“I don’t think College is for me. I think I should have started working straight after my Leaving Cert”

The Careers Counsellor assured the client that there were many more options other than college and that the Careers process would examine a number of these.When he met with the careers counsellor, he was still determined to leave college. However, his careers profile suggested a very different course. It seemed that he was indeed suited to the course he was doing and that he had the aptitude to do very well in it.

The client, ironically, was not pleased to hear this.

“I just could not go back and spend another minute there. I am leaving no matter what.” He replied.

The counsellor had noticed in his motivational questionnaire that this client was very affiliative; friends would be of primary importance to him. If he was not making social connections, any situation would be very difficult for him. Could loneliness and lack of social contact be part of the problem?

The counsellor suggested that they explore what exactly was not suiting him. To do this they looked at his normal day. A picture began to build up. The college he was attending was very large and far from his home and his friends. He was sharing an apartment with people from home whom he considered friends. However, on closer investigation, it became clear that he had not bonded with this group and felt very uncomfortable in the house. College did not provide him with the social outlet he needed. His classes and tutorials were very large and he had not made many friends. In short, he was very lonely.

He explained that he had many friends at home. He missed his football team and felt that they were all moving on without him. He admitted that he would be far happier to go to the local college; the course there was good and provided exactly the same level of degree qualification. He would have friends there and things would be generally much easier for him.

This young client took some time to admit any type of loneliness. He was a young man starting out in the world; competent, confident young men did not get lonely.

“If I do leave, I couldn’t tell anyone it was because I was lonely. It sounds like such a ‘loser’ thing to say” he said at last..

The counsellor told the young man that going to college was hard enough; he did not have to choose a location that made things even harder. He did not have to mention loneliness to his friends. He could just say that he had looked at the course in the local college and found it very good; he was moving back home.

This young man moved college the following September. As most of his friends were moving, none of them even commented on this. They were just thrilled to have such a competent defender back on the team. The course he chose proved to be no problem and college started to become a fun place to be

“She does not seem to be getting on very well. Could you help with her motivation?”

When the young girl came into the office, the Counsellor was far more concerned for her health than for her motivation. She seemed to have lost quite a bit of weight and looked very stressed.

She had chosen to do Arts as she was very unclear what she would like to do in college. The counsellor suggested that they go back to basics and find out what type of course may naturally suit her. The client applied herself very conscientiously to the careers process. It indicated that she had little interest in the subjects she was currently studying.

The results suggested, however, that this young girl was very creative and loved the whole area of design. It was when the subject turned to Beauty and Make-up that she came alive. Her face shone and she explained in detail her passion for this subject.

“I really adore this area, but, of course, I could never study it.”

The counsellor was puzzled – she had the passion, she had honours Biology in her Leaving Certificate – what was the block? Why could she not study this?

“Because I can’t study this in University. My Mum wants me to go to University and be a success”.

The counsellor explored the notion of success with the young client. They discovered that she would love to get into one of the top Beauty Schools and specialize in make-up for Fashion Photography. She would eventually like to set up her own consultancy.

The Counsellor set up a meeting with this client and her Mother. The results were explained. The young girl’s mother became very upset. She explained that she had always wanted her daughter to go to University. She had never gone herself and always saw that as a big lack in her life.

“You can’t be a success unless you go to University – there will always be something missing in your life.” She said.

The counsellor empathized with the Mother. She wanted the very best for her daughter and wanted her to have the things that she did not manage to have herself in her youth.

However, the counsellor questioned whether the option of college was the very best one for her daughter. Despite working very hard, the young student was not succeeding in her subjects. The counsellor also asked some questions around the young girl’s health.

Her Mother said the young girl’s GP was concerned about her loss of weight and her stress levels. They were due to revisit the GP in a few days. The counsellor suggested that they make another appointment after the GP’s appointment and re-examine the situation.

At the next appointment, the young girl was accompanied by both of her parents. They explained that the GP was indeed concerned about their daughter’s health and suggested that they pay immediate attention to this. They then re-examined the whole situation at home. Her Mother explained that she realised that she was imposing her notion of success on to her daughter and that this was not, in reality, what her daughter really wanted to do.

The young girl made an application to one of the top Beauty Schools in London and submitted a copious portfolio.

This student had started a Science degree. He failed his First Year, but passed the repeats. Now at the start of Third Year, he really feels he is doing the wrong thing and that he has totally wasted nearly three years. He told the counsellor that he finds it really hard to go to lectures as he is not doing well and has no clear idea of where he is going.

“I don’t know why I ever did this course. I don’t get on with the people. I don’t find the lectures interesting. I think I just fell into this because I didn’t know what else to do.” he stated.

The student completed the psychometric assessment. The patterns that emerged were of a young man who was full of ideas. He loved business and had a real desire to start up his own enterprise. He loved taking the initiative and trying new things.

“It seems I have done totally the wrong course! Will I have to go back and start all over again!!?”

The counsellor explained to him that a degree in any discipline is a very useful step as it allows him access the area of Post Graduate study. At this level he could take a post-graduate diploma in Business. This is designed for graduates who do not have a primary degree in Business but who are interested in the area.

The only challenge would be that he would need to get a second class honours in his Science degree. Initially the student was skeptical. They then explored together the opportunities which a post-grad degree in Business would open up to him. He said that he would love to do the Business Diploma and then specialize by doing a Masters in Marketing afterwards. The student became excited. But how was he going to ensure success in his degree?

Now that he had a goal and he knew where he was going. Together they identified areas which presented particular difficulties and arranged grinds in these areas. The Careers Counsellor also referred him to a counsellor who agreed to support him emotionally in the intervening period. He also met with the careers counsellor at regular intervals to make sure that the plan was on track

The results of the final exam were enough to get him into the area he really loved. He was worried about taking on further study, but when he began to study Business, he had no further problems as the area interested him so much. He managed to change course and follow his heart’s desire by putting in a lot of extra work but loosing little time.

“I think I am interested in everything! Whenever I hear about any career I think: ‘Oh yeah, I would love to do that!’ How am I ever going to choose just one career?”

The counsellor firstly reassured the student that it was never a question of just choosing just one career for the rest of one’ life. The vast majority of people will make at least 3 changes in the course of a career.

This student then completed the assessment. Her aptitude test revealed that she was not only strong in Numerical subjects but also in Verbal subjects. This is somewhat unusual as most of us tend to favour one side of the brain more than the other.

Those who favour the right side of the brain will like verbal or creative subjects, while those who are more comfortable using the left hand side of the brain will like Numerical and factual subjects such as Mathematics and Science.

This particular student found that she liked using both sides of her brain equally. Her career choice then seemed huge to her and she felt “all over the place”.

The counsellor informed the student that there were many careers which involved both and that eventually she would possibly be more comfortable in a career that allowed her access both. When they examined areas like Architecture, she became quite excited. She could see that this career would allow her design but she would also have to consider the more technical aspects of structure etc.

Careers such as Industrial design held a similar fascination for her. An everyday object would have to perform a certain function and perform it well, but could you design it to do this and also have it looking great, make it lightweight etc?

Once the student learned that she did not have to choose one set of skills over the other, she was much relieved. The fact that many careers actually ask you to favour both sides of the brain at the same time, made her feel even more comfortable.

The counsellor then worked with her to make sure that she chose both scientific and creative subjects to provide her with maximum choice when she was selecting her eventual course of study.

“She is so good in school and works so hard, but she hasn’t a clue what she wants to do. There are so many things she can do that she feels totally paralyzed when it comes to making a career decision.”

This is a very typical and normal dilemma of the talented student. Because of their intelligence, this student can fit in almost anywhere. The real question the counsellor will want to ask in career guidance sessions will be:

“So it is clear your head can do any number of things very well, but what does your heart want to do? Which of these things will make YOU happy?”

A common trap for the talented student is to think:

“I am going to get close to 600 points so I had better “use” them.”

So when this student said that she was thinking of doing Medicine, the Counsellor immediately tried to ascertain whether this choice was motivated by points or by something deeper.

Many students do not understand that Medicine is a scientific discipline. Many say that they want to do Medicine because they “want to help people”. However, the first few years of Medical study are devoted primarily to the study of physical science and not to human behaviour.

The counsellor therefore tried to ascertain whether this student actually liked Science. She was taking Biology and Chemistry and really liked both. She said that she liked Physics less and was not taking it in her Leaving Certificate. When it was explained to her that this subject would also have to be studied as part of her Medical studies, she said that she would be quite willing to take grinds in it.

The other aspect of this career is that it can be very emotionally challenging. The counsellor presented many difficult situations to the student – such as the death of a child patient – how would she cope with this? After a long discussion, the student said that, even though she would find this situation very challenging, she considered that with the help of her team she would eventually learn the skills to cope with such events.

The aspect of work/life balance was also discussed. The student was made to understand that Medicine was clearly not a 9.00 – 5.00 profession. On many occasions she may have to leave family events to attend to a patient or she may be called out in the middle of the night on an emergency case. The student said that she was well aware that the normal routine of family life may not apply if she were to enter medicine. However she was from a Medical background – she had seen her parents cope successfully so she hoped she could do likewise.

Having assessed this student using personality profiles and interest inventories, this student proved that she was not merely choosing Medicine merely on a whim; this was a serious vocational choice for her. She went on to do Medicine and is now not only involved in a successful medical practice, but has a very young family too.

“Coming here was my Mum’s idea, not mine!” was his opening statement.

When the Counsellor gave this young man the option to be, indeed, elsewhere, he eventually decided to go through with the process.

School just was not working for him. Classes were a waste of time and teachers generally “talked a lot of rubbish”.

So if he did not want to do what he was currently doing, what did he want to do?

If he did not want to be in school, where did he want to be?

Having completed three assessments, it was clear that this was a young man who loved movement. He was happy when physically challenged. It also emerged in his personality profile that he was a warm, happy person who loved to feel useful. At school he generally felt useless. With the help of the Counsellor, he examined many careers, but the one which made his eyes shine was Emergency Medical Technician.

The Counsellor hesitated to give him the bad news – not only would he have to apply himself much harder in school, especially to a Science subject, but he would also have to devote much of his free time to preparing for his new career. To her astonishment, he not only agreed to do this, but made even more suggestions – should he do a First Aid course, would it be good to have his driver’s licence?

At last sighting, not only was he doing all of the above, but was also practicing his swimming so that he could volunteer to train for the National Lifeboats!

The above sentence was wailed by a sixth year student – indeed, it is wailed by many a sixth year student. The counsellor accessed her most useful tool – chocolate biscuits – and suggested that they both relax for a few minutes.

The counsellor empathized that Sixth Year is most stressful but explained that the Careers process is designed to make things much easier. It was only September and she had plenty of time.

Even though the careers process is quite intensive, it is all done within a concentrated period, saving her much time and energy later. The harassed student was much relieved by this news.

The careers counsellor took a detailed educational history from the student and checked the suitability of the subjects she was taking. Did they suit her natural aptitudes? Were they the subjects required by the particular career areas which interest her?

The next question to be answered was how was the student going to access the career areas she was interested in? The counsellor compiled a list of relevant web links and emailed them to the student. At her own convenience, she could click into these websites and familiarize herself with specific course content.

The Counsellor reassured her that she did not have to make a decision immediately – her CAO form did not have to be in until the 1st February.

The Counsellor further reassured the student that even though the form needs to be submitted before 1st February, she can still change her mind on a large number of courses up to the 1st July.

A process, which initially seemed overwhelming, now became more doable when broken down into bite size chunks. The student learned that she, indeed, did have enough time and that she did not have to do everything on her own.

The client explained that he had come from a large family of few resources. He had always liked school and his parents made many sacrifices to make sure that he did his Leaving Cert. He made sure that he got a job as quickly as possible to “pay them back”. It mattered little what he did and he took the first stable job he found.

He had always loved to read. When he was young, he often got into trouble with his father when he was found reading rather that doing his chores on the farm. His job involved office work and numbers. He knew it never really suited him, but it allowed him to support his parents and later to provide for his family.

The client completed a full psychometric assessment. It revealed that, not only had he an interest in literature, he was also very verbally intelligent. The Interest Inventory also revealed a passion for teaching. A plan was gradually formed. He would complete a “Return to Learning” course at the University with a view to eventually completing an Arts Degree in English.

“Ah, it’s all very well to say all that in here, but if I said that to ‘The Missus’, she would think I was pure daft. Anyway, I would have to spend the week up here – she would get too lonely.”

“The Missus”, however, took an entirely different view. She had listened for years to her husband saying how he would have loved to have the opportunities that the young people have today. Now he had them, so it was up to him to make the most of it. As for her being lonely – she had made so many plans with “the girls” that she would not have a spare minute!

Now it was all up to him – and all of his worst fears came up! He was far too old – all the rest of the students would be teenagers. What would he do afterwards – he would never get a job teaching. He would be over 70 when he qualified. What would he do all week? He knew no-one in the city. It was a big and very courageous step to take.

And he took it. He astonished himself how well he did academically. The rest of the students were much younger, but they suddenly got a new “granddad” – he was also the one some students could come to if they needed an extra hand. He finally got to do what he always wanted to do – read without anyone telling him to stop!

He graduated, came home, started to give grinds and instilled a love of English in many a student in his vicinity.

So what was the problem? Why was he here?

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I am just not going for this.”

His career interest inventory displayed a real passion for the area he was in. The personality profile outlined the strong social skills which made him excellent as a manager. One factor which was totally surprising was a low score in self confidence. He explored this in depth with the Career Counsellor. Why, with so much success, would his confidence have been low?

He explained that he had started off a very small arm of this large multi-national. In a small space of time, this small business grew exponentially. With a minimum staff and little advertising, this team had done so well.

“Yet now it is all falling apart. We started off so well, but now I am loosing a grip on things” the client explained.

His team had been promised promotion and high salary increases if this venture took off. However, the team did not get anything like the salary increases they were promised and the promotion was only nominal. This client saw this as his failing. He had promised the rewards to his team and then he had to tell them they were not getting them. He had argued their case with Senior Management but had not succeeded. It was now his job to break the bad news. He felt that he had asked his team to do something, they did this, and more, and now they were not getting the reward that he promised them.

Suddenly, and not surprisingly, the morale in his team plummeted. This client felt that he had lost his Management skills. So what was in his power to do? He decided that he would make a presentation to the Board. He did not have the power of decision but he did have the possibility of making a presentation. The client was well aware that, if the Board did not like this move, he was risking all future promotion.

A decision was not given straight away. The client experienced anxiety in the intervening days, but also said that he felt relief that he had “done the right thing”. The Board appreciated his commitment and his thoroughness. The small Department did not get all they were looking for, but their situation was greatly improved over a phased period.

This client’s promotion took a little longer than originally planned, but when he did accept it, he did it with confidence and a clear heart.

Tel: 353 (0)1 2788013

“I don’t know why I am here. I was always useless at school so I don’t think there is anything I can do well”

The career counsellor reassured her that much career choice is based on intelligence which was never measured in school. This client did not do well academically in school. It was going to be a challenge to shift this perception. However the counsellor was confident that the process would uncover skills and subtle intelligences that this client may never have been given credit for in school.

The process indicated that this client’s greatest gift was her ability to stay calm in a crisis. Even though her surface confidence was not high, the profile indicated that she a very calm, grounded woman. This gift was coupled with an ability to multi-task – she could seem as if she was giving her undivided attention to one person and yet be aware of others waiting in a queue or of a phone ringing. When these gifts were revealed to the client, she remained totally unimpressed.

“Sure, I always knew I could do that. Can’t everyone? So what? So I go into someone and say ‘I am calm and can do loads of things at once’ – this is going to get me a job!?”

The counsellor took this very good question and explored it with the client. Eventually, the client focused on the area of customer care, dealing with customer queries and complaints. She found a position in a large Department Store. The Store was offering part-time training on the job.

She submitted a CV and the counsellor ran her through intensive interview training. To her astonishment, she was offered the job. Suddenly her dream was becoming a reality – now it was time to commit. Finally, at the very last minute, she decided that it was now or never, if she did not do it now, she never would.

At the beginning, the client faced major obstacles- she found the training difficult. She had to figure out the cash register…. She kept in touch with the counsellor and so many times she considered leaving. However, gradually, they had less contact. She began little by little to appreciate her gift – she could stay calm, no matter how difficult a client was.

After three months she felt comfortable and actually wondered what she had found so difficult in the first place!