort. There is no magic answer and no quick way to get there. So before you sign up for another class, arrange to meet with a good career counselor who can walk down that path to success with you. But only YOU can take the first step. Good luck. Remember: "the door to success is labeled PUSH!"

Job Change After 25 Years in Retail

I certainly would recommmend that you work with a career counselor. You could contact: The Jewish Vocational Service at 216 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 700, Chicago, Illinois 60606, (312) 673-3400. The Skokie office of JVS is at 5150 W Golf Road, (847) 568-5150.

The Jewish Vocational Service would be a great place to start and there are also other agencies available that are listed on the ChicagoJobs website Career Counseling and Legal Help section. The Skokie Public Library also offers free 1/2 hour sessions with a counselor to help you begin to plan your next step. There is a great deal to consider - what industry were you working in (retail covers a lot of area), what other skills have you developed, what size retail business did you own, etc? Are you willing to consider additional education and what financial needs do you have at the moment. . . . . What are your dreams for the next "chapter" of your career that have not yet been filled? You are right to understand that you could benefit from speaking to a counselor who can walk you through the process!

Narrowing My Choice

Unfortunately, no one can tell you what career to choose. It takes work to determine your skills, interests, values, and needs. I would suggest you meet with a career counselor at a local agency who can walk you through the process of clarifying a direction, researching possibilities and understanding the requirements so you might better target your educational efforts. You mentioned you have an associate's degree. A good place to start would be career counseling center at the college you attended.

You might also check out The Princeton Review and Onecenter.org for some good career information. Also, you might want to walk through our state website that offers a great deal of career information, Career Click. A counselor can help you navigate these. Good luck. Career planning can be an overwhelming process, getting support for your search is imperative.

Recent BA in Psychology & Music

No job is going to fall into your lap. You have to do the legwork and make it happen. You may have to do some work (possibly with a career counselor) to determine a focus and target for your efforts. The workplace will not be your career counselor - you have to determine the fit - no one else will do it for you. That is your job!

So, I might suggest that you do some research into local companies and job leads (easily done through the internet if you are still out of town). See what the requirements are for various positions that would be interesting to you and give you the potential you desire. (You have to determine what you hope to grow into and create the steps to get there.) You also have to determine which jobs you have the qualifications for.

The next step would be to create a resume (or more than one if necessary) to focus your experiences to meet the needs of prospective employers. You might also spend some time trying to develop local contacts that might help you along the way - either by granting you informational interviews to help you understand the local workplace or by connecting you to employers that can use your skills.

Another thought might be to utilize the career center at your university. They or their website might provide many helpful articles on creating a more effective job search. Join some career support groups and pick up tips from others going through the process. Now that you have graduated, you have to increase your education about the world of work. And with all your accomplishments, I am confident you will have a great future - but it all starts with one step!

Single Parent with Decisions to Make

I am a graduate student in a journalism program which I love. However, I am a single parent and I need a more stable job to provide for my child. I was thinking about going into education and I have just received my substitute teaching certificate and plan to put it to use in January after I finish my current unpaid and curriculum required internship. I'll be finished with school next December and I think journalism is something I can do once I get my finances together and my son is older. I do love journalism and I'll miss it but I can freelance to keep my feet wet. I would prefer to teach at the collegiate level, but I would teach at the high school level if need be.

Am I doing the right thing by changing to education, and is there a way that I can gain a teaching certificate without adding to my loan debit and going back to school? How do I make myself appealing to substitute teaching jobs if I have had minimal interaction with children and no solid "career" type of jobs (seeing I went from under grad to graduate school)?

Congratulations on finishing your degree. Having great communication skills is always an asset. It does sound, however, like you neglected to do some strong research prior to entering the field, or that your life situation changed course. However, know that the communication and writing skills you acquired will always be of value.

Education can be an extremely rewarding career, but you will need to learn more about the realities to make a good decision. It is also great that you have decided to become a substitute teacher so that you can see from the inside what it really is like. If you will need benefits and insurance you will not be able to continue as a substitute as it is contract work and it may or may not be steady income. That all depends on the needs of the school districts where you work. BUT if you decide to pursue teaching as a career, you need to do a bit more research.

You should contact the school districts in your area to find out what the requirements are to obtain a teaching certificate and how they might differ at the elementary or high school level. You might speak to teachers that you know or teachers at the schools where your children attend. The more information you obtain, the better you will be able to make the right decisions about your future. Also ask the districts what they look for in substitute teachers so you can try to fill in that experience and become more attractive.

Teaching at the college level is a whole different ball game, becoming a full time professor takes a long time and those who teach as adjuncts (a course here or there) are also contract employees with no benefits.

Because you are making such a big step and seeking so much information, you might want to meet with someone in the career services department of your school or at a local career counseling agency like JVS.

The Career Experts @ ChicagoJobs.org