I learned that it is important to make that repor with the students so that they keep the communication and trust the process in building the employer relationship.
What I enjoyed learning most in this section, was that it mentioned self-awareness and being nonjudgemental. It will always be a tad challenging to block all judgements. I typically refer to this as unconscious bias meaning I am unconsciously forming a bias judgement or thought and once I realize or am aware it is happening, I can correct it!
I have learned to ask more probing questions when working with students. Often times I feel that the student responds with what they think Career Servies wants to hear. By asking more questions, paying attention to their answers and asking follow up questions the student will know that I am giving them my 100% attention therefore, being sincere with the feedback I am giving them.
I’ve been reminded that no matter how rushed I may feel if I want to really help my students it’s very important to take the time to get to know them. In working with my students, I’m going to start working my schedule differently so to provide the time necessary to build the foundation and rapport with my students so they feel empowered to walk through the career process with me.
Lori Morgan
It's important to build rapport and to build a relationship with your students. Gain their trust and you'll be able to dig deeper into what concerns them.
I have learned that the more you learn and understand about the student, their background, values, interests, needs etc. the best you can assist them and coach. As a CSA you want to have a non-judgemental approach and show empathy towards students to develop rapport. There are many external factors that can affect this coaching relationship, therefore, it is beneficial to know where the students stands in the coaching process. By atively listening to students you can show that you care about their career journey and ultimately theirselves.
I have learned the importance of understanding the student's needs, interests, values, goals, and current conditions. Understanding each of these variables is an important aspect in being effective in career coaching.
Listening is critical in forming meaningful bonds with the student. I can work on my UPR and demonstrate to the student that I am caring without being judgemental. I suspect this will go a long ways in achieving trust.
Coaching should be tasked oriented so these should be short term outcomes.
I've learned that it is important to assess the individual's variables such as ne3eds, values etc. Understanding who an individual is and what particular needs he/she has can help you determine how best to assist him/her with finding solutions.
In my opinion, the best skill in can have for every situation is being a good listener. Then building a rapport with the students to gain trust and understanding. I want the student to trust that I am assisting them in making a well informed decision. Lastly, we must be able provide the style that the student actually needs once we build a rapport and understanding of their goals.
The term "Unconditional Positive Regard" reminds me of the practice of "bracketing" when conducting research. It is the ability (whether innate or learned) to hold back personal biases in order to be open to valuable insights. I appreciate learning another term for "bracketing" :)
I've learned that students need to develop information on themselves and their career options by collecting information on internal and external factors. I also learned how important student perception is; the student must recognize the coach's unconditional positive regard and empathetic understanding of their origin.
In this module I learned that to be an effective mentor, the relationship has to be built on the foundation of trust and active &empathetic listening, being aware of the personal and external variables that students face.
I've learned from this module that it is just as important to the student as it is to the coach to have someone who is willing to be genuine and just listen. I think a lot of the time some staff, whether they're administrative or professors, have a hard time being willing to just be a quiet listener for a student who may need it. Students stop coming to the staff when they start to feel like they're being judged or reprimanded. Going forward, I would like to implement more small talk with the students and let them know that I am here for them and their success.
I found myself enjoying this as almost a "refresher" to counseling. Going over concepts such as; using unconditional positive regard, developing rapport, and active listening- these are all key ingredients to being a good counselor. It was fun to go over these basics again. In addition, I really like the idea of coach vs. manager. As I reflect on my years as a counselor, I've found I'm becoming much more of a "coach" as I've found over the years that having students find answers for themselves is just far more productive than giving them the answers.
What I have learned from this modules is that we need to know the big picture concerning our students. What I plan to do as career coach is to make sure that I understand the variables both internal and external. Make sure that I am partnering with the students regarding where they want to take their career base off what best fit their needs and interest. and understanding what they value and what they will bring to the table. Lastly, listen to the student. Making sure that if they are facing any barriers that we get them resolved so that the student can be successful.
I've learned about the value in curiosity and support when coaching students. Moving forward, I will focus on maintaining empathy and understanding in the assessment of a student's goals and actions in pursuit of a job.
Knowing that the steps for successful coaching are not linear, I think I can develop a worksheet I can use with each student to keep better track of their progress and areas where we may need to adjust the plans. Letting them know ahead of time what their career path may entail will help them make better decisions. Luckily in our business, finding a job isn't hard if you have the willingness to want to work.
I have learned to modify my coaching style to elicit more student participation in creating solutions. By asking students more about their goals and working cooperatively with them to explore solutions, I hope to teach them two things: how to be resourceful, and how to think of potential solutions on their own (with some assistance and guidance). This is in contrast to what I mistakenly believed I should be when I started working in this position: an authoritative expert.
