It Takes a Partnership to Find Meaningful Work

 Amy Mazur, Career Counselor

Career Moves @ Jewish Vocational Service

 Going it alone has always been such a strong message in this culture where independence is highly valued.  By contrast, expressing vulnerability or asking for assistance can be seen as a weakness.  But if you are having trouble with your job search or career transition, getting help by working with a career counselor may be just the partnership you need to move forward. 

After working with many career counseling clients over the past 15 years, it continues to be clear to me that a partnership facilitates the process well beyond what an individual can do alone.  Of course, many people have made transitions and career changes without the assistance of a career management professional.  And if you are satisfied with the changes made, all the better.  But if you have been stalled in your career planning or have felt like you did not have an idea of where to turn when you were thinking of next steps, you may benefit from working with a career counselor, whose primary focus is to help you meet career goals and make satisfying career decisions.

The Benefits.  An experienced professional can help individuals work through issues affecting career choice and decision-making.   Their expertise can provide perspective and insight on what may seem like a very limited situation to the individual caught up in it. 

Joyce wanted to change careers, but had no idea what she wanted to do or how to get there.  She had never taken the time to think through her career plans, and had been reactive, taking whatever job came along, with no thought of her interests, or how much she liked it.  When Joyce met with a career counselor, they discussed ways that Joyce could act more proactively.  Their conversation enabled Joyce to see how she would benefit from taking time to plan and reflect on what was important and interesting to her as she made her next career move. 

Individuals of all types can benefit from a partnership in the career counseling and job search process.  Whether you are underemployed, dyslexic, reserved, or all of the above, a career professional can support you to fully realize your own unique gifts and help you see that what you bring to a vocation should be a true representation of who you are.

Being Heard. And what about the essential benefit of just being heard?  At times just naming the problem helps you take a step toward moving beyond it.  The listening that a career counselor is trained to do is often a catalyst for change.  And the act of naming the problem can prompt individuals who may have taken a more passive stance to be more proactive and responsible for taking some action.

Jared had begun to make a career transition from nursing to photography.  He was questioning some of his ideas so he came to a career counselor for validation.  As he shared his ideas and thoughts and could speak with confidence about his skills and plans when questioned by the career counselor, Jared became even more certain about his career shift.  At the follow-up meeting, Jared was thrilled to report that he had reduced his hours working as a nurse, and had been successful in securing a part time position at a local camera store where he would be working on special projects for corporate clients.

Movement occurs when a connection occurs with another person.  We all have experienced what support feels like.  It can get us back on track when we feel derailed.  It can mobilize us to do things that scare us.  And it does not mean that we are weak to want support.  In fact, in can boost our strength and make us more powerful to act.

Take action. So if you read this article and see it as a shameless plug for career counseling, good!  Pick up the phone and dial your friendly neighborhood career professional today.

Amy Mazur is a career development specialist and national board certified counselor. She earned her BA from the University of Michigan and holds a Master of Education and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University .

Jewish Vocational Service, a non-sectarian agency has over 65 years' experience helping job seekers in greater Boston to find jobs and build careers.  Career Moves staff work with hundreds of professional job seekers each year and offers top quality job search and career counseling services at an affordable price. To learn more about Career Moves at JVS visit us at www.jvsjobs.org or call 617-451-8147 .