One of the most eminent writers in this field is Goncalves, who contended that “with human beings there is more than a narrative, there is a definite narrator, someone who moves between the position of the subject and object of the story”. (Goncalves 1995: 197) In other words, we can place ourselves as the central point in what Goncalves describes as a ‘human project’ and this represents our individual story in our own words taking in to account many influencing factors that impact on our lives. It is harnessing our abilities to talk about a subject we know better than anyone else, our self.

The value and and practical uses of narrative approaches in guidance were actively demonstrated in a recent class by splitting into pairs and attempting to replicate the relationship between counsellor and client.

By bringing along an object that had some kind of symbolic meaning and explaining the story surrounding it we were able to interview a partner and very quickly gather a host of valuable information on each other’s thoughts, values, opinions and experiences using the object as a catalyst.

Personally I thought this was a very powerful demonstration of the benefit of narrative’s, as I found out a lot of unknown information about my partner (and some things about myself) in around half an hour. I think we also discussed some topics that would be difficult to broach in general conversation or within other counselling methods, as any defensiveness is effectively removed by letting the individual develop the conversation linked to a subject or object of their choice. I also found that when talking round my own topic of choice (thanks to some prompting) I ended up exploring areas that I had not originally anticipated and made some other connections to aspects of my life I had not previously considered.

The objects used for discussion were an old vinyl record (definitely not post modern) and a pair of jeans.

These seemingly innocuous objects managed to generate discussion round the experiences of euro rail travel, serious injuries, cultural expectations, death, legacy of rationing, first experiences, embarrassing incidents at airport customs, musical tastes, the misinterpretation of the good intentions of strangers and some major turning points in life. Well I didn’t see any of that coming as a I drove to Craighouse last week!

There has been some criticism of narrative approaches with using them in practice as a guidance model, in terms of measurement and consistency and as they are an evolving method, some apprehension from organisations who have relied on traditional approaches for long periods but even after this short ‘experiment’ the benefits are clear.

One of the most productive and enjoyable sessions on the RPE 2 module.

When comparing this to far more substantial supporting ‘ethics’ documents published by other professional bodies to give their members prompts on what is deemed appropriate professional behaviour, I found a certain irony in the lack of ‘guidance’ from the ICG for its advisers. 

The high level subjects quoted are on relevant topics like equal opportunity, accessibility, impartiality and client responsibility but the level of detail is not sufficient to translate what is actually expected or indeed within the control of individual members.

The ‘Responsibility to Clients’ topic is a good case in point. I feel that during the past 9 months of study on this course transcending a multitude of topics and subjects, that everything always comes back to putting the client first and how we will be measured on this interaction, relationship and ultimately client progression. So I would have expected a very detailed section on client responsibility giving guidelines on dealing with different clients from varying backgrounds, applying appropriate guidance models to different situations, behaving in an ethical manner (and possibly what that might constitute) and taking account of client values and social background.

Instead we get the following sentence:

“focus on the needs of the individual recognising his/her rights and responsibilities”

I don’t disagree with the sentiment but what does it actually mean and how should this be applied in practice?

All this got me thinking back to our very first discussion on the RPE 2 lecture back in January where we looked at the crisis of confidence in professions. Part of this discussion was around how the general public perceive guidance practitioners in comparison to lawyers and doctors, for example? The general impression was not very favourably! This is not surprising as we also discovered that in the history of the ICG not one investigation into the ethical behaviour of one of its members has led to any action or dismissal. On the other hand the Law Society and Medical Council, are perfectly willing and able to take appropriate actions against members when necessary leading to some high profile disciplinary actions against members who transgress their codes.

Maybe this is what is needed in guidance (some scandal and high profile dismissals highlighted in the press!) to persuade the public that it is a professional body run in a professional way, by the Institute that governs it.

Reflecting back to the start of the course in September, I can remember stressing about what to put in the first report, being unsure about the level of detail required, getting to grips with Harvard referencing and how on earth it was going to be possible to produce 2000 words on a topic I knew very little about. I can say that after much practice on this in the last few months a complete transformation in approach seems to have taken place and with recent essays it has been a case of ending up with around 3000+ words and having to cut it back until happy with the final product.

It certainly seems to be getting easier to compile and produce these reports and (I never thought this was possible!) some have actually been enjoyable to write. Part of it is down to a build up in knowledge, in terms of the key information texts and also theories of guidance but it is more a case of working with a process you are comfortable with and suits your style. There certainly seems to be more time in between deadline dates in the second semester which also makes it more manageable.

Anyway, I was thinking about this as I have started looking at and applying for some jobs in the HE sector and within all the job profiles I have seen, there is an emphasis on carrying out academic research on approaches to guidance, developing ‘careers’ in curriculum & employability issues and then writing reports on the topic for distribution to other practitioners and for publication. I suppose the message is that once we qualify and start working in guidance, the real work begins and report and essay writing skills will be valuable for us all our working life.

I have visited 3 very different organisations with a diverse range of clients, when compared to each other. This has provided some valuable background information in making an informed decision about my own future career direction and also made me re-evaluate to an extent some aspects of my current job and attitude towards the people I work with.

In terms of the Careers Scotland placement, I enjoyed the second time round as a good learning experience and got more out of it than the initial week which was a bit early for me. By January I felt the we were at a stage in the course where we were beginning to develop a knowledge of guidance theories and an understanding of how the organisational goals of CS fitted into these theories and of government policy. I worked with and learnt from many people who where committed to delivering a service to their clients, despite some frustrations with certain aspects of their role, bureaucracy, management issues and also uncertainty about where the company was headed due to the impending (at that time) split from Scottish Enterprise.

Having worked in the private sector previously, it was certainly a different culture in terms of management structure, communication, use of technology, working practices, hours and just about everything else I can think of and was a great eye opener to experience this.

I did benefit from observing and participating in a number of interviews and groupwork sessions to see varied techniques and approaches in action but the most memorable part for me was being sent down for a short stretch (well it was an afternoon interviewing prison in-mates actually but never mind). 

I had only been in a prison once before (visiting!) and was a bit apprehensive but this was a great experience and I was inspired by some of the stories I heard, in terms of the work placement opportunities for those coming towards the end of their sentence, the examples of rehabilitation in some cases of long term prisoners and the commitment and genuine rapport the CS Adviser had with them. This is not being naive enough to think that success stories are typical and am aware that many challenges await them upon release but was glad to make contact with these clients as you may never do so (knowingly) in every day life. It also challenged the stereotypical tabloid hysteria around what life is like within an average prison.

My second placement was with an organisation working with a specific target group; pupils from schools with traditional low progression to Higher Education. This was very different as I was working with a small dedicated team of 7 in a company supported by funding from partner universities as opposed to a large organisation, employing hundreds of staff. The focus and atmosphere was very different as dealing with a more (generalisation but in my opinion, the case) motivated client group with a clearer idea of future direction, resulted in what appeared to be a more motivated team. There were many aspects of interesting and varied collaberative work with other agencies, government and universities but I suppose out of the 3 placements this had less to do with ‘pure’ guidance, although 1 to 1 interviews were held with all pupils who wanted to attend university summer school as part of the progression programme and groupwork sessions delivered in schools. I enjoyed this placement immensely and they were a great team to work with.

And last but not least, a university itself. Had a really busy schedule and as well as gaining exposure to what is going in within the Careers Service (guidance, groupwork, programme for international students, quick queries, employability projects, internships, summer placements, personal development, imbedding careers in curriculum) I met a wide variety of staff from academic departments and other areas of student services. This has served to provide a more complete picture of how it all fits together and the central role that the careers service plays. Again this is placement involved working with a motivated and enthusiastic client group and and is an area I would hope to persue in the future. I even found I enjoyed commuting (well for 2 weeks anyway), all trains on time, time to read, reflect and work on essays. The only thing stressful about it was the cost!

 All in, I would say that these practical placements are one of the best parts of the course and it does pay to be exposed to all aspects of an organisation before deciding on future direction.

Kelly contends that we all have different approaches and reactions based on our past experiences and this information is crucial to the career counsellor in building a picture of how the client views their world. Constructs are built between two polar opposite views of a situation, for example in a careers sense this could mean working in the UK or working abroad, or chasing a high salary or doing voluntary work.

By probing on a number of topics, using laddering techniques to link constructs together (Neimeyer 1992); the counsellor can explore the client’s values, opinions and motivations, which helps to build a more complete picture of the client’s needs. 

In class we did a short exercise in pairs to look at some of polar constructs surrounding our own attitudes and ideas of how we see ourselves in a working environment in 5 years time. I found this very useful and it is certainly a technique that can be used with clients to provide valuable background information. It is also an exercise that can be performed relatively quickly without detailed preparation or prior knowledge of the client. Once this information has been derived it can be used as valuable reference in a instance where there is going to be on-going contact with a particular client.

Personal Constructs has its roots in the work of Freud’s theories of our multiple self and also that of unconscious and conscious conflicts which impact on our decision making and opinions.

So taking into account theories on personal constructs and conflicts, this can present problems for counsellor’s when referring to person-centred theory (Rogers 1961) in which a central premise is to be able to empathise with clients.

How can Rogers expect the counsellor to effectively ‘empathise’ with a client? Even in the unlikely event that they share certain characteristics in terms of values, social background or status, as everyone has their own constructs and ways of viewing the world the idea of empathy sounds impossible to achieve.

Hazel Reid has analysed the benefits of Constructivism in post modern markets which are largely devoid of traditional linear models of career progression and concluded that it can be useful in career counselling but only if it used to generate an action and not purely used as a diagnostic tool. “In counselling informed by action theory, goals are not solely talked about, they are worked on”. (Reid 1992: 34) Reid feels that although not new or ground breaking, the use of this technique in careers counselling is still evolving and can be effective as part of an integrated approach within post modern markets, as it deals with many issues that are relevant today.

I do agree with this assertion in that it can take account of each client’s self-concept within the context of their cultural background, the effect of  multiple cultures, ethnicity’s and religions. It can also derive a view of client’s reaction to topical issues like the impact of new technology and increasingly shifting boundaries and the effect of this on job markets and opportunities.

The first question can be answered simply? It is not a matter of whether the process is necessary, merely a reflection of the way many large target driven organisations operate. If senior management are setting out frameworks that include targets within a certain model, it follows that they will dictate to staff that there will be a compliance culture within that framework or model. This applies to data on destinations, number of interviews, sticking to prescribed formula within interviews and statistics on where individuals sit within the Career Planning Journey at any given time.

As professionals we can have opinions on how this is measured and try to use ‘influence from within’ in large organisations on suggested changes to the model but overthrowing the system may prove impossible. If we want to work for an organisation like this and become frustrated with the system and frameworks, either become Chief Executive and change them, learn how to work within the system or leave.

The method being discussed was a prescriptive tick sheet for Managers to assess how staff conducted a 1 to 1 interview with a client against a number of set criteria, with the main purpose apparently to ensure that they were sticking to the preferred model of career planning within that organisation. Looking at this as a one off exercise to analyse staff performance, it appears to be one dimensional, limited in scope for both staff and managers and channels everyone into a narrow set of measures and behaviours even if these are not areas that they naturally excel in or are comfortable with.  This is bound to cause resentment from professionals who after completing their education and having a wide ranging knowledge on different models and style, would surely prefer some autonomy. It also assumes that each Manager is the perfect role model when it comes to carrying out interviews and their observations and decisions are sacrosanct! Not always the case. 

In practice I have found that performance appraisal or assessment works best when there a much wider set of measures. In the example of a Careers Adviser these could be, feedback from peers within the organisation, comments from clients on interview techniques when not in the formal setting of having their Manager observe them, speaking to training providers and other partner organisations on how they interact and look after the welfare of clients, feedback from teachers on impact of group work or how they raise the profile of careers guidance in each school.

This would give a more complete picture on how someone performs in their job, rather than focusing on a rather unnatural and forced situation for staff and managers alike.

“Nietzsche is dead” – God

What inspiration and thought provoking messages can Career Guidance professionals take from the musings of the great philosophers and how might some of their works be interpreted and applied in our post modern society? The challenge when dealing with clients is to remember that each of us will be coming from a different angle in the way we view the world and our place in it. The perceived events that have shaped our current thoughts and attitudes in life, will have a different emphasis and mean different things to all of us. Subsequently, the way we envisage the future and the values that we hold can be shaped by our beliefs.

In a recent lecture we were introduced to a text by Nietzsche, which examined his perception of truth and lies and what this may mean for society. This provoked a range of opinions, debate and interpretation, which only served to underline this lack of a ‘common view’ on which aspects were of most importance and what is reality for different people even in a relatively small group.

This inspired me to read more from the German philosopher.

In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche contends that the herd community, which promotes patience understanding and compassion, holds back the human race and only a society which lets the strong lead and is brave enough to let the weak suffer and be enslaved, can progress. Even accounting for the time when this was written, it is clear the man was not exactly the forefather of New Labours social inclusion policy!

It is of course unfair to take this particular piece of text in isolation and not entirely in context but looking at Nietzsche’s philosophy and legacy he is classed as fundamental to the development of Existentialism and post modernism.

The Existentialist position rejects the notion that society can be guided by a higher force like religion or authority (hence the earlier quote but Nietzsche did not mean this literally, merely that god or religion was no longer capable of being the leading moral force) and that individuals create meaning and essence in their own life’s. 

The emphasise is on freedom of responsibility for decision making and actions. They oppose the positions of rationalism and positivism, as they believe we are searching for our own meaning in an absurd and meaningless life, created by others. I think we can sum it up as ‘life is tough, accept it and get on with it’. The thought is that we can strive for things in life but we may never get there.

Existentialists also believe that people make decisions on what is real to them rather than what may be perceived to be rational (back to truth and lies). This rejection of reason, can often lead to anxiety and dread in the face of our own freedom and self awareness. In Nietzsche’s case this was to prove his ultimate undoing.

A different view of the world is that of Humanism. The Humanist belief is that there is dignity and worth in all people. There is an optimistic attitude about the capacity of all people and that human nature is inherently good. This clearly differs from the existentialist position in a fundamental way. There is also the belief that living up to our potential can be achieved through hard work, rational decision making and the help of others. The ultimate goal is human flourishing and making life better for us all.

All this obviously may have major implications on the career decision making process in terms of firstly, which of these 2 schools of thought (or any of the countless others) we come from as practitioners and also the beliefs of our colleagues and clients.

Looking at this topic has moved me on to reading a selection of philosophy texts from the Greek school, right through to the last century and I am finding it fascinating and challenging. I am even toying with the idea of growing a beard! (that has probably given the game away on my identity if anyone was unsure).

Anyway I have 2 thousand years worth of text to get through so that is enough for the moment.

As I reflect back on the most memorable highlights of 2 decades of solid work, what are the things that stick in my mind? Not the tasks delivered, deadlines met or missed, targets hit, the happy or not so happy clients.  It is more the people I have met, the highs and lows of social relationships that have been developed, the time spent on discussions or the debate’s and disagreements on the important topics of the day (mostly football, politics, music or what Britney or Pete Doherty have been doing with their hard won right to be idle the previous day)

In my current position I have developed an appreciation of the importance of the reflective process as a creative one when preparing material for a training session or presentation. A general rule of thumb is to spend twice as long on preparation as you do on actual delivery. This may appear to others that you are doing nothing (and they usually tell you!) but not a bit of it, thinking is a strenuous business!

The main focus of careers guidance professionals in practice it seems, is to constantly extol the values of hard work, study, motivation, active participation, team-working and work ethic to young people and this can almost instill a fear factor that any different kinds of behaviour at any stage in life, can result in them failing to make the grade or meeting their full potential. There should be a place within the system for making young people aware there may be an alternative approach that suits certain individuals, even though this may not be a conformist choice within society.

How much value does society give to the dreamers, artists and creative geniuses? How much credibility is given to the art of creative ‘downtime’, a time for thought, reflection and the odd inspirational idea after hours of contemplation? Not much by the popular media, or by governments in developed economies, or the companies that operate within them. We are more than happy to listen to the work of Lennon or admire a Van Gogh but the concept of sitting about ‘idling’ during the creative process tends to fill the establishment with horror.

Anyway, I think a siesta is in order to re-charge the batteries in preparation for the next blog entry!

An alternative ’eclectic’ model would be to allow staff to adapt the most appropriate theory model for a given situation and although this would be more difficult for Management to monitor consistency of delivery within the organisation, it would create a more flexible and adaptable organisation which reacts to the needs of their clients in a more efficient manner. In my own observation, in practice this is what currently happens anyway and is perhaps natural given that all guidance professionals study a number of different theoretical models during training and should naturally have an awareness of which might best suit a practical situation. Even if this is the realistic process in large organisations, it is almost done in a covert fashion ,as staff are wary of deviating from the operating guidelines set down for them and as a consequence may fear the potential impact of this being discovered, on their own progression with regards to Performance Appraisal.

The third option is to adopt an ‘integregionist’ stance and develop your own theory of preference. This would certainly appeal to those who are more creative, innovative and may not have discovered a model which is adaptable enough to fit any given situation. This would prove difficult to implement in a large organisation, which has consistent guidelines for staff,  as a large number of people all operating independently and with different approaches would not fit their model. The ‘integrationist’ approach would fit better with a smaller guidance practice which was set up to tackle specific client groups needs and could be agreed  as the chosen approach with the relevant funding organisation.

Of the latter 2 options, I would suggest (as an alternative to the single model approach) the eclectic approach as the most effective and easiest to implement and manage, particularly within a larger organisation like Careers Scotland. Although an ‘eclectic’ approach is often criticized as being populist and lacking consistency, it is successfully employed in other professions, such as psychology and statistics and offers the practitioner a range of options as problem solving tools.

It examines Career Education at 4 main levels: Opportunity Awareness, Self Awareness, Decision Learning and Transition Learning.

In Scotland it underpins the Curriculum For Excellence at many levels and in England is closely linked to the Department for Skills and Education published learning aims.

So what are the many things that have changed since DOTS was first published and what could be now taught during career education in schools and university?

The shape of the economy in the UK has changed dramatically in the interim period and moved from a manufacturing base to the rise of the service sector becoming the largest percentage sector. So in terms of opportunity awareness there has been a transfer between the traditional production of tangible goods to an economy built on knowledge and skills. This (together with geographical location) is where the UK holds it competitive advantage in the global economy, for the moment anyway, and attracts inward investment. The rise of multinational companies operating in the UK, has presented greater opportunities to gain exposure to jobs created by this inward investment, including potentially working abroad and with a more diverse workforce but the downside has been reduction of union power and erosion of labour market rights meaning lower job security.  The ethnic make up of the UK workforce has also changed beyond recognition, as has the percentage of woman in full time employment and the use of foreign workers in many industries to supplement that lack of skills within the UK. There should, therefore, be a greater focus on equal opportunities, the law surrounding these issues and barriers that currently exist to many based on their background. These barriers could well be based on location, employment trends, collapse of local traditional industries, lack of transferable skills or any number of other economic factors but as long as these issues exist it is important that young people fully understand the implications for them.

Changes in technology have also seen radical moves in how we work in terms of location, shift patterns and hours, salary V’s hourly wage rates, performance related pay, communication with peers/managers or potentially being managed remotely from another location. This all has a huge impact when it comes to self awareness in young people, as there are many other factors to consider in addtion to the original skills matching model when DOTS first appeared.

DOTS is still a use-able framework but needs updated to implicitly cover some of these topical issues and many more to make it more relevant in 2008.