The high school and young adult years are a time of great changes and a time for planning for the future. As students get ready to graduate high school, they often have many questions such as – “what should I major in?”, “which school is best for me?” And while most students go on to college, some may be considering options besides college. For high schoolers and young adults, career assessment and counseling is a great way to develop a clear pathway to lead them beyond their school years.
When you consider the time and financial investments of college, career assessment and counseling is a wise way to build a strong foundation for the rest of your life. By going through career assessment & counseling, a person is more likely to have a clear career focus. They are better able to identify the right educational opportunities with a good reputation for their chosen field. With a clear future career goal, they are more likely to have the confidence and stamina needed to get through difficult coursework. And with a clear focus, they will more likely find themselves meeting people in their field who can better help them land a good internship and the best possible job after completing their schooling. Many of my clients in their 30’s, 40’s and beyond have often said “I wish I had done this back when I was in high school!”
The career assessment and counseling program that I offer to high schoolers and young adults helps to identify four areas about themselves that are most important to consider in the career planning process. Those areas are: interests, personality, values and abilities. High schoolers and young adults also have a greater need to learn about careers. I will provide various resources to help with this step in the process. I recommend that high school students be at least a rising junior before going through a career counseling program. By this time, through their school and life experiences, most students will have developed the interests that can help them decide what direction to take.
Career Counseling Options I provide to High Schoolers and Young Adults…
Individual Counseling
This is an ideal program that allows us to work one-on-one with your specific career planning needs. It includes an initial session to discuss your background and gives me a chance to learn more about what careers you are considering and what factors are being considered in your career planning. Between sessions, you will complete two exercises – one on abilities, and one on values. There are also two career assessments you will complete online – the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and the Strong Interest Inventory. I will provide you with handouts and copies of all the assessment results.
Small Group Counseling
For students with very busy schedules, or if you seeking a more cost-effective way to provide help to your student, especially if they have some ideas of what career direction they want to take, but want reassurance, this program may be the right way to go. It is for small groups of 6-10 students, and is usually scheduled over two days during a school break, meeting for 2 hours each day. Prior to our meeting, we will have talked by phone, and you will have completed some paperwork, and two online career assessments (the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and the Strong Interest Inventory). During our group meeting time, we will complete the additional values and skills exercises, review all results and discuss possible career options.
I offer a Free Confidential Consultation by phone to help you decide if career counseling can be helpful to you in your specific situation.