by by Kathy Grant, Mount St. Joseph University
Setting clear expectations from the beginning about “ownership” – who is responsible for designing and managing a strategic career plan – is critical. Early on in my career coaching roles, I found myself personally owning and investing more in the student’s career plan than many of them were committed to do. I often stopped what I was working on to “help” and found that they had not followed up or followed through after our discussion the first time.
As a more mature career coach, I have learned to use the 4 Steps of Career Development as a basis for ownership. Securing commitment to a strategic, measurable plan from both the student/alumnus/a and the coach works best if there is structure. The homework aspect of the 4 Steps, along with setting clear ownership expectations, means that the career plan is a commitment with a well-defined framework.
The 4 Steps of Career Development are:
- Knowing Yourself – Interests, Skills, Values
- Knowing the Career Field – Options and Ideas
- Matching You and the Career Field
- The Job Search – Resume, Cover Letter, Interviewing Skills
Visually, imagine a frame with clear-cut sides and boundaries with the open picture to be defined by the coaching session. Ideally, the frame will expand and contract. It expands as you share possibilities for a major, a career path, employers that match and the cultures that are options.
My first meeting is for clarifying the expectations of the student. Are we working on a career plan? Do they need a quick resume critique or tips for an upcoming interview?
For students coming in with initial exploration questions, I share the 4 Steps process, with a focus on Knowing Yourself. I ask the student to share one aspect of any job that they have had that they enjoyed. We translate that into a skill. For example, they enjoyed working at the front desk at a health club, so communication skills about services offered, the ability to greet members efficiently and respond to their questions would be one skill set that they have developed. Homework is to make a list of the “top 10” skills that they would like to use in a job.
Next, we talk about the job environment they have enjoyed the most. Did the employees work as part of a team? Did they have reasonable working hours – their definition? Homework is to make a list of the “top 10” characteristics of their ideal job. The difference between the two lists is that one is about them and one is about the culture of the work environment that best suits them.
Depending on the student’s vocational maturity, the two lists may be the homework we agree upon prior to the next meeting. Knowing the Career Field, the second step, is also homework for the next meeting. I ask them to identify five to seven jobs that interest them. At this point, they don’t need to consider, location, amount of experience or degree required, etc. Rather, I am looking for a broader understanding of what career paths might be possible. Once they find the positions, they print them out and highlight the “key words.” Part of the coaching session is to ensure that they understand the value of key words when employers source candidates.
Scheduling the next meeting is up to the student. I ask them to contact me when they have completed their homework or when they find a road block that keeps them from understanding the process and their role. Some students schedule a meeting prior to leaving my office. Some wait to schedule.
The second appointment usually ranges from 45 minutes to an hour. We take a deep dive into their definitions of their skills, with a focus on value added for the employer and how they will market these skills in their resume, cover letter and interview. We review key words, talk about options and identify potential employers who would value their skill set. There have been a number of times when students have an “ah-ha” moment and find a job that truly interests them. We quickly switch gears and develop a resume that will support their application.
What I enjoy most about the 4 Steps is the individuality and the creativity I use to support the student’s career development plan. We include ideas for networking, potential employers, and how to get the most out of our job posting site and career center programs/ services in support of their search. The investment of time with the first 2 Steps means that the student often feels empowered to tell their story and share their elevator speech in a more concise and compelling manner.
I would estimate that about 60-70% of the students and alumni who ask to work on their career plan return to meet with me, keep me informed of their progress and are open to new options. The students and alumni who are invested and own their career plans will be much more successful with telling their story.
There are two motivators for me when working with students and alumni on the 4 Steps. The quote from Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” is important for showing value for each individual. The second is the “teach a man to fish” principle. I hope that, should I actually win the lottery (I have not recently bought a ticket!), they will know how to own and be successful with their job search.
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Kathy Grant is a certified Strengths Coach with over 25 years of career services and recruiting experience. She is the Career Development contact for the Career & Experiential Education Center at Mount St. Joseph University. She also served as Interim Director of the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati, as Assistant Dean for the UC College of Law career center, as Director of Recruiting & Professional Development for Keating Muething & Klekamp, a large Cincinnati based law firm, and as Membership Director for the Cincinnati Bar Association. Kathy focuses her career coaching on accountability and developing a targeted search. She has also been a Buyer for two major department stores and a teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools. Kathy has a BS in English, Education and Sociology with a teaching certification from Miami University and a Masters in Counseling, with a focus on career counseling, from the University of Cincinnati.
