Kirk Said:

Career counseling - PhD in psychology not good enough?

We Answered:

Hi,

You express an interest in learning about careers, but readily admit that you have no interest in actually engaging in any of the careers you study. If I read your posting correctly, you're asking if it makes sense to to pursue a Ph.D. to become a career counselor. The short answer is: No. Unless you want to be a psychologist, you won't need that level and type of education. You might be better off with a masters degree in either organizational behavior, social work, or human resources.

But here's the kicker, the Ph.D. might really satisfy your desire for research and deep learning because a Ph.D. is by definition, an expert in their field. A Ph.D. degree is not automatically awarded just because you complete the necessary coursework. You'd need to identify an area of investigation, and do the work to put together a dissertation that would satisfy your adviser and committee. Just in the little you wrote, I sense you might have what it takes.

What I don't see, is any indication that you'd get a bang out of helping people with their careers (i.e. being a career counselor). And I do not mean that in a negative way, I'm just calling it as I see it. Bottom line: if you deeply desire to become a career counselor, the Ph.D. would be overkill and inappropriate to the job requirements. But if you want to continue treating the subject of career as a "bug in a jar" then you should look for a suitable Ph.D. program ASAP and start marching toward becoming a true expert in that field. Can you imagine if your ultimate job included regular appearances on CNN or other shows to pontificate about employment and career trends? Would be way cool, no?

Sherry Said:

WHERE DO I GET SOME CAREER COUNSELING?

We Answered:

Here is some career counseling for you and anyone else out there who is also struggling. Follow this brainstorming process to the letter.
1. Open an excel sheet or a google docs spreadsheet (log into a gmail account or make one, then you can access google docs). In the top row, write down any job you think you'd want or have ever thought you've wanted. Make each column a different job or career. Don't discount anything and include your current profession (maybe you've missed something?).

2. Next. Under the first column, list the skills/education/certs/time/resources/tr… you need all the way down. You might have to research each career on google and Youtube to see what you'd need to get started in for each career. Indeed.com and craigslist are good too because you can get a good idea of where there are job markets for a specific career and what is needed - search by skill because titles are not that meaningful.

3. Next, color each cell under each profession green if you'd be willing or able to accomplish that requirement. Color it red if it is impossible. Color it yellow if it is possible but you wouldn't like to have to do it. If you find something that complements or uses your current skills in a different way, color it green or yellow depending upon how you feel about it.

4. Cut and paste each red cell to the bottom of the list. Look up what you'd have to do to accomplish the "impossible" task. If you've solved the impossible task, create new cells with each solution or and color code them. Then delete the solved "impossible" task but leaving the solution behind. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you just can't find a solution online.

5. Eliminate columns that contain red cells. These career pursuits not possible for you.

6. For what is left, tally the number of green tasks and the number of yellow tasks. Multiply the number of yellow tasks by -1 and subtract from the number of green tasks. The higher the number, the more comfortable you would be in pursuing that career. Save the spreadsheet.

7. In a new spreadsheet or worksheet, the first column should be titled expectations of the perfect job. Each column after that should be labeled with the careers that you've thought are possible to pursue; include your existing career track.

8. Under the expectations column, list out every expectation you have of the perfect job or career.

9. For every expectation you list, and under each column, put a number 1 if the career/job meets the expectation. Leave it blank if it doesn't. When you are done, add all of the 1's at the bottom. The highest scoring column is the career you want and would be most happy with. Pursue it and realize there is no perfect job or career and most of us who work in the stereotypical jobs are not much better off. There is extreme competition, sporadic and unreliable work, and lousy pay in almost every sector of our economy.

10. If you realize after this exercise that your highest rated job is a musician, then make up a similar brainstorming process for different ways to promote your music. Become more entrepreneurial. Teach. Join music communities. Collaborate and refer. Network. Use the internet to do research on how other musicians succeed - maybe you've missed something.

I hope that gets you started in the right direction.

Jimmie Said:

Do I have the wrong image of a counseling career.?

We Answered:

You need all sorts of degrees to qualify in any state as a counselor. As well, it doesn't pay well, and takes years to build a reputation. You need a license to counsel, just as you would need a license to practice medicine. It isn't something you can just claim that you are, such as you can indeed claim to be an artist with no training. You may even sell a painting/sculpture/whatever. But in truth, you aren't an artist.... you are a manipulator of materials.

If you intend to charge a fee, you have to have a license.