UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Berger, Josephine M.
Dept./Program:
College of Education and Social Services
Year:
2011
Degree:
M. Ed.
Abstract:
Just about every human being, at one point or another, deals with the process of career development. There are many ways to go about navigating this process, some easier and more successful than others. Through reflecting on my own experience and research, I have created a philosophy for approaching the career development process that I wish had been provided to me before I ever declared my major as an undergraduate student. My experience was stressful, inefficient, and ineffective, but I learned a handful of valuable lessons that I believe can help current and future students have a better experience as they plan their transitions from education to career.
Between my exploration of the literature and personal experience with the career development process, from the perspectives of both student and advisor, I have found that developing self-awareness and being authentic are crucial for finding career satisfaction and success. Before beginning to plan for the future, it is important to first take a look at the self and assess one's natural strengths, challenges, interests, values, and personality and then pursue planning accordingly. I did not follow this philosophy when I first started out in college because I was entirely unaware of the role these factors play in finding career satisfaction and success. As a result, I ended up pursuing a graduate degree preparing me for a career in which I ended up finding little enjoyment or success. I collected thousands of dollars worth of education debt and began to experience early warning signs of a relapse of depression in the process.
I wrote this thesis to encourage students and the professionals who serve them to understand the importance of self-awareness and authenticity in the career development process so that they might avoid sharing my fate. Through careful self-reflection and assessment of the many facets of my personality, I was able to realize that the educational and career path I had originally decided on was out of sync with my authentic self, thus making satisfaction and success difficult to come by. Without working from a position of strength, I found it increasingly frustrating and nearly impossible to reach my true potential. Once I better understood myself and made the necessary transfer from the Counseling Program at the University of Vermont to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, I felt the rejuvenation and peace that I attribute to being authentic. I chose to share my personal experience so that others might learn from my mistakes and have a more positive and productive experience of the career development process, thereby increasing their chances of finding lasting career satisfaction and success.
Between my exploration of the literature and personal experience with the career development process, from the perspectives of both student and advisor, I have found that developing self-awareness and being authentic are crucial for finding career satisfaction and success. Before beginning to plan for the future, it is important to first take a look at the self and assess one's natural strengths, challenges, interests, values, and personality and then pursue planning accordingly. I did not follow this philosophy when I first started out in college because I was entirely unaware of the role these factors play in finding career satisfaction and success. As a result, I ended up pursuing a graduate degree preparing me for a career in which I ended up finding little enjoyment or success. I collected thousands of dollars worth of education debt and began to experience early warning signs of a relapse of depression in the process.
I wrote this thesis to encourage students and the professionals who serve them to understand the importance of self-awareness and authenticity in the career development process so that they might avoid sharing my fate. Through careful self-reflection and assessment of the many facets of my personality, I was able to realize that the educational and career path I had originally decided on was out of sync with my authentic self, thus making satisfaction and success difficult to come by. Without working from a position of strength, I found it increasingly frustrating and nearly impossible to reach my true potential. Once I better understood myself and made the necessary transfer from the Counseling Program at the University of Vermont to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, I felt the rejuvenation and peace that I attribute to being authentic. I chose to share my personal experience so that others might learn from my mistakes and have a more positive and productive experience of the career development process, thereby increasing their chances of finding lasting career satisfaction and success.