Career Counselling and Development

In the New Careering Model, Miller-Tiedeman uses case studies and discussion points throughout the text journey to help both professionals and students learn practical application. In the book by Miller – Tiedeman, historical events, models, and comparison charts are punctuated all throughout lending a global perspective to the New Careering model. The visual Pythagorean wheel blueprinting the spectrum of living harmonies activates different dimensions of awareness and possibilities for life.

This model is ideal for use in the classrooms (Mahoney, 2007). The book includes end-of-chapter questions, in-class exercises, and potential homework projects. The book appropriate for beginning counsellor education courses, entrepreneurial classes in business administration, career classes in other disciplines, church groups, pastoral counselling classes, and support/study groups.

While many career counselling models have focused almost entirely on practical methods aimed at occupation with little attention to the process nature of life, Miller – Tiedeman outlines a creative approach that advocates a theory of life, not job, as career. Focus is centred on a three-fold approach of thinking, feeling, and willing of the career theory of the individual, by addressing logical, emotional, and spiritual aspects as cited in the book.

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In a global and human perspective, Miller – Tiedeman illustrates, through detail of theory, a broader view of career places in which individuals can connect with their deeper spiritual selves. This book by Miller – Tiedeman unfolds into three major components such as Learning the New Careering:

• The “What” Question;
• Practicing the New Careering: The “How” Question;
• The Living the New Careering: The “Why” Question.

Through this journey of introspection and a myriad of careering principles, the reader is able to ask about his/her own life direction. Miller – Tiedeman helps guide the question, “Does one’s life compass mostly toward job and things, or is it toward the journey as a whole?” Every chapter ends with discussion questions that evoke powerful inquiries into one’s complete approach to life and career.

The book by Miller - Tiedeman is highly detailed and theory focused. One theory, in particular, The Pythagorean model — a spectrum of living harmonies — illustrates different dimensions of awareness and possibilities for life, and demonstrates how the nine power streams of focused energy through different parts of ourselves: i.e., the body, emotions, mind, will, intuitive thoughts and feelings, make up our complete life and career backdrop. Nine primary energies suggest nine basic power streams that are universal and available in every person’s life.

The nine power streams outlined include the power stream of close relationship, initiative, artistic creativity, freedom, achievement, sociability, life experience, inner wisdom, humanitarian service will to power.

Miller - Tiedeman met every objective in outlining in detail many of the aspects of New Careering and how it relates to the human elements of life. I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone connecting with people for career, life, and inner growth as well as for career direction from a holistic or whole-life approach.

Bearing of the Quantum Theory on Career Counselling

The New Careering method, based on the principle of flow, much like nature, uses as its foundation ideas from a broad range of theories including Quantum physics. It is said that change need not occur linearly, but rather can be discontinuous - a “quantum leap.” In counselling, clients should be prepared for “quantum” shifts at times from the impact of even minor influences--like those at time produced from values clarification exercises.

The quantum theory was asserting that the character of nature was essentially mental. The quantum theory was merely a tool for making predictions about experiences. The same line of thinking has led a serious attempt by to bring human conscious experience into the quantum mechanical description of nature (Bozarth, 1985).

Decision-making Process

Decision-making process is usually approach as an outcome of a long, continuous cognitive processes that may result to the selection of a course(s) of action among several alternatives. This process leads to a final choice, action or an opinion, among the alternatives (Reason, 1990).

The decision-making process is integrated in the interaction with the environment (Kahneman, 2000). It is a problem solving process that is halted upon arrival to a sound solution to the problem. It can be rational or irrational. It can be based on explicit or tacit assumptions.

My own style of decision-making could greatly influence the way I counsel. This is because my style of arriving at a decision and my way of resolving issues will be carried on how a client and I will arrive at a course of action(s) for the client’s case at hand. I might help a client who comes to me for help with making career-related decisions by drawing out various alternatives then at the end of it, allowing the client to choose the best option that the client thinks best fit.

Issues Explored on the Client in the Vignette and the Envisioned Counselling Process

Identify the Need for Counselling

In this vignette, it is evident that there is a need for focused, two-way communication with the client. There are several issues explored from the vignette on the client named Bridget, a thirty (30) years old senior college student who is raised from dairy farm in a small town in the New York State. According to Bridget, none of her siblings attended college.

That is, after high school Bridget was eager to become financially independent and worked for a few years as a cashier at K-Mart near her hometown. Bridget eventually decided to major in biology in a college in Kansas. In that school, she got a 30 average. It was at this period when Bridget felt anxious about graduating and leaving her comfortable niche in school. That time, Bridget was not sure about what to do with her life. She also thought that the job market in both Kansas and nearby towns is rather limited. That time, Bridget’s former supervisor at K-Mart would be willing to give her a job as manager. However, Bridget felt that despite the pay check, getting that managerial job would be like she had never gone to college at all.

Prepare for Counselling

To prepare for counselling, select a suitable place. Schedule counselling in an environment that minimizes interruptions. This environment has to be free from distracting sights and sounds.

Schedule the time. When possible, counsel a subordinate during the duty day. Counselling after duty hours may be rushed or perceived as unfavourable. The length of time required for counselling depends on the complexity of the issue. Generally a counselling session should last less than an hour. If you need more time, schedule a second session. Additionally, select a time free from competition with other activities and consider what has been planned after the counselling session. Important events can distract a subordinate from concentrating on the counselling.

Notify the client well about the scheduled counselling in advance. For a counselling session to be a subordinate-centred, two-person effort, the subordinate must have time to prepare for it. The subordinate should know why, where, and when the counselling will take place. Counselling following a specific event should happen as close to the event as possible. However, for performance or professional development counselling, subordinates may need a week or more to prepare or review specific products, such as support forms or counselling records

Organize information. Solid preparation is essential to effective counselling. Review all pertinent information. This includes the purpose of the counselling, facts and observations about the subordinate, identification of possible problems, main points of discussion, and the development of a plan of action. Focus on specific and objective behaviors that the subordinate must maintain or improve as well as a plan of action with clear, obtainable goals.

Outline the counselling session components. Using the information obtained, determine what to discuss during the counselling session. Note what prompted the counselling, what you aim to achieve, and what your role as a counsellor is. Identify possible comments or questions to help you keep the counselling session subordinate-centred and help the subordinate progress through its stages. Although you never know what a subordinate will say or do during counselling, a written outline helps organize the session and enhances the chance of positive results.

Plan the counselling strategy. The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, you may offer the subordinate a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate since a desk can act as a barrier.

Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counselling to correct substandard performance, you may direct the subordinate to remain standing while you remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere, normally used to give specific guidance, reinforces the leader’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority.

Establish the right atmosphere. The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, you may offer the subordinate a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate since a desk can act as a barrier.

Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counselling to correct substandard performance, you may direct the subordinate to remain standing while you remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere, normally used to give specific guidance, reinforces the leader’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority.

Conduct Counselling

During the conduct of counselling, opening the session should be in a manner that would make the client at ease with the activity. Her stories should be carefully listened to, giving particular attention to the details of her case. There is a need to observe Bridget’s behaviour and performance. The issues will be discussed one by one. Then Bridget’s case will be compared to the standard. Then develop the plan of action. After careful analysis, feedback(s) will be provided to Bridget in the form of counselling. Recording and closing the session should be done in order to deliver an efficient counselling work that entails exploration of Bridget’s case, understanding and resolving the issues.

Follow Up

After the implementation of the plan of action, the results have to be evaluated. During the evaluation, the plan of action has to be reviewed with the client to determine if the desired results were achieved. This evaluation session gives relevant data and information for future follow-up counselling activities.

References

1. Bozarth, J. D. (1985). Quantum theory and the person-centered approach. Journal of Counseling and Development. Special issue, 64(3),179-182.
2. Kahneman, Daniel and Tversky, Amos. 2000. Choice, Values, Frames. The Cambridge University Press.
3. Mahoney, Moira. 2007. Review: Learning, Practicing, and Living in the New Careering. Career Planning and Adult Development Network. Unite Media Group, Inc.  http://www.careertrainer.com/Request.jsp?nView=PrintArticle&Article=OID%3A52982.
4. Miller - Tiedeman, Anna. Learning, Practicing, and Living the New Careering.
5. Reason, James. 1990. Human Error. Ashgate.

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