WHAT TO EXPECT
Choosing a future career, changing career in mid-life or re-entering the workforce after a period without paid employment are weighty decisions, with profound consequences for the course of your life. Few of us know ourselves well enough to make them without outside help.
During your session with a career counsellor the Advancement Centre in the Lower North Shore,
you will focus your attention on your core personal attributes, and on the fields of work in which they suggest you may thrive.
The Advancement Centre’s principal career counsellor, Philip Wolfers uses a rigorously-validated process to guide you towards the career that will best exploit your talents and interests.
Your career consultation is a personal matter, taken one-on-one by an experienced psychologist who will be with you throughout the sessions.
The process starts with a guided interview, during which you will see detailed notes taken by your psychologist.
Next, you will be given a number of assessments.
These include a cognitive and personality assessments designed to provide an objective appraisal of your skills and aptitude.
Other assessments may be used, depending on your particular circumstances – it is not a ‘one size fits all’ matter.
Following the assessment process, you will spend about an hour with the career counsellor discussing the results of the assessments
and the conclusions that may be drawn from them.
What if I am still a student?
If you are still studying, these results can help you decide which subjects will be best for your chosen career, or if you should consider changing your course; or if you are mid-career, it may help you decide to change jobs or to go back to studying in order to re-train.
How long should I set aside?
The entire career counselling process at the Advancement Centre takes about four hours – three for the assessment, and about another hour for the debrief and planning phase. However, we recommend that you set aside an entire day, to allow you to take a break after the assessment, returning refreshed for the final stage.
We also recommend that for the debriefing and planning stage you are accompanied by a trusted friend or family member who can support you in drawing useful conclusions from the process. Bring someone you trust to tell you the truth about yourself as they know you – such people often bring an invaluable perspective.
What should I expect to gain from my Career Counselling sessions?
Our clients often speak at length about how much more they understand about themselves and their abilities, after a session at the Advancement Centre. Often, a new perspective or approach to your career will emerge, or you may gain confidence to follow up that proposal you were thinking of but were not sure if you were ready for. Confidence in your abilities and personality is the key to success in following your chosen direction.