Reflections on a Tough Year!

The Summer is just about over and the busy school year and college campus life is about to begin anew! I have always enjoyed the Autumn season. As an educator Fall marks the beginning and renewal of goals and ambitions for students and for the campus community of administrators, student support staff and the faculty members that teach them.

Although I am looking forward to a fresh start in Fall 2009, I think that it is important to reflect back on the past year to develop some goals and strategies for the 2009-2010 school year.

The recession has taken its toll in numerous ways; first and foremost, on our pocket books and our psyche's. As an administrator of the Career Center on campus, I have had the opportunity to meet with and provide advice and support to many laid off workers and worried students in the past year. It has been an honor to serve those individuals and a challenge. It has required both critical analysis and flexibility to consider a variety of approaches to seeking employment and planning their education. Innovation and backboned perserverance are essential as funding twindles and the job market becomes ever more competitive.

The repeated observation is that there are no guarantees, but having an exemplary resume, cover letter, solid interview/communication skills and a focused plan of action is imperative. This has always been true, but is especially poignant in light of the new economic landscape. A person can arm themselves with skills and knowledge; volunteer, work or internship experience, have a solid resume, and still find themselves unemployed.

Furthermore, the services that students and the bulging ranks of unemployed need in this economic climate often extend outside the boundaries of our comfortable offices and the list of regular services we provide. People need assistance connecting with agencies to assist them with housing, funding their education, providing daycare for their children, proper food intake and nutrition, dealing with legal issues, and the list goes on....

In this fast paced age of information and rapid (rabid) communication, accurate information is at a premium. Our silos of services and knowledge bases and our tendency to disconnect from things that 'don't concern us' no longer apply if our intention is to provide the best for our students and the public we serve.

Mis-information is rampant. Furthermore, information overload can make our clients' (who have been concentrating on their own silos) ineffectively run in all directions. If we want to be effective service providers, we have to educate ourselves about students and job seekers' needs and find resources that we can refer them to. We also have to coach and mentor them to develop good research skills, problem solving skills, and skills to help them utilize their time in an efficient and productive way when looking for employment.

In many cases a displaced worker's situation can be compounded by depression, anxiety, loss and grief issues, self concept and confidence issues. Having some information on free counseling resources can help them deal with some of these emotional issues while they begin to plan a future course of action. I have a list of services available in my local community that can address a variety of issues. United Way puts out a comprehensive list and you can also purchase a community social services reference guide at a nominal fee.

As a Practitioner-I have learned to do my daily homework- in this ever changing economic climate; career practitioners will need to be observant and also do their research to see what methods and theories are being applied currently. I conduct research on a weekly basis. I read articles (popular and scholarly), participate in professional webinars, subscribe to professional career journals (and read them :), read blogs, talk to other practitioners about what they're doing and OBSERVE. When I say observe, I mean I observe and listen to the individuals I serve on a daily basis. Based on this I can learn a lot about the various approaches they take to Career Exploration, academic planning and Job Search process and surmise their needs more effectively.

I also try to be flexible and willing to try new approaches to writing cover letters and combination resumes and conducting strategic job searches. Keeping open when you are working with students/displaced workers over time can be a dynamic experience. You can work as a mentor and coach to keep them actively working towards their goals and also learn a lot in the process. It can inspire them and will also inspire you to keep going and try new approaches.

As painful as the act of self discovery, improvement and change is; it is also transformative and new knowledge and skills are laid down through this strenuous process.

We still have one quarter left in 2009, but the first 3 quarters have been difficult for most of us. If we weren't among the newly unemployed, we were worried about the possibility of losing our jobs, our dwindling retirements due the banking meltdown; or the increasing costs for food, transportation, health insurance, housing, childcare, etc...

It is important to remember that we ALL are experiencing this time together and we can learn a great deal from each other. We can also support each other, and most important be civil and kind to one another. It sounds like an obvious approach, but when you are in the trenches, its easy to forget to think about anything else, but your own survival.

My goals for the new upcoming school year are to continue to look at students and job seekers holistically and to keep my mind and eyes open beyond the silo of services that the SCCC Career Center provides.