Locating employment
involves a lot more than people often think it does. Brown (2012) states that a typical job search
involves three steps which are creating career goals, searching the job market,
and developing critical skills such as resume writing and interviewing. Many teens and young adults, including
myself, do not take all of these steps seriously or may skip them
entirely. Each step is important in
locating and obtaining employment that fits your interests, needs, goals, and
skills.
Additionally, I
found the section on disabilities and criminal records interesting. It is upsetting to know that many people with
disabilities felt that short-term career counselors were not helpful. People with disabilities reported not feeling
understood or helped. After they had an
initial session, the counselor also left them to “do it themselves” which may
be difficult for those with a disability (Brown, 2012, p. 237). Essentially, counselors provided little help,
direction, or understanding to these particular clients. Without help, these clients will be
underemployed and may not be able to provide for themselves or their
families. Contributing to a household can
lift self-esteem which may be lacking for these individuals. By not providing appropriate counseling
services to people with disabilities, these individuals are sold short in the
work field as well as in their personal lives.
Also,
Brown stated that people with criminal records will experience greater
difficulty in obtaining employment due to their records (Brown, 2012, p. 237). This makes sense as many people are unemployed,
so those without records, with relevant experience, and with degrees will
likely be chosen first. I thought it was
interesting that the type of crime made employment and hire more
difficult. Sex offenders and substance abuse
crimes are the most difficult records to have while trying to find a job
(Brown, 2012, p. 237).
Lastly
I was intrigued by the resume section. I
have tweaked my resume several times between being an undergraduate student to now;
however, my overall format has remained the same. I thought it was interesting that my general arrangement
was not seen in any of the three templates provided in the book. My resume contained some of the same elements
as the sample resumes, but the samples also provided helpful ideas for ways to
improve my resume. I like the idea of
adding the phrase “willing to relocate” at the bottom of the resume. I also like including some personal interests
on the bottom of the resume because it allows the potential employer to gain a
slightly better understanding of who you are as a person. Overall Chapter 11 was interesting and
provided some options and ideas for the future.
References
Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career
counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
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