Through the Looking Glass

What kind of guidance would I like to be involved with in an ideal world?

I would like to work with people and help support them over time. I would like to be the person clients get sent to rather than the person that signposts them if they need extra support. I've grown to love opening up all those famous 'cans of worms'. I want to keep learning and developing (or 'unfolding' as Grant would say!). I'm not averse to the idea of moving into full-on counselling eventually.

I would like to have be able develop my own style of guidance, and to use approaches to suit individual clients needs. I'm a creative person and a 'good egg'. I would love to have a job where you can get stuck in with very basic support and to have the freedom to be able to use my creativity in my work - when it's appropriate of course, I wouldn't subject just everyone to my great 'play-doh' guidance ideas!

I would like to be confident, trusted, well liked, and well respected.

I once took a client along to their careers scotland appointment, and when we came out I said 'that's the course I'm going off to do soon, careers guidance. Can you imagine me working somewhere like that?'. She said (actually I think you would call it 'wailed') 'Nooooooooooooooooooooo! you can't work there! That's for boring auld folk, and you're not like that! You know how to have a laugh. I need you to be there for me, I want you to be there to help me forever'

Come to think of it, that's probably the best careers advice I've ever had. I just hope I can make it happen some day.

And now to end this blog I feel it is most appropriate to quote an acrostic poem I was once given by a client!

Giving
Everyone
Money
Meals
And

Everybody
Loves her
Dated, vintage, jumble sale CRAP
Especially cause she makes it look great with her sexy
Red hair!!!!!!!!!

A Thoroughly Postmodern Millie

I give my gold-star seal of approval to my last placement with enable scotland (and not just because I got to go out in the sun with a bit of card and some sticky-backed plastic to make this nature study!). I thought it was a really great place, doing really good work and with a really nice atmosphere about it.

In contrast to my other placements I wasn't stuck in offices or schools, I wasn't stuck within the bounds of a big institution, and I got the chance to build relationships with some of the clients over time. Definitely the sort of thing I would like to do in the future (somewhere I could get stuck in with things rather than signposting).

One of the most difficult things for the EDWs is obtaining work placements - which is why in our 'dream guidance scenarios' I said they should be compulsory, like jury duty! (although that obviously wouldn't be that great an idea as you wouldn't want to send anyone out into a hostile place). I would have expected to a lot of closed doors when trying to get placements, but what surprised me was the number of people who are very openly and blatantly discriminatory.

I also got to go out one day with an EDW who was supporting a client into their new cleaning job. They teach clients how to do the job, stay with them until they learn it and are comfortable, and then gradually remove themselves. Enable has the funding for clients to get back in touch in the future if they are having any problems, which is sooooo important (I'm a bit horrified by all the stories of places which don't have that)

We were talking in class today about the problem of which theorectical stance to take with differnet clients. Although they are often viewed negatively, I think sometimes directive matching approaches are sometimes appropriate. Everyone (not specifically this client group) has limits to their capability, everyone works within limited opportunity horizons to a greater or lesser extent, and some people struggle with 'decision making' and knowing what they want, especially if they are used to having little or no say in their lives.

At enable, one of the EDWs (who did this course last year) was talking to me about how, in reality, she often uses matching techniques, as this is what is most appropraiate. However, there is no one set approach, and support is individualised. While I was there I also went to one evening of a 6 week event,'The Big Plan', an evening event at the hibs ground where they can bring friends and family, and where they are given supported space to assert their identities, dream, and make plans for the future, which they do by drawing their ideas on posters and talking about them to the group. I really love that sort of stuff, and the idea of 'pick n mix'. When it comes to guidance I'm a thoroughly postmodern millie!


I hate all the stuff Pete says about 'having a different theory for different groups'. I know that there can be broad similarities between 'groups' of clients (school leavers vs women returners etc) but I would never want to (intentionally) prejudge anyone, or assume groups are homogenous. I don't see what is so difficult about taking individual people as they come and thinking on your feet!




[and while I was at enable I even got to jet-set about edinburgh with my very own volunteer-liasing 'James Bond'! (which I guess must make me a bond girl???). He was absolutely amazing at his job, so suave and professional and talented (yes thats right he is reading this!). Despite his fears I don't have a bad word to blog about him - even if he does drink his body weight in coffee every day and have a thing for buttons shaped like unicorns and pixies. I honestly like those things about him :D]

Is there a doctor in the house?

Thinking about how I originally made my journey to career guidance, lets see what my diagnosis is...

1) learning how to make career decisions

- being willing to career plan

I decided to do this course and the related work I did before it as an end in themselves. If I liked them I would stick with them and if I didn’t I would take the transferable skills and move on. I was hopeful and optimistic, but I know there are no certainties in life.

If I ever stop liking it or come across something fabulous I will drop it. I can plan for the next stage or two in advance but not for my working life. Not necessarily because I don’t want to, but because how can you?

half a point?

Having a method

Having a method. Hmmm. I originally came up with 'career guidance' by thinking about headhunting/recruitment, going for an internship and later a few interviews. I pulled out of the next stages because it didn't seem quite 'right', I would have had to 'fake it', I like people, I don't care about money/sales enough.
I came up withthe headhunting/recruitment idea because a) I thought it would be a 'sensible' idea to have an internship and the headhunting one was the only one I saw that I liked the looks of and b) because I am a nosey cow and like riffling through peoples cvs.

I then came up with career guidance. It seemed like a good idea. I thought in any case it would be a good idea to beef up my 'people skills' as I was really good at all the academic stuff and that tends to read as 'bookish and unsociable' when you are job hunting.

Was that methodical? Should it have been?


2) Making a career decision
Using a method: finding out about myself and the world of work

I already knew about myself. I have met me many times. I did not use a method. If anything I based my career decision on what I wanted to be like more than what I was like. I thought it would make things more exciting and give me room to grow (and it did!).

Half a point???

Find out about the world of work? What, all of it? Everything? Or does this mean ‘find out that you can’t chew gum at work?’.

3) Finding out about my chosen job or course

Knowing where to find information on jobs and courses

Google?

I also spoke to a career advisor before I applied for the course, full marks for me, go me!

4) Knowing how to apply

Covering letters, application forms and CV’s.

I can do all that.

5) Understanding interviews and assessments

Dealing with selection and outcomes

I always think that interviews are as much/more about me ‘interviewing’ them than them interviewing me. If it is the right job then it is easy and enjoyable but if I have my doubts or don’t like the atmosphere when I meet them then I know I don’t really want it.

Then I am either accepted or rejected a) because I was great but someone was better or b) because I was not so great because I didn’t really want it

Is it ‘technically’ a good idea to be so choosy? If I were unemployed for a long time/needing the cash then I would probably find more things desirable and so do ‘well’ more frequently.

Is that too subjective an answer??? It makes sense to me anyhow.

6) Developing my career

What to do when things change, promotion, keeping up to skills

Roll with the punches? Go with the flow? Don't stop moving to that funky funky beat?




So whats the diagnosis? Am I ill?