Career Coaching for Christian Landreth-Smith

Click on the following link for your: Vocational Style & Career Assessment for Students (VoSCA-St) Click on the following link for your: Values Profile Assessment (VaPro) Click on the following link for your: Multidimensional Emotional Intelligence Quotient (MEIQ) Click on the following link for the: O*Net Online Career Research Tool Click on the following link for the results of your: List of Questions and Answers for Interview Process with Various Professionals

Career Coaching Session #1: Tuesday January 14, 2014

- Christian's E-mail address is screech2000@hotmail.com - Christian is 17 years old and he attended secondary school at Maple Leaf. - He is currently taking a year off to discern his career path. - I discussed the results of the VoSCA assessment with Christian, specifically his scores in the various categories of Interests, Intelligence Types, Values, and Work Styles. His scores can be reviewed in the report itself. - Here are the careers that the VoSCA assessment recommended for Christian and how he rated them in terms of his passion level (1 is no passion and 10 is the highest passion): #1 Farm and Home Management Advisors (5/10) #2 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (2/10) #3 Marriage and Family Therapists (5/10) #4 Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors (5/10) #5 Rehabilitation Counselors (4/10) #6 Healthcare Social Workers (2/10) #7 Counseling Psychologists (4/10) #8 Home Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (2/10) #9 Health Educators (5/10) #10 Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #11 Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (5/10) #12 History Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #13 Instructional Coordinators (3/10) #14 School Psychologists (2/10) #15 Graduate Teaching Assistants (1/10) #16 Industrial-Organizational Psychologists (3/10) #17 Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (3/10) #18 Special Education Teachers, Middle School (2/10) #19 Directors, Religious Activities and Education (1/10) #20 Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (2/10) #21 Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #22 Urban and Regional Planners (5/10) #23 Curators (1/10) #24 Audio-Visual and Multimedia Collections Specialists (1/10) #25 Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #26 Museum Technicians and Conservators (1/10) #27 Archeologists (4/10) #28 Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #29 Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary (1/10) #30 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #31 Forensic Scientists (4/10) #32 Video Game Programmers (4/10) #33 Multimedia Artists and Animators (6/10) #34 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #35 Civil Engineers (7/10) - I also asked him if he would be willing to complete the Values Profile assessment as this would also help him in discerning the best career path to match his values, and he said yes. - We also discussed Christian's physical health and exercise habits, and he said that he plays soccer avidly, and works out every day. Acknowledgements from Session #1: - I acknowledged Christian for completing the VoSCA assessment. - I also acknowledged him for coming to these Career Coaching sessions to get a better understanding of what career path he would like to pursue. Takeaways from Session #1: - Christian liked the process of doing the assessment he feels a little clearer about the process of career discovery. Action Plan from Session #1: - Christian agreed to review the VoSCA report in more detail and research on the Internet using the O*Net Online Career Research Tool (www.onetonline.org) the recommended careers above which he scored 6 or more out of 10, and document his research in this password-protected blog under the section at the end called “Leave a Reply”. The careers on his shortlist in order of his passion level are: #1 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #2 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #3 Civil Engineers (7/10) #4 Mechanics (7/10) - He also agreed to see if any of the careers in the Related section under each of his recommended careers in the report catch his interest, and to put those in the blog as well. In particular, he should at least copy and paste the following sections from the O*Net site into the blog: Tasks, Knowledge, Related Careers, and Wages & Employment Trends. - Christian also agreed to the Values Profile assessment. - The next session was scheduled for Friday January 17, 2014 at 11:00 AM.

Career Coaching Session #2: Friday January 17, 2014

- We discussed the results of Christian's Values Profile assessment. The results below are a summary of Christian's top values - those that are most important to him and on which he bases his life decisions and goals. His Core Value is his top value overall. His Work Value is his top value in his professional life, and takes into account aspects like career path, work tasks, and job environment. His Personal Value is his top value in his personal life and reflects issues related to relationships, hobbies, and world view: Top Core Value: Social Values Those who place importance on social values enjoy being helpful, kind and agreeable. They think it's important to try to find the good in everyone, and have faith that if they dig deep enough, they'll find it. They give of themselves, whether on a small scale (e.g. by spending time with a friend in need), or on a global scale (e.g. by volunteering for a human rights organization). In helping others overcome obstacles, people with social values hope to assist them in becoming the best they can be. They are giving and compassionate individuals. Social people likely become passionately angry at signs of social injustice. They enjoy and benefit from being with others, both in their work and personal sphere, and as a result, seek out jobs and activities where this is possible. In times of crisis and change, people with social values are both a source of comfort for their family and friends, and able to be comforted by them as well. Top Personal Value: Social Values For people whose top personal value is social, their interests, hobbies, home life and general attitude will revolve around people. In their free time they seek to be surrounded by those they care about, as relationships in general are very important to them. On a wider scale, they may start social causes or respect and support those people who fight for them. Those with social values have a knack for networking and connecting with others - they simply cannot imagine their lives without the camaraderie of others. While almost anyone would dislike conflict, people with strong social values are particularly affected by it. It bothers them to see others in pain or to see a relationship break apart, and so they will strive to help, heal, and resolve disagreements. Top Work Value: Realistic Values People for whom realistic values are important in work settings are happiest and utilize their talents best in positions where they can see tangible results of the fruits of their labor. They need to feel that they are accomplishing something with their work, as they desire to be productive and make an impact in some way. Hands-on projects are often their specialty, although they excel at any task that requires a practical and systematic approach. People with realistic values are not afraid of hard work, but like barter systems of old, they want to make sure that they are given fair compensation for their efforts. Given their more down-to-earth personality, projects that require them to think "outside the box" may not be their specialty. They could potentially complement creative people and projects in the sense of making sure proposed visions and ideas are feasible, but they can clash with more unconventional thinkers. - The suggested occupations for those with Realistic values: Mechanic (7/10) Electrician (6/10) Carpenter (5/10) Agricultural/Marine/Mechanical Engineer (7/10) Landscape Architect (3/10) Paramedic (1/10) Firefighter (1/10) Police Officer (1/10) Pilot (6/10) Athlete/Coach/Train (8/10) - The following careers from the VoSCA and VaPro assessments still interest Christian: #1 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #2 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #3 Civil Engineers (7/10) #4 Mechanics (7/10) #5 Agricultural Engineers (7/10) #6 Marine Engineers (7/10) #7 Mechanical Engineers (7/10) #8 Multimedia Artists and Animators (6/10) #9 Pilots (6/10) #10 Electricians (6/10) - I asked Christian about his spirituality, and he said that even though he was baptized as a Catholic, he did not receive any other Sacraments past baptism, and this was by his choice. His older brother goes to Church sometimes but Christian and his parents do not go to Church. I then shared with him my life story about being an atheist for six years in Canada from 8 to 24 years old, and how God brought me back to the Catholic Church through a dream that I had. I also related to Christian how the once atheist professor at Cambridge University in England, C. S. Lewis converted to Christianity after researching various world religions. In particular, he noted that Jesus Christ was the only world religious figure who ever claimed to be God in the flesh, and C. S. Lewis felt that the facts about his life back up his claim to be God. Acknowledgements from Session #2: - I acknowledged Christian for completing the Values Profile assessment, and for continuing this Career Coaching process. Takeaways from Session #2: - Christian feels clearer about the process of career discovery. Action Plan from Session #2: - Christian agreed to review the VoSCA report in more detail and research on the Internet using the O*Net Online Career Research Tool (www.onetonline.org) the recommended careers above which he scored 6 or more out of 10, and document his research in this password-protected blog under the section at the end called “Leave a Reply”. In particular, he should at least copy and paste the following sections from the O*Net site into the blog: Tasks, Knowledge, Related Careers, and Wages & Employment Trends. The careers on his shortlist in order of his passion level are: #1 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #2 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #3 Civil Engineers (7/10) #4 Mechanics (7/10) #5 Agricultural Engineers (7/10) #6 Marine Engineers (7/10) #7 Mechanical Engineers (7/10) #8 Multimedia Artists and Animators (6/10) #9 Pilots (6/10) #10 Electricians (6/10) - The next session schedule is to be scheduled.

Career Coaching Session #3:

- We discussed Christian's MEIQ report results and his score of 90/155 on this assessment is satisfactory, but there is room for improvement. Overall, he is adequately skilled at understanding and dealing with emotions, but he needs to further develop his skills. Awareness is key to helping him find the motivation to improve in this area, and knowing which areas he most needs to work on developing.

- The following is a summarized version of Christian's results, categorized as Strengths, Potential Strengths, and Limitation. Strengths

He is socially insightful

Potential Strengths

He has a satisfactory emotional IQ level
His approach to problem solving is sometimes conducive to resolution
He is doing reasonably well in the area of Emotional Understanding
He is somewhat empathetic
He performed relatively well on the emotional integration aspect of the test
He is reasonably resilient/hardy
He is moderately driven towards further self-development
He is sometimes able to let go/rise above minor issues
He is sometimes able/willing to adapt his social skills to the circumstances around him
The manner in which he would resolve conflict situations on the test were reasonably effective/healthy
His level of self-esteem is satisfactory
He shows some social responsibility for the wellbeing of others

Limitations

Improvement is required in the area of Emotional Identification, Perception, and Expression
His emotional self-awareness is limited
He doesn't seem to be entirely aware of his strengths and weaknesses
He is not very comfortable with emotions in general
He struggled with recognizing emotions depicted on the test
Improvement is required in the area of Emotional Facilitation of Thought
He has a tendency to ruminate excessively
He doesn't make it a point to act in accordance with his values
His mindset could stand to be more positive
He did not always choose the most ideal form of resolution for conflict situations on the test
Improvement is required in the area of Emotional Management
His impulse control needs improvement
His self-control needs improvement
He needs to work on using more healthy coping techniques
He is not very self-motivated
He is not very assertive
He does not seem to be very content
He seems to struggle to act independently
He is not in the habit of setting goals
His flexibility is limited

- I then asked Christian which four Limitations he would like to work on over the next six to twelve months, and he chose the following: #1 His emotional self-awareness is limited; he doesn't seem to be entirely aware of his strengths and weaknesses; he is not very comfortable with emotions in general. #2 He has a tendency to ruminate excessively; his mindset could stand to be more positive. #3 He is not very self-motivated. #4 He is not very assertive. - Below is some advice for Christian to follow that will help him to improve upon each of the four limitations that he chose above: #1 His emotional self-awareness is limited; he doesn't seem to be entirely aware of his strengths and weaknesses; he is not very comfortable with emotions in general.

Stay in touch with your feelings. Pay attention to what triggers them and how you react.
Pay attention to your body when you're upset, sad or angry. What are the signs? Learning to recognize how you react in response to different sentiments can help you become more in tune with your emotions.
Be honest with yourself. Everyone feels things, and it's nothing to hide or be nervous about. Emotions are important signals that we need to listen to in order to feel more fulfilled in life.
Get to know yourself better. For example, make a list of your strengths and limitations. The more in touch you are with who you are, the better you will be able to understand and handle your emotions.
Take small steps if you're not used to expressing emotions. Start with those that are the least intimidating and you will surely find that it's not as bad as you think. On the positive side, begin with genuine compliments and then take it further to an expression of appreciation. When you need to communicate a negative feeling, try writing it if you feel too intimidated to say it. Like learning any new skill, it will get easier with practice.

#2 He has a tendency to ruminate excessively; his mindset could stand to be more positive

Put aside your own preoccupations. Remember that only 8% of our worries are worth concerning ourselves about. Ninety-two percent are pure fog with no substance at all. Try to learn from your past mistakes but try not to dwell on them too much.
The good and the bad. Both good and bad feelings facilitate the thinking process by allowing us to view things from different perspectives. Did you ever notice how, when thinking pessimistically about a problem, you come up with solutions that are in line with that thinking, and when you think positively, the perspective and solutions change? Our feelings, good and bad, offer us different perspectives on the world. While one perspective may be more beneficial than the other, both angles offer us valuable information about the world around us, and about ourselves.

#3 He is not very self-motivated

Refuse to be a victim. Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman, renowned author and noted expert on positive psychology, states that the feeling of being a victim leads to learned helplessness. If you blame your problems on other people or circumstances, you will avoid taking personal responsibility for your life. While it may be true that there are things beyond your control, the majority of what happens in your life is up to YOU. Life may throw you many curveballs, but it is you who decides how you'll react to them.

#4 He is not very assertive

Being assertive is a core communication skill. Being assertive means that you express yourself effectively and stand up for your point of view, while also respecting the rights and beliefs of others. Being assertive can also help boost your self-esteem and earn others' respect. This can help with stress management, especially if you tend to take on too many responsibilities because you have a hard time saying no.
Because assertiveness is based on mutual respect, it's an effective and diplomatic communication style. Being assertive shows that you respect yourself, because you're willing to stand up for your interests and express your thoughts and feelings. It also demonstrates that you're aware of the rights of others and are willing to work on resolving conflicts. Of course, it's not just what you say — your message — but also how you say it that's important. Assertive communication is direct and respectful. Being assertive gives you the best chance of successfully delivering your message.

- We also discussed if Christian would like to eliminate any of the careers from his current shortlist and he said yes. The careers that now interest him, and which he is willing to interview professionals in are: #1 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #2 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #3 Civil Engineers (7/10) #4 Marine Engineers (7/10) #5 Mechanical Engineers (7/10) #6 Pilots (6/10) Acknowledgements from Session #3: - I acknowledged Christian for completing the MEIQ assessment, and for choosing four limitations that he would like to improve upon over the next six to twelve months. - I also acknowledged him for being able to narrow down the careers on his shortlist to just six careers. Takeaways from Session #3: - Christian now understand better and has more self-awareness in the area of his emotional intelligence. - He is also feeling better that his career shortlist has been narrowed down significantly in just three sessions. - Christian understands that it is now up to him to take the "baton" that I am handing him as his Life & Career Coach, and run with it to the "finish line." In other words, he realizes that it is now up to him to be more self-motivated if he wants to pursue his ideal career and make a positive difference in this world. Action Plan from Session #3: - Christian also agreed to start interviewing professionals who work in the careers on his shortlist, using the Microsoft Word interview template provided to him. In particular, he should use six copies of the interview template, and record the results of his six interviews on separate documents. He will ask his Dad and Mom for names and contact information for these careers, and whichever ones he cannot obtain, I will provide with the names and contact info for the remaining professionals as soon as I get them. The careers which he needs to interview professionals in are: #1 Coaches and Scouts (8/10) #2 Electronics Engineers (7/10) #3 Civil Engineers (7/10) #4 Marine Engineers (7/10) #5 Mechanical Engineers (7/10) #6 Pilots (6/10) - Christian also agreed to start working on his #2 limitation from the MEIQ assessment by following the advice below: #2 He has a tendency to ruminate excessively; his mindset could stand to be more positive

Put aside your own preoccupations. Remember that only 8% of our worries are worth concerning ourselves about. Ninety-two percent are pure fog with no substance at all. Try to learn from your past mistakes but try not to dwell on them too much.
The good and the bad. Both good and bad feelings facilitate the thinking process by allowing us to view things from different perspectives. Did you ever notice how, when thinking pessimistically about a problem, you come up with solutions that are in line with that thinking, and when you think positively, the perspective and solutions change? Our feelings, good and bad, offer us different perspectives on the world. While one perspective may be more beneficial than the other, both angles offer us valuable information about the world around us, and about ourselves.

- The next session will be scheduled once Christian finishes all of his interviews, possibly in two weeks from today.

Career Coaching Session #4:

- Christian and I reviewed the results of his six interviews with various professionals in careers on his current shortlist, and these interview questionnaires can be found at the top of this blog. I asked Christian to then re-rate these careers. Here were his new ratings: #1 Marine Engineers (7/10) -> (8.5/10) #2 Civil Engineers (7/10) -> (8/10) #3 Mechanical Engineers (7/10) -> (7.5/10) #4 Electronics Engineers (7/10) -> (7/10) ----------------------------------------------------------- #5 Coaches and Scouts (6/10) x [future side career] #6 Pilots (6/10): not interested in anymore - I encouraged Christian to apply to UWI before the deadline of March 31, 2014, and gave him the following link: http://sta.uwi.edu/admissions/undergrad/ - Christian removed Pilot from his list because the person he interviewed said that he spends a lot of time away from his family, and that does not appeal to Christian. - Christian also relegated the career of Coaches and Scouts to a possible side-career later in his life because the probability if him finding a job and making a living with this career in Trinidad is quite slim. - The other four careers, which are all in the field of Engineering, Christian kept on his list, but changed his passion level slightly based on his particular interests, and the ability to get a job in Trinidad once he graduates. The order of careers for Christian is now as shown below, with Christian having a particularly keen interest in the top two careers: #1 Marine Engineers (8.5/10) #2 Civil Engineers (8/10) #3 Mechanical Engineers (7.5/10) #4 Electronics Engineers (7/10) - He shared with me that he has a lot of friends who went away to study, but that he also has friends who have stayed in Trinidad to study. - We then discussed Christian's preference between studying Engineering in Trinidad or going abroad to the US or Canada. He said that he has an emotional attachment to going abroad, but he was open to the pros and cons. So I encouraged Christian to do an exercise, listing the pros and cons of each option.

- From the above analysis, the net score for studying in Trinidad was +3, while the net score for studying away was -6. Christian agreed that the rationally better choice was to study Engineering in Trinidad, and then if he wanted to further specialize or get a Masters degree, he would consider going away. - I then asked Christian if he was the kind of person that if he was emotionally attached to an option, but the rational option was something different (as is the case above), if he would be able to gout the effort in and still succeed in he proceeded with the rational option, and he said yes, which I commended him for. Acknowledgements from Session #4: - I acknowledged Christian for completing all six of his interviews, and for being able to narrow down his career choices to once of the above fields of Engineering. Takeaways from Session #4: - Christian found the entire process of Career Coaching very helpful in determining his ideal career. Action Plan from Session #4: - The UWI deadline for September 2014 admissions is coming up on March 31, 2014, so Christian agreed to apply as soon as possible using the following link: http://sta.uwi.edu/admissions/undergrad/ - Christian also agreed to check into whether his Grade 12 from Maple Leaf school was sufficient to qualify for getting into UWI. - Depending on what he finds about UWI's high school graduation requirements, he should also look into applying to SBCS for Engineering: http://www.sbcs.edu.tt/subject/area/4 - Christian agreed to do his SAT exams in May 2014, and to consider taking SAT lessons in the meantime. This will provide him with the opportunity to apply to US universities for 2015 as an option. - Christian also agreed to look into what is required to get a full scholarship at US universities, especially in regard to his soccer skills and SAT scores.

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