Career Counseling, A University Perspective

Office of Career ServicesEmily Salazar

Moody Hall 134(512)448-8530

http://think.stedwards.edu/careerservices(no w’s in URL address)

This Presentation Will Cover…

Career services on a university campus

AND

Career assessments

University Career

Services Overview

Who Are The “Clients”?

Traditional undergrad., from high school Adult student, with life/work experience

Client Profile

Trad. Undergrad., from high school

Adult with work/life experience

Teens to mid 20’s Little/no work experience Seeking 1 career “for life” 1 appointment consumer Don’t always see the need

Older adult, married, children Work experience Self-assessment, reflection, exploration, soul-searching Long-term consumer Do see a need

Diversity Profile

Wide range socio-economic background

1st generation college;migrant farmworker

International

Why They Visit Career Office

Comparing to private practice clients:

Private practice: usually self-referred, & seeking counseling

College student: sent by parent, advisor, peer, sometimes probation; don’t fully understand purpose

Client Motivation by Program

Students from high school: Looking for a job Planning on graduate/prof. school Seeking internship

Adult with experience Seeking new career with better pay Seeking promotion in current career Self-assessment: Am I on right path? Learn more about myself.

Why Do Students Visit SEU Career

Services?Annual Statistics show the following: Resume (60%) (Turns into: “What do I want to do?” “What can I

do with my major?”) Job search & interviews (15%) Internships (15%) Self-assessment: major/career (5%) Graduate & Professional school (5%)

Motivation Overview

University students don’t come to SEU for career counseling (unlike private) Many never visit Career Services Many don’t realize the importance!! They come to college for education, but but ultimately thinking about future, $$$ and jobs.

Reaching OutTo Students - Marketing

Individual appointments Workshops and class presentations Posters, e-mails, social media, food/bribery Job/Internship Fairs Graduate/Professional School Fair Other events CPAM 1110 class:

Section 01, Independent StudySection 02, GRE Prep

What the University CounselorNeeds to Know

Areas of Expertise Resume writing, interview strategies, networking, graduate/ /professional school admission process, networking strategy Job market, career trends, job outlook Information regarding specific careers and majors Internet resources and how to search Internships and experiential activities Administration of career assessments Long-term career planning Business etiquette Employer relations Event planning Marketing and Social Media!!

Educational Backgroundsof University Career Counselor

Varies at each university and sometimes varies by position: Director, Asst., Counselor

St. Edward’s counselors’ profile: Psychology, M.Ed./Counseling, English

Writing, Speech/Communication, Marketing/Finance/MBA, LPC, MLA, Political Science

Previous staff: Art, History, Sociology,Business Administration

University Career Services Job Titles Career counselor

Career advisor Assessment specialist Internship coordinator Career manager Placement specialist Employer relations coordinator Recruiting coordinator MBA advisor Graduate school advisor

University Career Services

Resources Google.com

e-Discover (considering change to Focus)

Vault Career Library

Our website: think.stedwards.edu/careerservices

Payscale.com, etc.

NACE

Comprehensive career library, Moody Hall 134

University Career Services

Professional Associations

National Assoc. of Colleges/Employers, NACE Southern Assoc. of Colleges/Employers, SOACE Central TX Liberal Arts Consortium, CTLACC Career Development Network, CDN National Society for Experiential Education, NSEE National Career Development Association, NCDA

(division of American Counseling Assoc.) Association of Executive Search Consultants, AESC National Employment Counseling Assoc., NECA

Areas Not Addressedby University Career

Counselors

Psychological counseling

Family/life counseling

Academic/degree planning

Part II. Career Assessments

The Assessment Session

Might be one visit, 50 minutes

Students want fast answers/results

We prefer battery of tests over several sessions

We have to be flexible and prepared in case we never see the student again

Career Assessments Intake/Interview:

Why are we meeting?What would you like to have achieved by

endof this session?

What kind of job are you looking for?Who referred you? (appt. sometimes

required)

Techniques: Prepare; read documentation Probe; ask lots of questionsTailor questions for Trad. Undergrad. Vs. AdultUse examples and visualsConduct reality check with timelinesSpeed read: MBTI – what personality type is

the clientUse creativity, innovative techniques

Career Assessments

Formal/Standardized Assessments: Self-Directed Search, Holland Skill Scan CISS, Campbell Interest and Skill Survey Myers Briggs Type Inventory, MBTI Values Assessment e-DISCOVER Inventories (may change to Focus) Strong Interest Inventory (don’t use) Strengths Quest (staff use only) DISC (staff use only) Birkman (staff use only)

Career Assessments Comparing Career Assessments:

Measure interests/likes:CISS, SkillScan, SDS, Discover

Measure skills/abilities:CISS, SkillScan, SDS, Discover, Strengths

Quest Measure values:

SEU Values Assessment Personality type:

Myers Briggs, Birkman, DISC SEU Majors list:

From 5 academic areas

Career AssessmentsSkills/Abilities Terminology:

Holland CISS SkillScan Realistic Producing - Investigative Analyzing Mental/Analytical Artistic Creating Mental/Creative

Creative Expression Social Helping Humanitarian Enterprising Influencing Leadership/Mgmt. Conventional Organizing - - Adventuring - - - Physical

- - Communication

Career Assessments Informal Assessments – Trad. Undergrad: Questionnaire…

What are all the careers/majors you’ve considered since high school?

If I asked your mother/father/best friend what

career you would excel at, what would

each say?Thinking back to past jobs, which ones did

youlove and which did you hate?

Thinking back to academics, which classes did

you love and which did you hate?Will you definitely yes, definitely no, or

maybepursue graduate /professional

school?

Career Assessments Informal Assessments – Trad. and Adult/Experienced: Consider personal life boundaries…

Location, how mobile are youFamily obligations (re: hours, $$, travel,

benefits)Personal financial needsCitizenship, visas, time/work restrictionsHealth issuesCaretaker issues

What are some other life boundaries?

Career Assessments Informal Assessments – Experiential:

Volunteer service, campus activities

Study abroad

Internships and part-time jobs

Information interviews

Career Assessments Philosophies:

No one career assessment can or should determine your Major or Career track.

Test battery should include: personality, skills/interests, values.

Look for repeating patterns in Intake and assessment results.

When referring to possible careers, stress that these are “just a guide”.

Don’t use any assessment to label or judgean individual.

Don’t give personal opinions. Decisions should come from them.

Use listening skills and sensitivity to their needs. Never lose sight of THEIR goal.

Review of Some Assessments

HollandSelf-Directed SearchRatings and Daydreams

CISSCampbell Interest/Skill

Inventory

Skill ScanCompetent vs. Minimal or

No Ability

Major, Secondary, Minor roleor Unwilling to Use

Career Assessments

ValuesActivity: If you could have only 3 of the following in

a job which 3 would you choose?

Power and authority IndependenceHelp Society Personal timeHigh earnings StabilityRecognition Work on a teamAdvancement Work aloneAssociates you respect Supervision of

othersChange and variety Creative expressionExcitement Challenging problemsMoral fulfillment Public contact

Career Assessments

Myers - BriggsPersonalitytype.com

Extravert/E vs Introvert/ISensing/S vs Intuition/NThinking/T vs Feeling/FJudging/J vs Perceiving/P

Myers Briggs

Career Assessments

Career Assessment is a process,

a journey

Important to teach them that in college it’s a 2 step process:

Select major, degree track

Choose a career (involves research)

Career Services

Our Website:

http://think.stedwards.edu/careerservices

Challenges/Fulfillmentfor University Counselor

Reaching students early in education Convincing them career planning is a process over time Dealing with unrealistic expectations Trying to find specific jobs, sometimes internships (especially in down economy) University is fun place to work You stay updated on recent trends and technology Always learning something new Rewarding to match students to internships and jobs and graduate/professional studies