Insider Info

Every day is an adventure as a career practitioner, says Carolyn Campbell. She provides career guidance at three different high schools.

"A student comes in perhaps feeling lost and confused, and it is my responsibility to turn that feeling of confusion into an action plan of activities and self discovery," says Campbell. "With the myriad of career choices available to today's youth, it can quickly become overwhelming sifting through the possibilities. 'Where do I start? How do I find the information? What careers would suit me best?' are only a few of the questions asked."

Perhaps you've asked a few of those questions yourself. If so, you know how much stress they can cause. As an employment counselor, you can help reduce that stress for others by providing a sympathetic ear.

"Each time I meet with a teen for the first time, there is the opportunity to develop a trusting relationship built with the understanding of confidentiality, respect and support," says Campbell. "I love listening to the excitement in their voices when I ask them to talk about their interests. I often ask why a hobby or course is so uplifting. I can then point out their enthusiasm and excitement and the characteristics that invoke these feelings.

"Sometimes the student is not sure why I am asking these questions, but eventually, they see that it is a window to them as a person," Campbell says. "I point out that finding a career that fits you as a person is the goal. We also talk about the importance of your career being a good fit with your values, skills and personality."

Campbell's background includes 12 years as a human resources consultant in the transportation industry. She later took some time off from the workforce to raise her children. A radio ad for a youth employment center inspired her to start volunteering there. She assisted with job search workshops and did mock interviews with youth aged 15 to 24.

"I found it extremely enjoyable and from there was offered a six-month contract delivering the soft skills component of a youth employment program in telecommunications," says Campbell.

Campbell then earned a certificate in career development. Following that, she applied for her current position as a career practitioner with a school district.

"I was using all of the skills I enjoyed from my previous work but without the stress and fast pace required of the business world," says Campbell. "I loved working with teens so it seemed to be a natural fit."

By having a job that fits her so well, Campbell is better able to help others.

"This job is a passion for those of us that have chosen it," she says. "It is not possible to build a sense of excitement about careers and the future unless you are passionate about your own work."

Anthony Spadafore is also passionate about his work. He's a career choice consultant in Alexandria, Virginia and co-author of Now What?: The Young Person's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career. He found his ideal career, like many do, after first going down a path that wasn't right for him.

"My first hunch and curiosity about going into the career coaching field was just after I graduated from college," says Spadafore. "At 23 years old, I was a newly minted electrical engineer and on my first job out in the real world. I moved my life from a small steel town south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Washington, D.C. Metro area. Within the first six months on the job with a defense contractor, I was getting the sense that I wasn't cut out for the work. I was bored and didn't fit in with the people in this field -- all my colleagues were these math whizzes who seemed to be interested in very different subjects.

"I had a sudden revelation that maybe I made a terrible mistake in choosing engineering," says Spadafore. "It really scared me. There I was, sitting in my prestigious office, staring out the window in total confusion. A thought crossed my mind in that instant: 'I should have become a career coach.' That insight came and went in a microsecond. I ignored it and spent the next five years job-hopping to different engineering companies. No matter where I went, the 'boredom' problem followed me. When I turned 28, I started to get even more frustrated and worried that I was wasting my life away. I got an ulcer -- my body was telling me to make a change."

Fortunately, Spadafore listened to what his body was telling him. But it was difficult leaving a profession that paid him well.

"It was the birth of the Internet in the early '90s and lots of exciting things were happening in my field, but deep down I just wasn't into technology enough to excel at it," says Spadafore. "I began to feel like a fraud, which was very stressful. I couldn't put my finger on what was missing, I just knew that I had this enormous potential, but where exactly? I had no language for what my strengths were at that time. No one seemed to have language for it. My parents and friends told me to bite the bullet, work is work, it's not supposed to be enjoyable. I didn't buy it; I thought that was a cop out."

Spadafore felt trapped in the wrong field. But he didn't want to "give up and be doomed to a life of drudgery." One day a coworker told him he looked miserable and tossed a business card on his desk. It was for someone who did career aptitude testing.

"I practically ran out of the office, I was so eager to discover my natural talents and abilities," says Spadafore.

The career aptitude testing revealed to Spadafore that he had practically the inverse talents of an engineer.

"In the canine kingdom, I was like a Chesapeake Bay Retriever (a duck fetching dog) trying to make a living as a sheep herding dog," says Spadafore. "I was terribly mismatched, and I finally figured out why I was unhappy. My best abilities were sitting completely idle. It's like keeping a retriever locked up in the house with no exercise for 10 years -- they'd go nuts!"

Spadafore had finally found the key to unlocking his talents. He would become a career consultant and help others unlock their talents.

"Exceptional career consultants have a knack for explaining and communicating complex ideas in simple analogies and metaphors," says Spadafore. "They are playful, original thinkers, full of creative ideas and curiosity about how the wider world works. They tend to live outside the box, they tend to be unconventional people. Most need plenty of autonomy, rather than working for someone else -- they're cut out to be their own boss."

Employment counselors of all types -- whether they're independent consultants or employees of an organization -- need to constantly learn. The job market is always changing. New insights into psychology and other related subjects are being made all the time.

Spadafore reads extensively in cognitive and evolutionary psychology, sociobiology, behavioral economics, neuroscience, creativity research, happiness research, all the social sciences, and many other topics.

All of that learning helps Spadafore tackle the complex question of what people should do with their life. Even people who have invested many years in their education, such as doctors, lawyers and scientists, seek out employment counselors when they no longer find fulfillment in their work.

"Many professionals are puzzled -- they are financially successful and yet have very little motivation and joy in their life and work," says Spadafore. "Helping them discover their talents is incredibly rewarding -- I can't believe I get paid to play for a living.... [Y]ou may be surprised how many doctors and lawyers don't have the aptitudes for their career. They often say they chose it because it was familiar and appeared to be a safe bet, the same reasons I chose to be an engineer.

"After 20 years of career consulting, I've met thousands of people from all professions and life stages," says Spadafore. "Just like how I struggled to find my way, there are many college-educated professionals who are in the same shoes. Most of my clients say they went to college before they knew themselves well enough.

"Many of us are taught that 'things will work out later.' The truth is, unless you proactively seek answers, life doesn't usually pan out in your favor," says Spadafore. "On top of that, colleges don't see it as their responsibility to help you discover your strengths and find your path. They assume you already know."

Career advisor Karen Girard studied human resources at university, and then worked her way up to a personnel manager position. In between, she did some contract work in publishing, employment counseling and interview coaching.

"Luckily, all the things I decided to do had the same type of education in common, so I had many doors open to me," says Girard. "Soon people began asking me for help with job search, interviews, resumes and career selection, and I began to realize the connection between all the things I had been doing and career coaching.

"I finally realized that most of the people I knew were still trying to figure out 'what they wanted to do when they grew up,' and that there must be a career that helped people do this... and I discovered the career counselor positions."

Girard is now a career advisor at a high school, as well as an independent career consultant and coach.

"The most rewarding thing for me is when people discover what is most important to them and start to connect that with possible career options that may be fulfilling -- they often see things they had never considered," says Girard. "Most people take for granted certain things about themselves. They have never considered why they like what they like, or what values are most important to them."

Ultimately, you can think of an employment counselor as someone who helps people reach their dreams. And what could be more rewarding than that?

"I love working with people who have a dream but don't think they can reach it," says Girard. "Often they are looking for something else because they don't realize there are other paths or related areas to fulfill the same needs. When we can pinpoint information, there is often a path or back door that can still take them towards what they really want."