* Keep in mind that I will be available to answer questions and assist you during each stage of this process. Just as important, I will help you determine and sort through patterns, conflicts, and other issues which will arise during the career counseling process - which, again, is why a professional Career Counselor is vital in this process, as opposed to doing this alone or just using computer assessments.*

I - Introduction and Initial Interview - We meet, I learn about you, your background, experiences, education, goals, concerns, etc. I explain the career counseling process, answer your questions, and you decide if you want to continue.

II- Gathering Information about Yourself (Self-Assessment) In this stage, I can help you learn more about your abilities, interests, personality type and values. Here is some more information:

Abilities/Skills: A skills inventory will help to identify your skills, including transferable skills, and your preferences in using certain skills and certain combinations of skills in the future. Many people underestimate or overestimate their skills; we will clarify these misconceptions. The concept of transferable skills is extremely important, and I will work with you in this area as well.

Values: What life and work-related values do you hold in the highest regard? One of the most common reasons for job or career dissatisfaction is a dissonance between a person's values and his or her job. In other words, your goal should be to be able to realize or fulfill your most important values, at least to a reasonable degree, in your work. A values inventory will help to identify your most important values. Values are unique to each individual and typically change over time; therefore, values clarification is an ongoing process throughout your life and career.

Interests: A career interest inventory assesses your interests, and preferences in your interests, and compares the results to occupations that may be suitable for you. A career interest inventory helps you gain the knowledge needed to discover potential careers and occupations that best match the characteristics of your preferred interests. You may complete John Holland's Self-Directed Search, or for more detailed information, the Strong Interest Inventory.

Personality Type: A personality inventory surveys your personality traits, and personal work, leadership and communication styles, providing you with valuable insight. As with interests, results are compared with people who have similar personality types and are satisfied in their careers, in order to provide you with potential career directions. You may complete the MBTI, or Myers Briggs Type Indicator.

Holistic Exercises - Through a series of questionnaires and exercises, I will help you identify how your life experiences to this point can help you determine a rewarding and successful career path.

III - Explore the World of Work - In this stage you learn as much as you can about one or more possible career options. Here you will learn what skills, education and training each career option requires; what the work consists of; projected outlook of employment; working conditions; work environment; salary info; related occupations, and more.

IV - Generate Options and Consequences - Here you narrow the choices down and focus on one career path, which will include thinking about many factors, including how this choice relates to the rest of your life, i.e. family, financial, educational, and other important considerations. In other words, we will consider all relevant obstacles to this career path.

V - Decision and Goals - Is this the right career path for you? If so, it's time to set realistic goals towards achieving attaining your initial career goal, which may be obtaining a degree or certification, or may be creating a new resume, or other first steps. If you decide this is not the right career path for you to pursue, we will re-evaluate and choose another option.

VI - Create Action Plan - We will formulate a concrete, step-by-step action plan to help you reach your career goal, including a timeline.

VII - Act - You start to work on the steps of your action plan. Here is where you take the ultimate responsibility for carrying out your career action plan.

VIII - Evaluate your progress and modify if necessary.

*The primary goal in career counseling is to formulate the best "match" between your goals, values, interests, skills and personality type, and a potential career and work environment.