Do-It-Yourself Career Counseling

Melanie is tired of celebrating Fridays and dreading Monday mornings. At work, she is spending large chunks of time checking online job boards and calculating how many years left before retirement. She is toying with the idea of hiring a career counselor or coach, but cannot afford the additional strain on her budget.

I would advise Melanie and anyone else contemplating a career change to begin a process of self-discovery. DIY career counseling can be very rewarding and economical.

1. Invest in a journal or create an online personal blog. Each morning or evening set aside at least 20 minutes and write about your day. What caught your attention? What brought you joy? Frustration? Write quickly and do not linger over each page. Do not worry about proper grammar and sentence structure.
   
   
2. Visit the nearest college or university and obtain the latest calendar. Carefully read each page and highlight any courses that appeal to you. Do not think too long or analyze any of your choices. At the end, go back and look for patterns. Why do these courses appeal to you? Have you resurrected an old dream or discovered a new passion? Devote a few pages of your journal to your findings.
   
   
3. Flip through your favourite magazines. Cut out any pictures that appeal to you. Set them aside for at least one evening. Later, sort the pictures into categories. For example, you may sort into travel, work, hobbies, and family. Position them on a large board. You have created a vision board. Display the board in a prominent area and look at it daily.
   
   
4. Take some time to make connections between your journal entries, course selections, and vision board. Are there any patterns? Can you list any career areas that would incorporate your findings? Obtain the latest copy of the Occupational Outlook Handbook from your local library or visit the online site at www.bls.gov/oco/ and search for clusters of jobs that match your interests.
   
   
5. Examine specific careers within the selected clusters. The Handbook provides a comprehensive description of the duties, requirements, training, and future outlook of each career. Select at least ten careers that appeal to you, regardless of your present qualifications.
   
   
6. Examine your own skill set. List all the full-time and part-time jobs you have held. If you are a recent graduate or have limited work experience, focus on hobbies and volunteer activities. Create two lists. One will contain the positive aspects of each position while the other contains the negative aspects. Review the list of careers from Step 5 and eliminate any that contain many of the less favorable aspects of past and present positions.
   
   
7. Focus on the remaining careers. Reread the job descriptions, keeping track of your feelings. Do you feel energized or apprehensive? In your journal, rank these careers and start visualizing yourself in those workplaces.
   
   
8. Arrange informational interviews with human resource personnel or other professionals in your top five careers. Bring a copy of your resume and a list of questions to each of these interviews. Test the fit of each workplace. Does it feel comfortable? Will your skill set be valued? Do you need additional training? Use your journal to record these answers.
   
   
9. Develop a personal action plan for the new career that best meets your needs, desires, and priorities. Establish specific, measurable, and achievable goals and a realistic time frame for achieving them. For example, you could take a course, join a professional organization, apply for an internship, or volunteer. Continue to journal and evaluate your progress on a daily basis.

It may take a few months or longer to find a new career. Along the way, you may also find yourself altering or changing career direction. Do not be afraid to restart the process for the second, third, or tenth career on your list. Keep in mind that you probably spent thousands of dollars and several years of your life pursing your present career. Be patient and persistent. And, maintain a positive attitude. A fulfilling new career is within your grasp.

For 31 years, Joanne Guidoccio taught mathematics, computer science, business and career education courses in secondary schools throughout Ontario. Her articles, book reviews, and short stories have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online. She has bachelor's degrees in mathematics and education and a Career Development Practitioner diploma.

Take the Next Step:

• For more work related tips and ideas on finding a new career, please visit here.

Share your thoughts about this article with the editor: Click Here

Copyright 1996 - 2013 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." All rights reserved unless specifically noted.

Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
941-761-7805

"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

Also In This Week's Issue

• Life insurance from marriage into midlife
• Affordable life insurance after 50? Or 60?
• How to track unclaimed life insurance money
• How to quickly boost your credit score
• Why good manners can boost financial success
• When it's OK to tap your IRA
• 6 cheap, effective home security solutions
• 5 excuses why people don't save for retirement
• Can a 'rapid rescore' help you get a mortgage?
• 5 types of credit unions worth joining
• Estate planning mistakes to avoid
• How to invest in a Roth IRA Video

In The Dollar Stretcher Community

• Dollar Stretching Recipes: Slow cooker refried beans
• Cooking with coffee: Great recipes

Reader Favorites

• Natural homemade shampoo
• Homemade cat food
• Removing pet urine smells
• Cheap dates and family activities
• Auto loan prepayment penalties