Career and Life Coaching for Alysha Maharaj

Click on the following link for your: Vocational Style and Career Assessment for Senior Students (VoSCA-SU) Click on the following link for your: Values Profile Assessment, 4th Revision (VaPro - R4) Click on the following link for your: Multidimensional Emotional Intelligence Quotient - 9th Revision (MEIQ - R9) Click on the following link for the: List of Questions for Interview Process Click on the following link for the: O*Net Online Career Research Tool Career Coaching Session #1: Friday 20 May 2022 You started at St. Peter's Primary School. Then you went to Naparima Girls' High School and completed Form 6. You took: Pure Math (1), Biology (1), Physics (2), Caribbean Studies (1), and Communications (1). You went to UWI and enrolled in Actuarial Science and switch to Math in year 2. You graduated in December 2020. Then you worked as a Sales Clerk, then you were home for a few months for the lockdown. You now work with your Dad (Attorney at Law) in a legal clerk capacity. In high school, you liked Geography in terms of practicality and nature but it didn't work out for you to take it at Form 6. You didn't like Chemistry and didn't want to do Medicine. In terms of what bothers you about society:

It's the lawlessness
Humans are not as compassionate and empathetic as they should be, and should be more community-minded.

I discussed the results of the VoSCA - SU assessment with you, specifically your scores in the various categories of Interests, Intelligence Types, Values, and Work Styles. Your scores can be reviewed in the report itself. Here are the careers that the VoSCA - SU assessment recommended for you and how you rated them in terms of your passion level (1 is no passion and 10 is the highest passion): #1 Bioinformatics Technicians (6/10) #2 Instructional Coordinators (7/10) #3 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (7/10) #4 Operations Research Analysts (6/10) #5 Survey Researchers (4/10) #6 Management Analysts (6/10) #7 Computer Network Architects (5/10) #8 Farm and Home Management Advisors (7/10) #9 Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (7/10) #10 Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists (7.5/10) #11 Civil Engineers (8/10) #12 Water Resource Specialists (7/10) #13 Industrial-Organizational Psychologists (6/10) #14 Physicists (5/10) #15 Photonics Engineers (6/10) #16 Statisticians (6/10) #17 Biostatisticians (6/10) #18 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (8/10) #19 Geodetic Surveyors (7.5/10) #20 Mathematicians (6/10) #21 Epidemiologists (7/10) #22 Atmospheric and Space Scientists (6/10) #23 Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists (6/10) #24 Microsystems Engineers (5/10) #25 Librarians (4/10) #26 Financial Quantitative Analysts (6/10) #27 Chief Sustainability Officers (5/10) #28 Environmental Restoration Planners (7.5/10) #29 Hydrologists (7.5/10) #30 Landscape Architects (7/10) Acknowledgements from Session #1: I acknowledge you for completing the VoSCA - SU assessment. I also acknowledge you for participating in these Career Coaching sessions to get a better understanding of what career path you would like to pursue from here on. Takeaways from Session #1: You are clearer about the process of career discovery. Action Plan from Session #1: You agreed to review the VoSCA - SU report in more detail. You agreed to complete the Values Profile assessment. You also agreed to research on the Internet using the O*Net Online Career Research Tool (www.onetonline.org) the recommended careers for which you scored 7 or more out of 10, and document your research in this password-protected blog under the section at the end called "Leave a Reply". The careers on your shortlist are: #1 Civil Engineers (8/10) #2 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (8/10) #3 Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists (7.5/10) #4 Environmental Restoration Planners (7.5/10) #5 Hydrologists (7.5/10) #6 Geodetic Surveyors (7.5/10) #7 Mathematicians (6/10) #8 Epidemiologists (7/10) #9 Landscape Architects (7/10) #10 Instructional Coordinators (7/10) #11 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (7/10) #12 Farm and Home Management Advisors (7/10) #13 Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (7/10) #14 Water Resource Specialists (7/10) You also agreed to see if any of the careers in the Related section under each of your recommended careers in the report catch your interest and to put those in the blog as well. In particular, you 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 next session is tentatively scheduled for Friday 27 May 2022 at 9:30 AM via Zoom.

Career Coaching Session #2: Tuesday 31 May 2022 Your refined career shortlist is now: #1 Civil Engineers (8/10) #2 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (8/10) #3 Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists (7.5/10) #4 Environmental Restoration Planners (7.5/10) #5 Hydrologists (7.5/10) #6 Geodetic Surveyors (7.5/10) #7 Epidemiologists (7/10) #8 Landscape Architects (7/10) #9 Instructional Coordinators (7/10) #10 Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (7/10) #11 Water Resource Specialists (7/10) I discussed the results of the VaPro-R4 assessment with you. The results below are a summary of your top values - those that are most important to you and on which you base your life decisions and goals. Your Core Value is your top value overall. Your Work Value is your top value in your professional life and takes into account aspects like career path, work tasks, and job environment. Your Personal Value is your top value in your personal life and reflects issues related to relationships, hobbies, and worldview. 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: Social Values People for whom social values are important in work settings are happiest and utilize their talents best when their job does some good for mankind, they have contact with people, and/or they do not feel that they are taking advantage of others. People with social values either work or see themselves working in a "helping" profession (e.g. medicine, nursing, teaching, or counseling). Even if they don't, they probably bring a sense of humanity to their position that makes them considerate to fellow employees, employers and clients. They are often very personable colleagues - people may come to them for help and advice, and they are often well-liked. If social people work in a position where they do not have contact with others, either coworkers or the public, they may feel lonely and frustrated, especially if their job doesn't satisfy any other values they may hold. The following is a summarized version of your results, categorized according to your Dominant Values (those that are most important to you), Influencing Values (those of moderate importance to you), and Minor Values (those of least importance to you). Dominant Values

Social

Influencing Values

Realistic Values
Traditional Values
Theoretical Values
Aesthetic Values
Political Values

Minor Values

None fall into this category

The suggested occupations for those with Social values are: Caregiver/Nurse (6/10) Physical Therapist (5/10) Animal Trainer (7/10) Teacher (7/10) Counselor/Social Worker/Psychologist (6/10) Personnel Trainer (5/10) Civil Rights Lawyer (7/10) Receptionist (5/10) Customer Service Representative (5/10) Retail Salesperson (5/10) Acknowledgments from Session #2: I acknowledge you for completing the VaPro-R4 assessment. I also acknowledge you for participating in these Career Coaching sessions to get a better understanding of what career path you would like to pursue from here on. Takeaways from Session #2: You are getting clearer about the process of career discovery. Action Plan from Session #2: You agreed to review the Values Profile assessment report in more detail. You agreed to complete the Multidimensional Emotional IQ assessment. You also agreed to continue narrowing down the careers on your shortlist below, using the fact that you now know that your primary work value is Social and that these are the things that bother you about society:

Lawlessness in society
That humans are not as compassionate and empathetic as they should be, and should be more community-minded.

#1 Civil Engineers (8/10) #2 Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (8/10) #3 Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists (7.5/10) #4 Environmental Restoration Planners (7.5/10) #5 Hydrologists (7.5/10) #6 Geodetic Surveyors (7.5/10) #7 Epidemiologists (7/10) #8 Landscape Architects (7/10) #9 Instructional Coordinators (7/10) #10 Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (7/10) #11 Water Resource Specialists (7/10) #12 Civil Rights Lawyer (7/10) #13 Animal Trainer (7/10) #14 Teacher (7/10) The next session is scheduled for Tuesday 7 June 2022 at 3:00 PM via Zoom.

Career Coaching Session #3: Tuesday 7 June 2022 You were able to narrow down your career shortlist as follows: #1 Civil Engineers #2 Architects, except Landscape and Naval #3 Environmental Restoration Planners #4 Landscape Architects #5 Teacher #6 Animal Trainer I discussed the results of the MEIQ-R9 assessment with you. Your score on this assessment (112/155, 79th percentile) is fairly good. Overall, you are quite capable of understanding and dealing with emotions. Emotional intelligence is not only essential to healthy relationships with others, research has also shown that a healthy EQ contributes to problem-solving ability, leadership ability, goal achievement, and professional success in general. Review the rest of your results to know which areas you need to work on developing the most - awareness is key to helping her find the motivation to improve. The following is a summarized version of your emotional intelligence results, categorized according to areas where you excel, areas where there is room to grow even more, and areas that you will need to work on improving. EIQ competencies that you have mastered

Her strong social insight helps her understand human behavior
She is able to resolve conflict productively and effectively
She regularly uses her empathy to better understand others
She is skilled at reading body language
She is open to learning and self-improvement
She has a good understanding of the complexity and depth of her emotions
She doesn't sweat the small stuff, preferring to let minor annoyances go

EIQ competencies that can be cultivated further

She is sometimes able to accurately identify the emotions she is feeling
She is reasonably flexible
She generally copes with stress reasonably well
She shows some degree of mental toughness, and can usually bounce back from hardship with relative ease
She can generally adapt to most situations with little difficulty
She has a reasonably optimistic outlook but prefers to prepare herself for every eventuality
She tries her best to live her life according to her values
She has some self-confidence but can fall victim to self-doubt from time to time
She generally believes that she has what it takes to succeed
She sometimes reflects on her emotions and the information that they can offer
She is reasonably self-aware but could go deeper and develop a more profound understanding of who she is
She strives to pick her battles wisely, but some seemingly trivial issues may still upset her
She tries not to over-think things, but can sometimes let herself get carried away with worry

EIQ competencies that require development & improvement

She is rather uncomfortable expressing her emotions
She is generally ill at ease in emotionally intense situations or with emotional people
She tends to have difficulty regulating her emotions
She may often struggle to adapt her social skills to different situations and people
She generally doesn't set smart goals for herself
She tends to struggle to motivate herself to overcome difficulties and challenges
She does not have a strong sense of self-worth and self-respect
She is generally unable to assert herself effectively
She often requires and/or seeks out other people's approval

Acknowledgments from Session #3: I acknowledge you for completing the MEIQ-R9 assessment. I also acknowledge you for participating in these Career Coaching sessions to get a better understanding of what career path you would like to pursue from here on. Takeaways from Session #3: You are clearer about which career path you might want to pursue. You also have a better idea about your EIQ strengths and limitations. Action Plan from Session #3: You agreed to review the MEIQ - R9 assessment report in more detail. You agreed to work on the following five EIQ limitations to work on in the coming year by focusing on applying the advice tips below for one limitation every two months until you master it: #1 She is rather uncomfortable expressing her emotions

Take small steps if you're not used to expressing emotions. Start with those that are the least intimidating, like gratitude, awe, or boredom. For example, try offering someone you are comfortable with a genuine compliment, and then take it one step further to an expression of appreciation. When you need to communicate a negative feeling, start by writing down how you feel before saying it. Like learning any new skill, emotional expression will get easier with time and practice.
Know the consequences of suppression. Like a soda can that has been shaken one too many times, a buildup of negative emotions can either result in one messy explosion or a whole lot of fussing and fuming on the inside. This isn't a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils - both are unhealthy for you. Bottled-up emotions can result in physical ailments, not to mention the damage it causes to your peace of mind and your relationships. A build-up of frustration will seep out whether you like it or not, often through passive aggression, snappiness, lack of tolerance, or bitter remarks. Find a healthy emotional outlet that works for you - writing your feelings out, talking to someone, etc.

#2 She is generally unable to assert herself effectively

Assert yourself when necessary. Being assertive requires a certain degree of comfort with vulnerability, and that's probably one of the main reasons why people hesitate to speak up for themselves. Assertiveness means risking dissention, rejection, and embarrassment. It can spark conflict if the message doesn't go over well. If you find it difficult to speak up or say "no" to others, remember this: Not speaking up communicates to others the erroneous belief that your needs don't matter; that you are not worthy enough to ask for what we want. Assertiveness training can be extremely beneficial, along with the realization that being assertive does not imply or require aggression.

#3 She generally doesn't set smart goals for herself

Here are some guidelines for setting SMART goals:
Specific: Rather than simply stating "I want to increase sales in my department," have a number in mind, like "by 10% ".
Measurable: Being able to track your progress at set intervals (every month, for example) is important - you'll see and appreciate the efforts of your labors.
Attainable: This is the key to success. Goals that are too easy won't motivate you; goals that are too hard will discourage your team. Set a goal that is high, but reasonable.
Relevant: Why are you setting this particular goal? Why do you want to achieve it? You and your team will be much more motivated to achieve a goal that is meaningful.
Time-bound: Set a flexible, realistic deadline. This will keep your eyes on the prize. Setting a goal to be achieved at some vague time in the future is not going to stick. That being said, be willing to tweak your deadline if unexpected situations arise.

#4 She tends to struggle to motivate herself to overcome difficulties and challenges

Know what motivates you What drives you? This is essential information to know because it's the key to success. Do you thrive on pressure or do you need recognition from others to keep you going? Is it the feeling of accomplishment? Try to incorporate strong motivators into your goal plan as much as possible - they can really get you through those tough times when you're feeling frustrated or your plan just doesn't seem to be panning out as well as you expected. Keep in mind, however, that the best source of motivation often comes from within (the sense of pride after a job well done, the feeling that you're truly making an impact on the world, etc.). External motivators (praise, money) are good for some people, but may not be able to keep you focused and determined all the way through.
Give yourself a taste of success. For example, if you would like to begin a career helping people in some way, join a charity or volunteer group to gain some practical experience. If you want to write a novel, begin with a short story. Once you experience a "slice" of your goal, you will be more driven to pursue it outright. This will not only boost your motivation, but it will also breathe life into your dream and help you realize that it really is possible.

#5 She is generally ill at ease in emotionally intense situations or with emotional people

Control your nonverbal behaviors. Being able to make eye contact, smile while exchanging pleasantries, and shake hands firmly (but not too firmly) help you to be perceived by others as self-confident, mature, and approachable. There is a difference between “cold” connecting, in which you seem uninterested or angry at others, and “warm” connecting, in which you seem likable and at the same time help others feel at ease. You need to appear friendly if you want others to like you. Once they do, they’ll want to be around you, boosting your chances for relationship and work success.
Monitor what you say. As important as nonverbal communication is for building your social skills, it’s equally critical to control your verbal output. Swearing at people or objects is not considered acceptable in most group settings; neither are angry outbursts at the people with whom you live or date. You may feel comfortable to say whatever comes into your head with your work buddies or roommates because you know you’ll be accepted. The problem is knowing when these behaviors are okay and when they’re not. It’s easy to fall prey to the tendency to drop obscenities into your speech. However, you need to know when to draw the line. Just as you need to clean up your clothes when you step outside the house, you also need to clean up your language.
Maintain your boundaries. This discussion of language in impression formation raises the more general issue, discussed by Phillips and his team, of maintaining the proper social distance between yourself and others. We all know how embarrassing it is to listen to an oversharer or to have someone invade our personal space. To the extent that you reveal too much about yourself to others, fail to attend to the line between you and a boss or distant relative, or just blab to anyone who will listen, you’ll be perceived as lacking maturity and judgment.
Turn on your feeling-detectors. Having social skills also means that you are able to read the nonverbal communication of other people. Try to read their body language as a way of finding out if they’re anxious, sad, or stressed on the one hand, or happy and relaxed on the other. Use these signals as “data” on which you can base what you say and do in their presence. You don’t have to state verbally that you recognize their feelings. You can use the knowledge you gain about their inner states to communicate in a reciprocal manner. Good therapists use “mirroring” with their own body language to let their clients know they understand and empathize with their inner states.
Manage your emotions. You also have to control your own feelings. You may get upset, feel snubbed, or have an irrepressible desire to giggle. However, if you want to be regarded positively by all but your closest family and associates, you’ll need to stifle those feelings. Some people have a natural “poker face,” meaning they don’t allow emotions to affect their expressions, but most of us allow at least some of our feelings to leak onto our features. The better you are at disclosing only those feelings you want others to read, the more likely it is that you’ll be considered a solid friend, lover, or colleague.
Try to build your self-esteem. It doesn’t help you to have social skills if you don’t believe in them. Feeling more confident in your ability to communicate with others will help you straighten your shoulders and muster your self-composure. Looking as though you feel comfortable in your own skin is nine-tenths of the battle in actually feeling comfortable. As your social skills strengthen, you’ll, in fact, start to reap the benefits of improved self-esteem.

You agreed to interview the following professionals for the careers on your shortlist using the Microsoft Word interview template provided to you and recording your answers on separate interview sheets: #1 Civil Engineers

Kurt Ramcharan of The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd.
Email: kurtramcharan@gmail.com

#2 Architects, except Landscape and Naval

Tom McCartney of OBM International
Mobile: 290-7036
Email: tmccartney@obmi.com

#3 Environmental Restoration Planners

Bernadette Kuhn, Senior Environmental Planner & Restoration Project Manager at City of Fort Collins
Office: 1-970-416-2815
Email: naturalareas@fcgov.com

#4 Landscape Architects

Allan Darwent Principal Landscape Architect/Director at Design Landscape Architects TT
Tel: (868) 678-7292
Email: allan@dla.design

#5 Teacher

Giselle Rostant of Dunross Preparatory School
Mobile: 766-2839
Email: grostant@dunross.edu.tt

#6 Animal Trainer

Scott's K9 Training Academy
Mobile: 354-0001
Email: grostant@dunross.edu.tt

The next session is scheduled for Tuesday 21 June 2022 at 3:00 PM via Zoom.

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