Post 11 - Chapter 11, 16, & 17

CHAPTER 11: FACILITATING GLOBAL JOB SEARCH

Brown (2012) writes about different job skills required in the global job search. Career counselors must think globally now perhaps more than ever before. Internet skills and resume posting seems incorporated in the current school curriculum. Cultural competency is not. Incorporating cultural competency and global citizenship must be added at al levels of education.

Brown (2012) also writes about work as a validation of self-worth, and not working as lowering self-esteem. Counselors must attend to emotional states of clients to improve job search and interviewing skills. Implementing cognitive strategies can increase efficacy. It is interesting to think about the idea of group counseling. Brown (2012) writes that people in the same boat can provide the best support. I see this play out frequently in substance abuse groups. Often members of the group will be searching for a job. They utilize other members of the group fro support, resources, and networking. Those providing information feel helpful and useful. Those requesting information feel accepted and valued. This may work very well for specialized subgroups of clients with unique issues.

CHAPTER 16: PROGRAM EVALUATION

Brown (2012) revisits the ASCA National Model and writes that it emphasizes results reports and accountability. It is important to assess whether to retain a program and know where it needs strengthening. Brown (2012) writes that experimental designs are difficult in applied settings. Even descriptive designs, such as surveys, can be a challenge. The clinic where I work administers surveys for patient satisfaction and to assess global function at periodic intervals. The population the clinic serves can be very transient. Gathering information on a consistent basis is difficult. A practical challenge in program evaluation is who will do it. Sometimes administrative staff does not have adequate training and clinical staff does not have adequate time. I notice that we often want information, but do not want to invest what it really takes to gain quality information.

(Amanda – I like your blog post idea about our workshop J)

CHAPTER 17: TRENDS IN THE LABOR MARKET

As I read this chapter, I thought, “ The only thing that is constant is change”. I think that people often think about human as becoming more rigid as we age. I wonder if that is true or a stereotype? “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. I think you can’t teach an unwilling dog new tricks. Our world requires much flexibility to maintain wellness. Additionally, with the increase in service jobs, people will require certain social skills to be satisfied in those jobs and perform well.

As I was reading this chapter, I kept thinking about electronic health records and how this technology will impact psychology and counseling. How will our ethics change to keep pace with the times, if at all? Transparency in care and team coordination have better benefits to patients for improved health across SES. That is encouraging and exciting. Sometimes I wonder if keeping counseling and psychology so separate from overall healthcare promotes stigma and an attitude that some things are best not discussed. I wonder if we bar other medical practitioners from our insights. This could easily be the case for career counseling. It is not uncommon for a client to come to the clinic for counseling for depression with an onset at the time of job loss. Career counseling would be beneficial. This client may be working with a Primary Care Physician and being prescribed meds. The client might benefit from a coordination of care that currently happens rarely or not at all.

Reference:

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10^th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.