HELPING THOSE IN CAREER TRANSITION HOLISTICALLY: THEIR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON IDENTIFYING ALL BARRIERS

Kathleen E. High, M.Ed., GCDFIIndependent Career Consultant

Dream Chasers & Goal Setters

Before We Begin:• Please Tell Me About You:

• What is Your Location?• Northern California• Southern California • Central California

• Who Do You Work For?• Education: Community Colleges/Universities/K-12/Other• Career One-Stops or Workforce Development• Non-Profit• Private Practice• Other

• What is Your Role?• Career Counselor (Exploration) / Academic Counselor• Mental Health Counselor or Counselor Educator• Job Search Counselor Coach, Case Manager (or something similar)• Support Staff / Administrator / Non-Counseling Faculty• Other

Personal Experience• 18 Years as a Community College Student• 4 Years Finishing B.S. and M.Ed. Degrees• Made a Mid-Life Career Change:

• Laid Off From 9-Year Clerical Position after Almost 20 Years in the Corporate World

• Used Lay-off to Finish Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

Full-Time Worker on Friday, then Full-time Student on Monday

Finished 120 Units in Two Years, Then Straight to Grad School• Transitioned into Current Career: Education and Career

Counseling/Teaching in the Community Colleges and Consulting• Lacked a Career Goal, Knowledge, Financial Resources, and

Information on How to Accomplish This Goal• Journey Included Countless Adversities and Sacrifices

Professional Experience• Business World

• Nearly 20 Years in a Variety of Clerical Roles• Last Position = Laid Off After 9 Years

• Saw My Job Replaced by Technology (i.e. Labor Market Trends)

• Transition Season (15 jobs in 15 years)• Public and Private Universities (CSU & faith-based)• Community Colleges • Self-Employed and Church Volunteer

• (Including Leading a Faith-Based Unemployed Support Group)

• Current• Independent Education and Career Consulting: 15 years• Community Colleges: 10 years

• Teaching (Life, Academic, College & Career Success Skills)• Counseling (Academic and Career)

Populations ServedAdults:• Ages:

• 16 - 60+ Years Old

• Education: • Lack Basic Skills -- Advanced Education

• Work Experience:• No Work Experience -- Highly Experienced Managers

• Special Populations• Veterans, Disabilities, LGBT, Former Foster Youth, Undocumented, Ex-Offenders,

International Students and Immigrants, etc.

• Personal Circumstances:• Variety of Demographic Profiles

• (SES, Culture, Family Status, Employment Status, Religion, etc.)• Many Going Through Major Life Transitions• Many Forced by Circumstances to Be “Square Peg in Round Hole”• Transitions and ‘Poor Fit’ Cause Psychological Problems

Presentation Based on My BackgroundWhere I Have Been:• Personal Experience

• (Including Feedback From Others in Similar Situations)

• Formal Education • Professional Experience

Different Roles and Experiences:• Force Me to See the World From Multiple Perspectives• Leads to New Understandings and Epiphanies• Which Leads to the Resources I Will Presented Later

But First…

Why This Workshop• As a Career Development Professional,

I See a Disconnect Between:• The Students/Clients’ World View• The ‘Skilled Helpers’ World View – regarding:

• The Barriers Faced by Many People in Career Transition

• My Goal: Present to Service Professionals:• Career Development Professionals• Mental Health• Staff and Non-Counseling Faculty• Resource Providers• Job Search Coaches, Counselors, and Case Managers• Institutional Administrators

“See the World Through Their Eyes”• So You Can Better Help Your Clients/Students

Abraham Maslow:

"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a

hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.“

Source: http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologyquotes/a/abraham-maslow-quotes.htm

“It’s not about the nail” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIJYO4u5iug

Observations From My Experience• I Was Typical:

• Difference Between Me and Those Who Don’t Finish is Persistence

• No Such Thing as “Common Sense”• Instead: Talent, Upbringing, or Experience

• Students/Clients Distracted from Their Journey by ‘Life’ • Work, Home, Finances, Relationship Drama, Meeting Needs, etc.• Consequences of Prior Life Choices

• Asking for Help is a Foreign World for Many

• Needs are Very Diverse • Based on Circumstances, and demographics

Observations From Experience (Cont’d)• The Journey is an “Emotional Rollercoaster Ride”

• Task: Manage the Rollercoaster to Not be Derailed by It

• Many Lack Coping, Life, Critical Thinking, and Prioritizing Skills Necessary to Effectively Problem Solve

• Often Feel Like They are “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” – Needing to Make Difficult Choices

• Outside Issues Harder to Deal with Than Journey Itself

• Many ‘Skilled Helpers’ Don’t Understand What They are Dealing with or How to Address It

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed -Circumstances:

• They are Lost and Don’t Know What to Do About It• Don’t Know Where to Turn for Help• Don’t Know How Much Help is Available• Even If They Did, They Would Not Know How to Navigate It

• Loss of Income Means Needs are Not Met• Emotional, Food, Housing, Clothing, Medical, Family Care (Child, Elder,

Pet), Transportation, etc.• Often Focused Solely on Survival: Won’t Spend Money on Perceived

“Non-Essentials” (e.g. Counseling, Job Search Support, Medical, etc.)• Resources That Cost Money are “Not an Option”• Sacrifice/Loss Where Others Rejoice and/or Take Things For Granted

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed -Circumstances:

• Needs Not Being Met Triggers: • Shock, Stress, Shame, Resentment, Anger, Panic, Catastrophic

Thinking• Demoralization From Not Be Able to Provide for Self and Family• More Emotional and Physical Energy Spent to Solve Every-Day Issues• Mental, Emotional, and Physical Drain from Living in Survival Mode• Health Problems That Result from Prolonged Stress• Lack of Financial Resources Needed to Invest in Career Development

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Cognitive and Psychological

• Loss of Identity Associated with Previous Job• Tends to Encourage Isolation Due to Lack of Identity

• (Don’t know what to say to people when asked about their life)• Isolation is a breeding ground for ruminating over past hurts

• Many Challenged with “Letting Go” of Old Life• Unresolved Issues, Regret, Grief, Transitions, Paradigm Shifts• May Assume They are Too Old to Start Over

• Dealing with Multiple Transitions• Dealing with the Unexpected is Stressful for Many People• Job, Identity, Housing, School, Relationships, Financial, Psychological,

Spiritual, Medical/Disability, etc.• Some Have Physical Limitations Limiting Ability to Work• Learning How to Survive without a Predictable Paycheck• Navigating Foreign Worlds (Unemployment, College, Job Search, etc.)

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Cognitive and Psychological

• Dread Future Prospects• Many Hated Their Prior Jobs and Don’t Want to Get A Similar One• Some Assume That “Life is Over” When Their Career Ends• Most Can’t Imagine a Future That is Different From Their Past• Older Generations Overwhelmed by How Fast the World Changes• Many ‘Conservatives/Traditionalists’ Don’t Like Where World Is Going

• Repeated Rejection Leads to:• Hopelessness• Depression• Diminished Self-Esteem• Perpetual Self-Condemnation• Loss of Motivation• Anger

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Cognitive and Psychological (cont’d)

• Many Do Not Register:• How Much and How Fast the World is Changing• How the Changing World Affects

• Their Life• Career and Job Search Success• Labor Market Trends

• Most Do Not Understand the Concept of “Labor Market Trends”

• Tend to Ignore Mental and Physical Health Issues –• Just Not a Priority When You Live in Survival Mode

• Do Not Register How Mental Health Affects Their Ability to Function and Problem Solve

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Cognitive and Psychological (cont’d)

• Asking for Help (And Receiving Help):• May Believe It Is Not Appropriate to Discuss Problems with Strangers

• (Culture, Generation, Personality, Professionalism, No Safe People)

• Assume They Are Unique in Their Circumstances • “No One Understands Me”

• May Not Know How to Articulate Their Challenges• Many Don’t Know How to Ask For Help• Do Not Know Where to Go for Help• Do Not Know There are ‘Skilled Helpers’ Who Can Help• Do Not Know There are ‘Skilled Helpers’ Who Want to Help• May Not Know How to Ask the Right Questions• Asking for Help: Humiliating and Sign of Failure/Weakness

• (Caucasian Culture Emphasizes “Pull Yourself Up by Your Own Bootstraps”)

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Dealing with the Rest of the World:

• Joblessness is Also Hard for Family and Friends• They Also Worry About Meeting Physical Needs• Some May Resent Having to Support the Unemployed

• “You are Not Pulling Your Own Weight”

• It Causes Strained Relationships and Increased Interpersonal Conflicts• They Often Pressure The Unemployed to “Just Get a Job!”• They Often Worry About the Mental Health of the Unemployed• They Do Not Know How to Help the Unemployed

• Receive Endless Supply:• Unwanted and Unhelpful Advice

• “If you would just do ……, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”• Judgment and Criticism

• “Must be nice. I wish I could sit around and not do anything all day.”• Expectations of Service to Others:

• “Since you are not working, you have time to help me with….”

Challenges Unique to the Unemployed – Dealing with the Rest of the World:

• Institutions Often Add to the Barriers and Stress:• Institutions Also Struggle with Keeping Up with the Changing World• Institutional Bureaucracy Makes it Hard to Find Answers and Help• ‘The Rules’ (i.e. Procedures) Often Create More Barriers• Expecting People to Blindly “Jump Through Hoops” Breeds Disengagement• “Jumping Through Hoops” Discourages Critical Thinking• Conflicting Information, Demands, Priorities, and Expectations Among Different

Institutions• Can’t See “The Big Picture” of Individuals’ Journey and How the Institution

Impacts That Journey Long-Term• Provide Information: Unhelpful, Common-Sense, Irrelevant, or Obsolete• Not Providing Answers to Important Questions• Perceived Lack of Concern for Their Stressors Encourages Disengagement• Higher Education Often Does Not Acknowledge or Address the Unique Needs of

Older/Non-Traditional Students

To Make Matters Worse…

Challenges Mentioned Exacerbate Each Other

Case Study of Long-Term UnemploymentChristopher Dorner Shootings and Manhunt:• Rookie Officer Fired from Los Angeles Police Department• Unemployed for Four Years (2008-2013)

• (Left to ruminate over problems)

• Decided to ‘Wage War’ Against Law Enforcement• In the End, Five People Were Dead, and Several Others Wounded

• (2 civilians, 2 officers, and himself)

• Could Things Have Turned Out Differently with Intervention Earlier in His Journey?

• Mental Health Counseling: Anger management, past hurts, transition issues, PTSD• Career Counseling: Values conflict, poor cultural fit, and death of dream career

• http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/La-Palma-Police-Chief-Recalls-a-Chris-Dorner-That-I-Knew-191354001.html

Christopher Dorner shootings and manhunt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Dorner_shootings_and_manhunt

Theories Related to Unemployment• Nancy Schlossberg “Transitions”

• Help them “Move In, Through, and Out”• Coping Systems: Situation, Self, Support, Strategies

• William Bridges “Transitions”• Endings, Neutral Zone, New Beginnings

• Endings: Disengagement, Disidentification, Disenchantment, Disorientation

• Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s “Stages of Grief”• Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance

• Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”• Needs Must Be Met in Order: Physical, Safety, Love/Belonging,

Esteem, Self-Actualization

• David Blustein “Unemployment and Mental Health” • Longer a Person is Unemployed, the Worse the Mental Health

Problems

‘Skilled Helpers’ Can Address Needs They Can Properly Identify

• Mental Health Counselors • Can Address Most (if not all) Cognitive and Psychological Barriers

• College Counselors (and other ‘skilled helpers’)• Can Help Students Identify and Navigate Available Helpful Resources• Can Provide Information and/or Teach on Coping Skills

• (i.e. Boundaries, Prioritizing, Self-Care, Resilience, Navigating Resources, Problem Solving Skills, etc.)

• Staff Members, Non-Counseling Faculty & Mentors• Can Help Students Identify and Navigate Available Helpful Resources

• Career Counselors• Can Help Students/Clients Figure Out What They Want After Loss• Can Help Students/Clients Find Their Internal Motivation

‘Skilled Helpers’ Can Address Needs They Can Properly Identify

• Job Search Coaches, Counselors, Case Managers, etc. • Can Help Job Seekers to Identify Tangible Jobs to Pursue• Help Job Seekers to Become Competitive Job Candidates

• Counselor Educators• Can Train the ‘Skilled Helpers’ to Identify and Address All Barriers

• Institutional Administrators • Can Provide Policies, Resources, Training, and Support To Staff Who

Help the Those in Career Transition

• Social Service Agencies• Can Address Many of the Physical/Tangible Needs of the Unemployed

‘Skilled Helpers’ Can Address Needs They Can Properly Identify

• Everyone• Can Learn to Recognize the Hidden Barriers• Can Know How to Navigate Available Resources• Can Ask, “Can They Afford This Referral?”• Can Communicate to the Students/Clients When Their Requests are

Outside the Scope of Your Role, Training, or Mission of Your Institution• Can Say, “No, but here is what I Can do for you…..”• Can Collaborate With Others Who Provide Services and Resources

That are Outside the Scope of Their Institution, Role, and/or Training • Follow Up After a Referral to Make Sure It Actually Helped Solve the

Problem

Results of My Experience and How It Can Help You to Help Them

• Used My Experience and Talents for Creating Written Materials to Address the Challenges My Students Often Face:• Individual Topic-Specific Assignments (120+)• Workshops (15+)• Additional PowerPoint Files

• All of These Resources are Accessible from My Website:• www.dreams-goals.com/educationtools

These Resources Can Help Both You and Your Clients

• Help You:• Understand Their Potential Barriers• Identify Possible Resources for Addressing Those Barriers

• Help Your Client:• Understand and Articulate What They Are Dealing With• Validate Their Feelings and Experiences• Help Them Realize They Are Not Alone• Many Receive Clarity and Healing from the Validation• Gives Them Tools for Addressing Their Challenges

Resources Most Relevant to Those in Career Transition• Workshops:

• Unemployed and Looking for Answers• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-Unemployed.html

• Managing Life’s Transitions• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-LifesTransitions.html

• Managing Financial Responsibilities• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-Financial.html

• Managing Conflicting Priorities• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-Priorities.html

• How to Get Your Dream Job• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-Pathways.html

• Planning for an Unpredictable Future• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Wkshp-UnpredictableFuture.html

• Generational Differences• Why is This So Unfamiliar? (Navigating New Worlds)

• http://www.dreams-goals.com/Workshops-AdditionalTopics.html

Unemployed and Looking for Answers

Contents:• What they Need:

• Information• Resources• Support

For Issues Related to:Work

School

Meeting Physical and Psychological Needs

• Where are the Client/Student’s Priorities?• What do they need most? Information, Resources or Support?

Managing Financial Responsibilities

Contents:• Change Your Expectations• Find Sources of Income• Lowering Your Financial Responsibilities• Strategies and Tips for Reducing Expenses• Solutions for Emergency Situations

Managing Life’s Transitions

Contents:• Transitions Defined• How Transitions Affect You• Managing the Effects of Transitions

Planning for an Unpredictable Future• Contents: • “How to Respond to a World of Constant Change”

• Today’s Assumptions Have a Common Theme:• “There is one unchanging foundation upon which I can base my life

decisions”

• Today’s Reality• Coping with Constant Change

Resources Most Relevant to Those in Career Transition

• Handouts: (Over 120)• http://www.dreams-goals.com/IndividualLessons.html

• Lifelong Learning Options• Paradigm Shift• Discerning Seasons• Dream Chasers Journey• Locus of Control• So How Do I Find and Get My Dream Job?

Activity• Identify Someone You Know Who Fits This Profile• Use:

• “Unemployed and Looking For Answers” or• “Needs of the Unemployed” (attached)

• Identify Their Needs• What Needs Can/Do You Address?• What Needs Should Be Referred?• Where Can You Find Those Referrals?

• “Managing Financial Responsibilities”• “Unemployed Resources”

References:• Blustein, D. (2012, February 16). NCDA Webinar Series:

Unemployment and Mental Health. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from NCDA: https://ncda.webex.com/ec3000/eventcenter/recording/recordAction.do?theAction=poprecord&AT=pb&internalRecordTicket=4832534b00000002365f1c03c04dcf9996c5719c35ebc05144e87472d5e269444aed95007f631acb&renewticket=0&isurlact=true&recordID=4821657&apiname=lsr.ph

• Bridges, W. (1980). Transitions. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.• Kubler-Ross, E. (1997). On death and dying. New York:

Touchstone.• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow

%27s_hierarchy_of_needs• Schlossberg, N. K. (2011). The challenge of change: The transition

model and its applications. . Journal of Employment Counseling, 159-166.