Focusing on career development programs can help professionals in maximizing their potentials. Wide array of activities and strategies are now available in the industry for supporting career development. Doing so can increase real-life career opportunities. The most important career development elements are decision making, self-awareness, transition skills and opportunity awareness.
Here are some of the prominent types of case studies.
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Career Launcher, Ms. Claire
Her Background
Claire is a 22-year-old student in the final semester at UC Berkeley. She has completed two internships – one, as a research analyst in Washington D. C. second, as a marketing executive in an environmental consulting organization. She continued to work for part time in her final semester. She has a good experience in volunteer work as a mentor, tutor, treasurer and event coordinator.
Her Concerns
Claire had experience in various fields. She had applied and was interviewed for a number of consulting positions. However, she then realized that she hated analysis and believed in work–life balance. Finally she stopped considering consulting as a career path. This left her clueless about her career directions. She felt worried and discouraged as her final semester came closer. Hence, she approached career development specialist for help.
Analysis of Claire’s Verbal and Behavioral Data
A detailed analysis of Claire’s verbal and behavioral data was carried out. This revealed that she was a bright and articulate young lady who is more excited about being creative rather than just working for a living. She had more to life than just work.
Claire had previously taken up a Myers–Briggs Type Indicator. She had neither taken up any other assessments nor has she approached a career counselor.
Outcome of Career Counseling
Career counseling helped Claire in identifying her preference, which was creativity. She could discover a variety of career options such as trade show management, conference, event, marketing, advertising, public relations, brand management and more. Claire explored these areas and conducted informational interviews to gain deeper professional insight.
Objective Achieved
After completing the counseling sessions, Claire could conduct an informational interview in advertising. Within a span of six weeks she also applied for and was called for two interviews for the position of marketing executive. She now had a clear focus and applied for a post of her interest in public relations companies. She got through and reported immediately. She was extremely content and happy after six months.
However, Claire found that she had learnt the work end-to-end and felt that it was getting monotonous. She then applied for the position of assistant buyer and felt that the responsibilities here were in more alignment with her skills.
The results of combined assessment helped Claire discover that she had extremely specific preferences that matched with her career-related skill sets. She was now able to blend her interest for creativity with her creative skills to bring revolution in her career.
Professional Looking Out for Career Transition,
- Mr. D. B.
His Background
Mr. D. B. was working as a QA engineer in a reputed firm for the past 15 years. Receiving minimal increases in his wage throughout his service, he was now certainly underpaid.
Outcome of Career Counseling
Career counseling optimized his resume, refined his presentation skills and even polished his networking abilities. This helped him in exploring the job market. Mr. D. B. now unveiled a QA engineer vacancy in one of the Fortune 500 companies and applied for the same. He was selected and was offered 10% salary increase. His current organization realized his significance and carried out a market correction to match it. However, the new organization offered an extra 7%. He is now happy and content with his new job.
(b) Mr., Andrew
His Background
Andrew is a 30-year-old American Asian man. He was working in the Silicon Valley Law Firm from which he was laid off. With five years of experience in legal services in two organizations, he has also completed a certification in financial planning. He has completed his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Yale University and a J. D. from the Cornell Law School.
His Concerns
After losing the job from the Law Firm, Andrew planned to seek some career guidance in order to check what other options he could explore in his career.
Analysis of Andrew’s Verbal and Behavioral Data
Andrew was able to acknowledge various negative and few positive aspects of his career in Law. On the completion of graduation, Andrew had a great urge to take up advertising as his career. However, he realized that the market was poor and decided to take up Law as profession to make decent money and have a stable job.
Andrew pursued a degree in Law to make career in Law without a thorough research and career assessment. His love for advertising and creative writing was still at the back of his mind. His main fear was about the income he could make from this interest of his. He felt that by choosing Legal profession he could afford all the luxuries and support his family.
Outcome of Career Counselling
The results of career counseling made it clear that Andrew was still totally in love with his creative side and came up with artistic and inventive ways to solve problems. He also liked provide beneficial services to others and offer a helping hand.
Career counseling helped him in combining his creative side with his proficiency and thereby, commencing an in-house practice to provide legal advice. He also came up with other ideas such as practicing Financial Planning, publishing and screenwriting.
Objective Achieved
Andrew first gathered information on Investment Management and Financial Planning firms in Chicago. This process pleasantly surprised him with an offer from one such organization. He then analyzed the scope of screenwriting and started looking out for screenwriting courses. Meanwhile he decided to pursue his legal profession for two more years until he stabilized in the career of his choice.
Chief Outcomes of Career Counseling
Career counselling helped Andrew in discovering the elements of his interest and aspects that made him happy to work. With this he could unveil a career options outside his traditional Legal practice.
The age in which Andrew currently is, requires him to have economic stability for supporting his family. Now he is able to explore his options without quitting his current job.
Professional Looking Out for Career Advancement, Mr. Robert
His Background
Robert is a 30-year-old professional who has a total experience of 7 years in the sector of corporate finance. He is a practical and focused person and is in the last semester of his MBA program. Robert is a certified Public Accountant and is also a Level 1 candidate in Chartered Financial Analyst.
His Concerns
Robert felt that his certification as Public Accountant would help him in making a career in an investment management firm. However, this did not help him in the direction he wanted his career to head. Career counseling helped him in discovering measures to market his acquired skills effectively. He had now realized that he had pretty good experience to go ahead in the career he wanted.
The career development program revealed the fact that Robert had not analyzed his strengths and weaknesses. Analyzing his strengths and weakness, his interests and skill sets made him realize his potential.
Outcome of Career Counseling
Career counseling made it clear that Robert not only had great analytical skills but also was proficient in financial evaluation of various processes and projects. Another important aspect that became evident through career counseling was Robert had some skills which were never utilized before. These were the creative skills. As he had exclusively worked in typical corporate offices, he did not get any opportunities for discovering his creative side. He had only been delivering the required information that aided in making critical financial decisions or to solve specific finance-related issues.
He had only refined his skills to accomplish the objectives of his manager. During the process of counseling, he revealed that he had enjoyed the task of testing the theories before developing efficacious finance models.
Career counseling enabled Robert to use his creative approach to solve problems. He was now able to explore career opportunities in Private Equity and the Valuation group of Corporate Finance.
Career counseling has been helping professionals in identifying their talents, interests and values. Career counselors analyze strengths and weaknesses of the professional and provide the right guidance. The result is a well-thought career move by professionals that takes them where they want to be.
References
- http://www.ukces.org.uk/publications/developing-business-developing-careers
- http://nagcas.org.au/ALTC/universities/case-study
- http://www.skillscan.com/case-studies/first-time-career-planner
- http://www.skillscan.com/case-studies/career-transitioner
- http://www.skillscan.com/case-studies/career-advancer
- http://www.careercampaign.com/case-studies.php
