Career Exploration 4

Running Head: CAREER EXPLORATION PAPER 1

Career Exploration

Phillip Fentress Mobley

Liberty University CAREER EXPLORATION 2

Career Exploration

One of the most arduous and daunting decisions that will ever be made in our lifetime is choosing our vocation; our life’s passion; a career. In most ethnic cultures, parents begin priming their children from birth; choosing their vocation for them even before they are born. Career planning is necessary for cultivating interest, education, and training. It is the job of a career counselor to guide and support clients and students in selecting the most appropriate career choice. Clients are taught how to use rational and intuitive approaches in career decision making; how to have clarity about the importance of life roles and values; how to cope with ambiguity and change as well as transition (Niles and Bowlsbey, 2013). They are taught how to develop, maintain, and sustain self-awareness specifically in the areas of values, interest, motivation and aptitude (Niles and Bowlsbey, 2013).

There are several career developmental interventions that can assist counselors and their clients in profiling their career interest. One such tool is O*NET On-Line (National center for

O*Net development) website. This site is a broad database for world of work and occupational information on a myriad of professional and non-professional careers. This site is used by researchers, HR managers as well as students and the global public in general. The O*Net site is maintained and sponsored by the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training

Administration (USDOL/ETA) (O*Net, 2013). It is a repository for all things career related. The others are CareerOneStop; which presents as a source and resource for employment information and inspiration; a pathway to career success; and a place to manage your career. It purports tools to help job seekers, students, businesses and career professionals (O*Net Online, 2013). The

Occupational Outlook Handbook is monitored and maintained by the US Department of Labor as well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring CAREER EXPLORATION 3 labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy (O*Net Online,

2013).

Unless otherwise cited, the career information presented in this paper was obtained from

O*NET On-Line (National Center for O*NET Development, 2013).

Career Field and Occupation of Choice

I have chosen to explore the career field and occupation of Counseling Psychologist; with an O*Net SOC Code designation of 19-3031.03. Along with this SOC code; my three primary

Holland RIASEC typology codes are as follows: tied for first-place are (1) social and artistic; followed by (2) investigative and (3) conventional typologies. These codes help to identify client personality patterns enabling clients to connect with congruent work environments (Niles and

Bowlsbey, 2013). According to Niles and Bowlsbey (2013) the highest level of congruency exists where there is a direct correspondence between workers, personality types and their work environments (p. 73).

The Nature of the Work

The nature of work for career occupations includes such things as: duties/task; skills; activities; and typical work day information. For the career of Counseling Psychologist, O*Net describes the nature of work to include:

Duties/Task

Duties for the Counseling Psychologist will include; (A) scientific analysis of behavior and brain functioning; (B) ferret out patterns of malaise that may predict behavior; (C) helping to increase understanding and knowledge among groups and individuals (D) approach psychological issues in schools and workplaces by developing programs; (E) counseling with families, couples and individuals in order to help bring desired changes to maladaptive behavior; CAREER EXPLORATION 4

(F) assess and recognize, behavioral, mental or emotional disorders through diagnosis; (G) initiate and develop treatment plans (H) working as a team with physicians and/or social workers to help treat patients (Occupational Outlook Handbook, What Psychologist Do, Duties, para. 1).

Skills

Some kills associated with the occupation of Counseling Psychologist are to include: (A)

Social insightfulness – having awareness of the actions of those in session and all the while contemplating the reasons behind their actions; (B) Active listening – being attentive to what clients are saying; while taking the time to understand the points being made by asking appropriate questions at the appropriate time; (C) Critical thinking – using the tools of acquired knowledge; logic and reason to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternate solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems; (D) Service orientation – aggressively seeking ways to help clients; (E) Speaking – conveying information effectively through verbal communication to clients; (F) Active learning – obtaining applied knowledge and new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making needs; (G) Judgment and decision making – conveying the relative cost and benefits of potential actions; allowing clients to choose the most appropriate one; (H) Writing – effectively communicating in writing the suitable needs of their audience (O*Net Online, Work Activities, 2013).

Typical work day

A typical work day usually includes some of the following: (A) Collecting data – cataloging information from all pertinent sources; (B) Cultivate and maintain interpersonal relationships – sustain lasting working relationships with others over time; (C) Recording information – entering, transcribing, recording, storing and maintaining in written and electronic CAREER EXPLORATION 5 form; (D) Continue to expand relevant knowledge – retaining and applying newly acquired knowledge to the job (O*Net Online, Typical Work Day, 2013).

Working Conditions

According to the CareerOneStop (2013) on-line database; working conditions describes the work context as it relates to the interactions between the worker and the physical job environment (U.S. Department of Labor, Work Schedules, para. 1). Psychologists may work independently as researchers. Some collaborate with other healthcare workers in a team environment treating illness; bringing about a wellness to the client (Bureau of Labor Statistics,

Work Environment, para. 2). Counseling Psychologists working independently have the luxury of setting their own schedules; having the option of working evenings and weekends.

(CareerOneStop, Work Schedules, para. 1). As a courtesy to their clients, Counseling

Psychologist may add evening or weekend office hours to facilitate their client’s needs

(CareerOneStop, Work Schedules, para. 1). Counselors who work in agency and hospital settings or other healthcare facilities are vulnerable to having evening or weekend shifts. Many psychologists employ a nine-to-five work schedule during regular business hours in clinics, government agencies, industries, and schools (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work

Schedules, para. 1). A Counseling Psychologist job requires that they deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Preparation and Qualifications

State licensure boards require practicing psychologist have a doctoral degree as well as certification. Counseling Psychologists must possess a Ph.D. in psychology or a Doctor of

Psychology (Psy.D.) degree. The Psy.D. is a clinical doctorate that is based on real-world work examinations and experiences; rather than a dissertation (Occupational Outlook Handbook, How CAREER EXPLORATION 6 to Become One, Education, para. 1). School psychologists must obtain a master’s, specialist (Ed.

S. degree, which requires a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours), or doctoral degree in school psychology to legally practice (Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One,

Education, para. 1). For research, the Ph.D. in psychology degree is needed. It accredits the degree holder with the highest academic status of educational excellence after the culmination of a comprehensive exam and a dissertation based on original research (Occupational Outlook

Handbook, How to Become One, Education, para. 1). Counseling Psychologist, students are required to complete a 1-year internship as part of the doctoral program. Graduate students with a master’s degree in psychology can seek employment as industrial-organizational psychologists

(Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One, Education, para. 1). Under accredited supervision of a doctoral psychologist, master’s graduates may work as psychological assistants in clinical, counseling, or research settings. Accredited master degree programs are comprised of courses in industrial-organizational psychology, statistics, and research design. The competition for acceptance into a psychology graduate program is competitive, to say the least. Interestingly, some graduate programs require coursework in introductory psychology; however, others do not

(Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, para. 1). The majority of state licensure boards require accredited doctoral degree programs and applicants to have a master’s degree in psychology, while others will accept applicants with a bachelor’s degree and a major in psychology. Most undergraduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology are able to find work in non-counseling fields such as: business administration, sales, or education (Occupational

Outlook Handbook, How to Become One, Education, para. 3). CAREER EXPLORATION 7

Opportunities and Future Outlook

There is an expected boom in the market for Counselors of all types of approximately 22 percent from 2010 to 2020. This expansion is the fastest growth of nearly all occupations.

Employment growth fluctuates by area of specialty (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job

Outlook, para. 1). The demand is even greater for psychological services in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and social services agencies. This growth should drive an increase of employment market for accredited Counselors. Demand for counseling psychologists will expand as people continue to seek out psychologists for assistance in solving or managing their problems (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, para. 1).

Economic and Non-Economic Benefits

As reported by the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2013) the national median annual wage of psychologists is $68,640. In Mississippi, the median annual wage of psychologists is

$46,000 (CareerOneStop, State and National Wages, 2013). For low entry level Counseling

Psychologist the national salary is $38,500 and for the state of Mississippi, locally the low entry level salary is $32,100 (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, para. 1). According to

DegreeDirectory.org (2013) a Psychologists’ expertise is in helping individuals or groups improve upon relations with others and thereby teaching them to understand themselves better.

They provide insight and training that benefits the individual and promotes healthy harmonious relationships with others. The benefit of being a psychologist is the reward that comes from knowing that they have the ability to help improve the lives of others (DegreeDirectory.org,

Benefits of Becoming a Counselor, Rewarding Work, para. 1). CAREER EXPLORATION 8

Disadvantages and/or Special Situations

The advantages personal and professional of being a Counseling Psychologist are rewarding to say the least; but what about the disadvantages of being a Counseling Psychologist?

According to Cherry (2013) the disadvantages are: dealing with insurance and billing issues; setting up your own practice; dealing with clients on a daily basis can be emotionally draining; work schedules can be erratic at times; and devotion of time to finding new clients (p. 1). With scheduling, it can be difficult to assign appointment times to clients who are constantly maneuvering around their work schedules to accommodate their jobs; while the Counselor has to rearrange booked appointments for these particular clients. Travel can be a hassle for

Counselors who have to attend classes, symposiums and seminars in order to keep up with the latest breakthroughs in interventions.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the information that surprised me the most out of doing this research is the fact that there are some counseling fields in particular states that will allow graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology to find work in other fields such as business administration, sales, or education (Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, para. 1). The occupational characteristics and requirements fit well into what my major aim is; which is to one day become an expert in the area of psychobiology to study the adverse effects of the power of the mind to heal or tear down the body. I have been a Sickle Cell Anemia patient forty-seven years of my forty-nine years of life. I feel that most of my moments of crisis come from stress and other outside factors that evoke a “fight of flight” response to the body. I believe there is a key there that may one day unlock the mysteries of the decease and I want to be a part of that study. As far as the use of O*Net in my future counseling career as a counselor, I believe there needs to be a CAREER EXPLORATION 9 bit more extended information included; such as: the more pliable, softer use of including advantages and disadvantages of a career or personal satisfaction factors. Even as it stands now,

O*Net provides a wealth of information that I would definitely use in aiding a client in their career search. CAREER EXPLORATION 10

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-

13 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-

social-science/psychologists.htm (visited June 28, 2013).

Cherry, Knendra. (2013). What's the worst part about being a psychologist? About.com

Psychology. Retrieved from About.com website:

http://psychology.about.com/od/careersinpsychology/tp/psychologist-advantages.htm

Jen Powell and Jennifer Moser-Jurling. (2013). Degree Directory.org. Retrieved from

http://degreedirectory.org/articles/What_are_the_Benefits_of_Being_a_Psychologist.html

National Center for O*NET Development, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Clearance.

(2013). O*NET Resource Center. Retrieved from

http://www.onetcenter.org/ombclearance.html

Niles, Spencer G., & Bowlsbey, Joann. (2013). Career development interventions in the 21st

century (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.

U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. (2013). O*Net Online

(Online Database). Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/details/20-3031.03

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. (2013). Career One Stop.

Retrieved from http://www.careerinfonet.org