What can a Career Development Practitioner do for me?

Kathy’s Blog Nov 2019

The first day of November marked the official start of National Career Development month in Canada. Developed and supported by the Canadian Council for Career Development (CCCD or 3CD) career month highlights the importance of finding meaningful work and acknowledges the efforts of those who support the journey. This year the focus is on learning what a Career Development Practitioner (CDP) does in hopes that understanding our role will encourage job seekers to reach out to a CDP in their area.

If you are interested in learning more, here is link to their website and a great visual on the many skills and roles of a CDP. https://careermonth.ca/

For me, I’d like to pick up from a blog my colleague Dallas posted in August 2019. If you haven’t read it you might want to start here:

https://workprep.ca/reframing-our-views-towards-the-interrogation/

Dallas talked about the stress and anxiety of being unemployed and the impact of self-doubt on our job search and ability to successfully market ourselves.

Research shows an increase in the number of Canadians who are experiencing mental health issues. As Career Development Practitioners we see this impact every day.  Loosing hope in your ability to find meaningful employment or any employment negatively effects an individual’s mental health. David E Redekopp wrote in his Aug 2019 Blog- Why Connect Career Development and Mental Health – “whether intended or not, career development intervention is also an intervention for positive mental health.”   If your current situation is affecting your mental health you are not alone and we can help. Understanding mental health issues and building tools and skill development into the job seekers journey can help individuals to focus on what is working and build confidence and hope.

What else can else can we do?

The world of work is changing at a rapid pace and CDP’s have knowledge, skills and experience in several areas that may be of significant benefit to you if you unemployed, underemployed or looking for a career change.  Consider the questions below:

• Are your marketing tools, resume, cover letter, LinkedIn Profile and interview responses, a list of your past jobs and tasks or a demonstration of your skills, competencies, attitudes and current/future value to an employer?
• Have you thought about self-employment or contract work as an option?
• Are you effectively using a variety of Social Media platforms to look for work?
• Do you understand the local and national Labour Market needs and opportunities and are you using this information to drive your job search activities?
• What about Future trends and needs? Are you following a career path that will be around in the years ahead? Are you building skills and competencies that are transferable to future needs?
• Do you know about and access the learning and networking opportunities in your community (workshops, local events, volunteering) and what about online learning opportunities (webinars, public library, LinkedIn E-learning)?

If any of this sounds interesting or helpful and yet you are hesitant to access services to help with your job search, ask yourself why?  Do you lack information on how to access services, have you had a bad experience in the past, do you believe asking for help is a weakness, have you lost hope or do you attach shame to your current employment situation?

 

 

 Brené Brown talks about shame as the fear that we’re not good enough. In her book I Thought It Was Me (but is isn’t): Make the Journey from “What will People Think?”  to “I Am Enough”.

Stepping back to Dallas’s Blog, he talked about the power of re-framing the interview process as a “POSITIVE” and I would like to apply that same concept to address the feelings of shame  and hopelessness and the hesitancy to reach out for help with your job search.

 

As CDP’s we learn that offering a new interpretation of a negative belief or feeling increases an individual’s sense of choice and control. We also know that being unemployed increases an individual’s vulnerability so at Work Prep reframing is combined with empathy; acknowledging the validity of your current feelings while offering a different perspective.  We honour and applaud job seekers as courageous and worthy individuals.  We are in awe of your ability to put yourself out there and not have any control of the outcome and see this as a strength and value to market to employers and our community.  We offer you our respect and our support in your journey.

So, in November I invite you to call or even better walk into our office at 2020 Halifax and have a conversation with myself or one of our staff members about how we can help YOU to really feel supported  as you strive to reach your career goals and find the key to your success.

Reference:

Brown B. (2007) – I Thought It Was Me (but is isn’t): Make the Journey from “What will People Think?”  to “I Am Enough”  New York, USA. Penguin