Navigating Life's Critical Turns
By Heather Zeng
Fall 2007
Surely you have heard that the “new middle age” is now 50 or even 60. Yes, people today lead more active lives than ever before. But what does this societal transformation mean for you?
In your lifetime, you can expect to entertain many different life roles – and, perhaps, careers. Research on aging suggests that people who live to age 100 own a magic secret: They were able to reinvent themselves roughly every 10 years. They found new careers and opportunities, and they were not afraid to make changes. This acceptance of change stimulated them in healthy and rejuvenating ways.
Not everyone is able to make such changes, of course. Many of us are creatures of habit or accept our job circumstances because of an economic need for stable work. In a career life, some individuals hang onto work for the pay and benefits, to provide for their families or maintain security and stability. Some cling to jobs even when they provide little sense of fulfillment or satisfaction.
What stands in the way of seeking fulfillment? For some, perhaps it is the fear of change. Others may not know how to make effective career decisions or capitalize on new opportunities. Whatever the reason, career counseling can help many individuals find their way.
Career counselors can help individuals make important decisions at critical junctures in their working lives. It’s not a stretch to say that a superior career counselor can change your life!
From the initial meeting with the client, a career counselor asks questions about education, training, work experiences and fields of interest, then uses this important information to acquire a fuller picture of the client’s life and the career’s place in it.
The goal of the counseling is to help you clarify life and career goals, assist your job search, and provide guidance in preparing your resume. Human resource professionals have found that individuals experience confusion and anxiety when wading through the flood of educational and training options for their professional development. A career counselor can help you access this information and narrow the many options to more clearly focus on your unique interests and goals. A career counselor also may provide a valuable source of support during an early retirement, layoff or any other career transition.
A competent career counselor also attempts to understand your life roles, recognizing that your life is not just your work – you juggle a variety of roles in your life, possibly including parent, neighbor, volunteer, co-worker, sibling, responsible citizen and others. As such, the counselor may provide guidance that assists you in better understanding each of these roles.
I’ll never forget one client who was disappointed she had invested so much money in training and education for a career that brought many openings in the labor market but no sense of intrinsic rewards. I suggested she consider her artistic interests and how she could turn them into a part-time job. A light seemed to switch on, and we began to discuss ways she could do something she truly enjoyed while earning supplementary income and perhaps eventually leading to a full-time pursuit.
Prior to the initial session, the counselor should provide you with information regarding services and fees, as well as a disclosure statement which describes ethical guidelines and details the counselor’s background and training. Some counselors may provide assessments as a tool to help you clarify potential career options; you should expect the counselor to identify any fees related to these assessments and the costs of interpretation. It’s important to understand whether hourly fees are included in these services or are charged separately.
Credentials will vary, but a qualified counselor probably should possess a master’s degree from a counseling program with specific expertise in the area of career development. Professional counseling qualifiers such as certification through the National Board for Certified Counselors or a state licensing board also assures proper competency to provide services. The National Career Development Association (NCDA) recognizes expertise and awards special member categories such as Master Career Counselor, Master Career Development Professional and Master Career Development Fellow. Any of these identifiers are highly recognized in the profession.
The NCDA, part of the American Counseling Association, provides a clearinghouse of information for job seekers and a comprehensive, up-to-date listing of qualified career counselors in every state (www.ncda.org), including website addresses and contact information.
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Dr. Heather Zeng is a Master Career Counselor and National Board Certified Career Counselor, providing expertise on career development, policy and education. She worked for six years as a guidance counselor to