Helping Professionals Find A New Career

HonnolDCounseling helps individuals identify alternative careers that match their interests, skills and motivations, and that also meet practical economic needs.

A skillful career assessment will consider options that you already have in mind:

• “I love to develop Websites, but I never thought of it as a profession.”
• “I’m always making music.  I often hear lyrics in my head.”
• “I love to write -- short stories, poetry, anything.”
• “I write books in my mind while painting houses.”
• “People always tell me their problems.  I’m always happy to listen.”
• “I’m always drawn to teaching something to people – usually kids.”
• “I need work that involves a lot of contact with people.”
• “I love to communicate with people.”
• “I have no patience for people.  I need to work by myself.”
• “I’m naturally competitive.  I need work that channels my ambition.”
• “I want to make a lot of money.  I need money to pay for travel.”
• “I need flexibility in my hours, and lots of time at home with my kids.”
• “I can’t stand having a supervisor.  I need to run my own show.”
• “I’ve always wanted to start my own business.”
• “My dream job is to operate a B&B.  I already have a name for it.”
• “I’ve come up with this invention that . . .”
• “I need work that makes a difference in the world.”

In HonnolDCounseling, finding a new career is like solving a mystery:

• Gathering Data:  Through highly focused and intensive conversations, and using fact-gathering tools and resources (such as vocational tests), you will gather data about your interests, skills and temperament.
• “Interests” are Most Important:  Your interests are demonstrated over time by what you like to do. Your aptitudes and skills are likely to reinforce your interests.
• Begin With What you Know:  You will start with what you already know about yourself, based on your life experience.
• Forget the Vision Statements:  Rather than lofty statements of ideals, you will rely on the data of what has “already happened” to you, or what is “happening now” in your life.
• Build on Strengths:  You will draw on existing strengths, such as your intelligence, creativity, attention to detail, and self-discipline.
• Insist that New Skills Come Naturally:  New skills should come with a sense of “flow,” without too much intellectual “pushing and shoving.”
• Require Hands-On Experience:  To confirm that a new profession is correct, you will need to test it out by gaining actual experience with it.
• Looking for Patterns: HonnolDCounseling will help you find a pattern or “theme” to your interests that fits the needs of a new profession.
• Consider Practical Issues:  A new career must involve training that you can realistically undertake, and that will be feasible economically.

Most career changers must overcome strong “resistance” – all the reasons “why not”:

• You May Be Stubborn:  Even if you are miserably unhappy, you may be reluctant to abandon the status and income of your field.
• You May Feel “Stuck”:  You may need help overcoming emotional obstacles that keep you from implementing your decision.
• You May Not Be Unhappy Enough:  Sometimes the most unhappy professionals finish first in a career search, because they have the greatest motivation to make a change.

HonnolDCounseling helps unhappy professionals move beyond their frustration, clarify their intentions, and take specific action, which may include:

• Pursuing other graduate or technical education;
• Networking with other professionals in a new field; and
• Finding (or creating) a new job.

Finding a good career “fit” is one of the great challenges in life.  For some individuals, making a career change comes easily.  For others, change occurs only after intensive effort and self-reflection, over a period of time. Once the new career emerges, however, there is great satisfaction, and no turning back -- but why would you want to?

HonnolDCounseling has helped hundreds of professionals complete a transition to a satisfying, new profession.