When I grow up...
If you go to counseling it means something is wrong. Broken. Needs repaired. Out of control. Bad. Right? That surely can be true but is far from the only truth or reason for counseling. Counseling can be for everyone at many different times in life.
Working with clients in the darkest of times is surely something I am blessed to do, but I also am honored to get to work with people in the pursuit of greatness while they push life for more satisfaction and enjoyment.
Career Counseling is often the time I am able to meet with people who want more out of their 8-5 each day and are pushing life for the most. 40 hours/week is a long time to not love what you're doing. And while I understand the mortgage needs paid, the family need fed and a new roof needs put on the house- you deserve to be happy as well.
"Work to live not live to work" has always been my motto; my resume speaks to the truth of this. My path to counseling wasn't exactly a straight shot. I started undergrad as a Criminal Justice major. I had visions of the FBI, kicking down doors and profiling the darkest of minds. I likely had enjoyed a few too many Law & Order episodes and Patrica Cornwell novels but I was pretty sure that was my career goal. Until I started the classes and realized that path didn't cooperate well with my other life goals of having a family and being a mom. (Not that moms can't be awesome agents - I just knew it wasn't for me.) So I switched to Business Administration Management and Economics. Loved it. The corner office was in sight. I graduated undergrad with that degree and planned to go for my MBA.
Upon starting my first job after undergrad (then working at a college myself) I quickly realized that the MBA wasn't what I was called to do. I worked with students and no matter how much I tried to focus on MBA material, I was being called to counsel students in various capacities. I knew I needed more training to be fair to them and applied for acceptance into the a Clinical Counseling graduate program.
Post grad school graduation my career still didn't lend itself strictly to counseling - but I found myself counseling in each role I've had. Interviewing. Mentoring. Leading teams. Advising. Recruiting. Training. Development. There's a lot of counseling that goes into each of those areas. I can't count how many direct reports and colleagues I've had cry in my offices or express frustration about where they life/careers are or aren't going.
My journey may look like a confused tourist but in reality, it has been a journey of education and experiences training me for what ultimately has become my calling.
But back to the point. Career Counseling. Are you going to work daily hating what you do (or just not loving it) because the pay is right but that's about it? Do you feel anxious pulling into the parking garage each morning? Are you waking at night thinking about work or dreading getting out of bed to hit "repeat" on another day at the office? Do you leave work dead instead and depressed that you're not making a difference, using your talent or finding fulfillment.
Maybe it's time for a conversation....
Career counseling allows individuals to review their skills while evaluating what is really important to them. We explore values, talents, passions. We consider the work-life balance, the budget, the dreams, skills, education, the life plans and also the hard realities (i.e. student loans, upcoming kids college payments, medical bills, credit & background issues, etc.). For those who need it, we can review (or write!) the resume and cover letters together. We practice learning how to use an elevator speech and perfect networking and interviewing skills. We find the person you were before work swallowed you whole.
Career counseling is not just about finding the job. It's about finding your happiness.