Career Professionals of Canada News Feed
Since the start of the pandemic, career practitioners from educational institutions, non-profit employment services, and other sectors have joined their independent colleagues in working virtually. Even after adapting to the technology, many find it difficult to communicate effectively with others they haven’t met in person. If you can relate, the highlights of a conference session I attended some years ago may be helpful. In “Introduction to Working Remotely – Leading and Working in Virtual Teams,” Susan Gerke explored the issues that can surface when working remotely, how personality type relates to remote…
A “work-life coach” supports clients in a variety of areas of life, creating synergies between living, learning, and working. The areas work-life coaches offer support in encompass self-care and well-being, life-skills and emotional intelligence, and career development and maintenance. A passage from CPC’s The Canadian Work-Life Strategist, CPC’s Certified Work-Life Strategist eGuide made an impact on me and has stayed in my mind. “Myth: Work and life are separate issues, needing either a career coach or a life coach. Truth: More and more, career development professionals are called on to…
Many career practitioners struggle to find a balance between their family and their career. Yikes! Even as I write that sentence, I cringe. What is this elusive “balance” that people refer to? Instead of balance, I have learned to live a “blended” life. In his book Who’s Got Your Back, author Keith Ferrazzi writes about the idea of living a blended life, not a balanced one. “The elements you see in [your life] aren’t individual territories or fiefdoms. They should, and will, overlap!” This got me thinking about how often I…
As a guidance counsellor working in an adult learning centre, I support adults who are struggling to find a place where they fit in the new world of work. In my view, it is essential for individuals going through a work transition to have a certain sense of hope for the future. It helps if they take the time to thoughtfully assess their needs so that they don’t jump frantically on the first job offer that comes their way. Doing so may put them at risk of experiencing another setback.…
In your practice, you may have encountered clients who consistently have difficulty securing and maintaining good opportunities. Despite having all the required qualifications, they can’t seem to get ahead in their careers. You may also observe that other people with little education or experience seem to land jobs and promotions with ease. For these individuals, it just might be that competencies related to Emotional Intelligence (EI) have made all the difference in their career progression and performance. The good news is that EI can be learned and it is possible…
Career Professionals of Canada provides the tools and resources to help members become trained coaches and improve their counselling skills. For both career professionals and our clients, it is important to understand the difference between a coach and counsellor. As career development practitioners, our clients may request coaching or counselling. There are times in your practice when coaching will be needed versus counselling. Of course, it always depends upon the situation and the client. Yet, not all career professionals are qualified to serve as coaches or counsellors. In order to…