CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR MID-LIFE MALES WHO ARE GOING

THROUGH AN INVOLUNTARY CAREER TRANSITION

A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science in Counseling, Career Counseling

By

Arpi Kumuryan

May 2015

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SIGNATURE PAGE

The graduate project of Arpi Kumuryan is approved:

______________________________ ______________ Claudia Finkel, M.S. Date ______________________________ ______________ Gretchen Maldonado, M.S. Date ______________________________ ______________ Shari Tarver-Behring, Ph.D. Date ______________________________ ______________ Merril A. Simon, Ph.D., Chair Date

California State University, Northridge

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DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to my family and Dr. Greg Jackson.

To my family, Mom, Dad, Arman, and Bella. I cannot thank you enough for your

continuous love and support. Your words of encouragement and positivity is the reason

why I have come thus far. I love you and thank you from the bottom of my nutella

covered big heart.

To Dr. Greg Jackson. Your wealth of knowledge and humor is something I will

never forget. Thank you for accepting me into the program and for giving me the

opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Your quote “what do you know now

that you didn't know when you came in?” will always follow me wherever I go. I wish

you were still here so I can tell you because I have learned so so much.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my cohort sisters, Jessica and Nicole. I can’t believe we have been together on

this journey for three long years. We have cried together, laughed together, and have

shared some of the most amazing experiences together. From our spontaneous trips to our

long nights at school, these will be the memories I will never forget. Thank you girls for

your constant love and support. I can’t imagine going through this program without you

two. I love you both very much.

To the beautiful group of girls who I like to call my “Big Girls.” Thank you for

being such amazing role models. Your sense of independence, strength, knowledge, and

thirst for adventure is something I have always looked up to and admired. Thank you for

your continuous friendship and love. I appreciate each one of you very much. I believe I

am one step closer to officially being a “Big Girl.”

To another group of girls whom I would also like to acknowledge, Kristine,

Anahit, Svet, and Diana. Thank you for your daily group texts and funny memes. You

girls always knew how to make me laugh and brighten my day. Each one of you hold a

very special place in my heart and I thank you for that.

To my current Program Director, Merril Simon. Thank you so much for taking us

under your wing and for not giving up on us. You are such a strong woman and I

appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for your continuous academic and

personal support.

To my committee members, Gretchen and Claudia and to my project evaluators,

Brian, Thomas, and Rachelle. Thank you so much for your time and helpful feedbacks

for my project. I couldn't have done this without your help.

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURE PAGE ii  

DEDICATION iii  

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv  

ABSTRACT x  

CHAPTER I: Introduction to the Project 1  

Statement of the Problem 1  

Importance of the Problem 2  

Identifying the Focus Group 3  

Characteristics of the Focus Group 4  

Midlife Adults 4  

Developmental Changes in Midlife Adults 5  

Midlife Males  

Job Loss/Involuntary Career Transition?  

Introduction to Theoretical Approaches 7  

Donald Super’s Life-Span Theory 7  

Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory 8  

Consequences of the Problem 10  

Mental Health: Need for Personal/Family/Transition and Change Counseling 11  

Lack of Support: Need for Psychoeducational Groups 12  

Career Change/Job Search Assistance: Need for Career Counseling 12  

Limitations 14  

Technical Terms 15  

Chapter Conclusion and Transition to Ch. 2 18  

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CHAPTER II: Review of the Literature 20  

General Introduction to the Literature Review 16  

Summary of General Theoretical Perspectives 20  

Donald Super’s Life-Span Theory 20  

Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory 23  

General Summary of Research Literature 24  

Possible Reasons for an Involuntary Career Transition 24  

The Great Recession 24  

Displacement 25  

Mass Layoffs and Unemployment 25  

Technology Advancement and Skill Obsolescence 26  

Effects of Job Loss on Midlife Males 26  

Negative Effects 27  

Mental, Emotional, and Physical Effects 27  

Grieving Effects 29  

Effects on Coping Strategies 30  

Positive Effects 31  

Effects of Job Loss on Others 33  

Reemployment Issues 35  

Technology 35  

Poor Mental and Physical Health 36  

Low Self-Efficacy 36  

Reemployment Influences 37  

Career Issues and Interventions for Mid-Life Males 38  

Personal Counseling 38  

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Psychoeducational Groups 38  

Transition and Change Counseling 39  

Family Therapy 39  

Career Counseling 39  

Job Search Assistance and Training Programs 41  

Existing Programs for the Focus Group 41  

Theoretical Approaches Relating to Mid-Life Males 43  

Donald’s Super’s Life-Span Theory 43  

Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition theory 44  

Summary and Transition to Chapter 3 46  

Chapter III: Procedure 48  

Procedure (Justification of the Problem) 48  

Structure of the Program 49  

Location and Staffing 50  

Personal Counseling 51  

Psychoeducational Groups 52  

Career Counseling 53  

Workshops 53  

Referrals 54  

Supporting Materials and Assessments 54  

Assessments  

Transition 56  

CHAPTER IV: Career Development Program for Mid-Life Males Who Are Going  

Through an Involuntary Career Transition 57  

Overall Program Goals and Objectives 57  

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Detailed Descriptions of Program Sessions 59  

Pre-Program Screening Session 59  

Session 1: Intake 61  

Session 2: Personal Counseling 61  

Session 3: Psychoeducational Group (5 Sessions) 63  

Session 4: Career Counseling 64  

Session 5: Workshops 65  

Transferable Skills Workshop 65  

Resume/Cover Letter Building Workshop 67  

Job Search Strategies Workshop 71  

Networking Workshop 73  

Interviewing Skills Workshop 76  

Session 6: Action Plan/Closing Session 82  

Method of Evaluation 83  

CHAPTER V: Program Evaluation 84  

Evaluator Qualifications 84  

Evaluation Questions and Responses 85  

Conclusion 91  

References 93  

Appendix A: Screening Form 102  

Appendix B: Eligibility Criteria Chart 103  

Appendix C: Intake Form 104  

Appendix D: Consent Form 112  

Appendix E: Structure of the Program 113  

Appendix F: Pre-Post Assessment 114  

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Appendix G: Transferable Skills Checklist 117  

Appendix H: Matching the Job Description Handout 119  

Appendix I: Transferable Skills Workshop Facilitator Guide 120  

Appendix J: Chronological Resume 122  

Appendix K: Functional Resume 123  

Appendix L: Combination Resume 124  

Appendix N: Cover Letter Sample 126  

Appendix O: Action Verbs List 127  

Appendix P: Resume Building Workshop Facilitator Guide 128  

Appendix Q: Job Search Record Sheet 132  

Appendix R: Job Search Strategies Workshop Facilitator Guide 133  

Appendix S: Networking Workshop Facilitator Guide 135  

Appendix T: Interviewing Skills Workshop Handout 138  

Appendix U: Interviewing Skills Workshop Facilitator Guide 139  

 

ABSTRACT

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR MID-LIFE MALES WHO ARE GOING

THROUGH AN INVOLUNTARY CAREER TRANSITION

By

Arpi Kumuryan

Master of Science in Counseling, Career Counseling

An individual’s career development is no longer viewed as linear and hierarchical, but as

multifaceted, unstable, and transitional over time (Bimrose & Hearne, 2012). For middle-

aged individuals who began their career at a time when stability was the traditional norm

is now becoming a problem and an uncertainty in today’s job market. With the vast

change and advancement in technology, the risk of losing a job is increasing (Aaronson

& Housinger, 1999). The impact of job loss has not only shown to affect men and

women, but specifically a majority of middle-aged (ages 40-60) men. Depression,

anxiety, stress, shock, and low self-esteem are among some of the negatives outcomes

individuals experience after a job loss. Additionally, studies have shown midlife males to

experience a lack of support and low self-esteem. This proposed program is intended to

integrate both career and personal counseling within a career development program.

Based on research findings, both services are recommended for helping individuals who

are going through an involuntary career transition.

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CHAPTER I

Introduction

What do you know now that you didn't know before you came in?

-- Dr. Greg Jackson

The introductory chapter provides the statement of the problem and the

importance of the problem. Additionally, it identifies and discusses the characteristics of

the focus group. The theoretical perspectives of Super’s Life-Span theory and

Schlossberg’s Transition theory will each be discussed followed by the consequences of

the problem. Furthermore, the limitations of the project will be articulated, as well as

definitions of the technical terms used throughout the project.

Statement of the Problem

The world of work has changed drastically throughout the years. The traditional

notion of having a stable career is slowly becoming more difficult. Jones (1996) describes

the world of work in the twentieth century as “harsh” and “challenging” (p. 453).

Despite the improving economy, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014) reported that

4.3 million workers were displaced from jobs they held for at least three years from

January 2011 through December 2013. Additionally, 35% of long-tenured displaced

workers from the 2011-2013 period had lost their job due to the plant or company closing

down or moving; an additional 33% had insufficient work and 32% stated their position

was abolished.

With the vast change in technology, certain occupational skills are becoming

obsolete and the risk of losing a job is increasing (Aaronson & Housinger, 1999).

Advances in technology have shown to substitute skilled workers with laborsaving

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machinery or equipment. Specifically, this shift has shown to affect low-skilled workers

and those without previous training. By being less skillful and lacking training,

companies may decrease the demand for seeking such employees (Aaronson &

Housinger, 2000).

The unexpected event of losing a job can potentially lead individuals to change

positions within the organization or change careers outside the organization (Behrens &

Altman, 2000). According to Isaacson (1981), the likelihood of men changing careers

during their midlife is increasing. Individuals who have been employed in congruent

occupations for a length a time have shown to have a much more difficult career

transition process. Due to their identity being closely associated to their occupation,

studies have shown that they are more likely to suffer from emotional distress,

depression, and anxiety (Brewington & Nassae-McMillan, 2000).

Importance of the Problem

When an individual experiences any magnitude of loss, they typically go through

a transition period to grieve the loss. This process is often times much more difficult

when the individual had a sense of fulfillment and attachment with their career (Jones,

1979). They may even experience multiple losses simultaneously. Examples of such

losses can be: the loss of the role of worker and provider, loss of wages and benefits, loss

of the “work family,” loss of sense of being productive, loss of internal locus of control,

loss of social status, loss of pride and dignity, loss of role in family, often loss of ability

to trust, and very often of self-esteem (Foster & Schore, 1989).

The effects of job loss have shown to affect individuals’ mental health in many

ways through their career transition process. Studies have reported negative physical and

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psychological outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Price, Choi, & Vinokur,

2002; Paul & Moser, 2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994; Archer & Rhodes, 1995).

Additionally, studies have also shown individuals to have a low self-efficacy, low self-

esteem, and fears of the career transition process (Behrens & Altman, 2000).

Furthermore, studies have found a high likelihood of individuals to suffer feelings of

grief and guilt, loss of identity, and loss of social support (Archer & Rhodes, 1995).

Although the involuntary job loss is often viewed as a negative event, it can also

serve as a catalyst for the individual to reformulate into a new role or career. Individuals

may choose to seek a new position within the same career field or seek a new position in

a different career field. For many involuntary career changers, the loss of the job can be

unexpected. In these cases, individuals may be unprepared and unfamiliar on how to

construct a resume, search for new jobs, and successfully interview. They may also lack

resources and not have enough knowledge about the world of work.

“Career is central to general life satisfaction and mental health” (McAuliffe,

1993, p. 13). When working with individuals who have lost employment involuntarily, it

is very important for professionals to be aware of the individual’s relationship between

their career and their own identity. In order to best serve this population, the integration

of personal and career counseling can be essential for their career transition process

(Perosa & Perosa, 1987).

Identifying the Focus Group

The career development program is designed to assist specifically midlife males

who are going through an involuntary career transition. Based on the research findings,

midlife refers to individuals who are between the ages of 40 and 60 (Lachman, 2004). An

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involuntary career transition can refer to individuals who have experienced a job loss

from being discharged, displaced, terminated, or laid-off. For this specific project, the

program can also be utilized by midlife males who either worked for private company for

10 or more years, but later closed the business or owned and lost a business after working

for the same industry for 10 or more years.

Characteristics of the Focus Group

For the following section, the characteristics of the focus group will be discussed.

Midlife males go through many transitions and experience the change of event very

differently from one another. The event of the job loss may impact them psychologically,

emotionally, and physically.

Midlife Males and Involuntary Job Loss

The impact of job loss has not only shown to affect men and women, but

specifically a majority of middle-aged (ages 40-60) men. The U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics (2012) conducted a study on the Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program to

provide information on the number of layoffs on a large scale and to provide

characteristics of dislocated workers who have filed claims for unemployment benefits.

Results showed that 1.25 million workers were laid-off from 6,500 events. From these

events, 33% of the claimants were between the ages of 30 and 44, 20% were 55 or older

and 59.9% were men. Twenty-three states reported increased numbers of laid-off

workers. California represented the highest number in laid-off events, which resulted in

588,039 unemployment insurance claims. Eighty-six percent of the initial claimants

resided in metropolitan areas Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, California reported

the highest number of initial claimants in the area (275,404)

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(http://www.bls.gov/mls/mlsreport).

Midlife Adults

Lachman (2004) defines midlife as a time period that takes places between 40 and

60 years of age. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), there were 85 million

middle-aged adults, between the ages of 40 and 59, which was 27% of the population.

Over the past decade, groups between the ages of 50 and 54 were shown to have the

largest percentage growth in population and had increased by 55%. The second largest

group was between the ages of 45 and 49, which showed a 45% increase and the third

fastest growing group over the past decade has been 90-94 year olds, which has also

shown a 45% increase (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).

The term “midlife” consists of multiple meanings and can be viewed in many

different ways. Empirical studies have shown how the midlife period can be both positive

and negative for individuals. Medalie (1984) describes midlife as “a stage of mind, an

awareness that the peak of years of life are passing; it is a period of stock taking when

one’s expectations, hopes, and wishes are balanced against reality and it is a period

lasting from after the children leave home until retirement. Midlife is a change in time

perspective – one no longer calculates the time since birth, but rather the time left to live”

(Medalie , p. 212).

Developmental Changes in Midlife Adults

The midlife period can be characterized in many different ways. The

developmental tasks involved within this timespan vary individual to individual and have

shown to affect their well-being both positively and negatively. Developmental tasks

related to the individual’s role, family, career, socioeconomic status, health, cognitive and

6

emotional functioning are important components to consider when looking at midlife

development.

One of the developmental changes that takes place in the midlife stage are health

changes. According to Whitbourne (2001), some of the common changes that occur in

midlife are back and joint pain, changes in eyesight, and weight gain. Additionally,

midlife adults may also experience physical problems such as high blood pressure, high

cholesterol, and arthritis pain (Lachman, 2004). In a study conducted by the American

Board of Family Practice (1990), participants reported that the worst aspects of midlife

were changing health and physical conditions, getting older, and having a less positive

attitude toward life.

In addition to health changes, middle age also involves individuals to restructure

their roles (Lachman, 2004). Medalie (1984) described how midlife adults begin

modifying their roles within three or even four-generation systems. In this stage, the

individual is often forced to adjust to multiple roles (e.g., son, father, grandparent, spouse

or partner) and take on responsibilities that require care for both their children and

parents. In the National Survey of Household and Families, Lachman (2004) found that

when adults enter midlife, 41% have both parents alive, while 77% leave midlife with no

parents alive. In situations like these, individuals are very likely to experience heightened

levels of stress and may have a difficult time in addressing their own needs.

According to study by Brim, Ryff, and Kessler (2004), they found that both

young and midlife groups had more daily stressors than older adults. High levels of stress

were reported in young adulthood and midlife. Due to the strong connection between

stress and the individual’s health, the ability to have effective coping skills and a sense of

7

control is essential in the midlife period (Lachman, 2004). Neugarten (1968) had found

an individual’s personality and self-concept to play an important role in midlife. He

believed that when midlife adults have a well-developed identity and sense of self, they

are able to function much better psychologically and are able to cope more effectively

when faced with stressful situations.

Introduction to Theoretical Approaches

The theoretical perspectives of Super’s lifespan theory and Schlossberg’s

transition theory have been found to be beneficial when working with midlife males who

are going through an involuntary career transition. In this section, an overview of each

theoretical perspective will be discussed.

Donald Super’s Life-Span Theory

Super (1980) presents an approach to career development that focuses on stages

from childhood to retirement. Within these stages, he describes two major concepts: life

role and life stage. Individuals play multiple roles throughout their lifetime and can

consist of these nine life roles: (1) child, (2) student, (3) “leisurite,” (4) citizen, (5)

worker, (6) spouse, (7) homemaker, (8) parent, and (9) pensioner (Super, 1980). There

are also five life stages, which Super calls “maxicycles.” They consist of growth,

exploration, establishment, maintenance, and disengagement (Super).

According to Super (1957), by the time the average person reaches the age of 45

and is in the maintenance stage, she or he is typically established in his or her career and

has successfully stabilized his position. However, individuals can sometimes experience

an unsuccessful establishment through various reasons and can force them to revert back

to earlier stages to reestablish themselves, which Super (1984) referred to these stages as

8

“minicycles.” During the recycling transition, individuals begin to adopt and modify

roles, reevaluate goals, and life career plans.

In addition to looking at the process of how an individual chooses and adjusts do

different roles within their life-span, Super (1986) also placed a great emphasis on the

different roles individuals play throughout their life and how they create their self-

concepts. An individual’s vocational and occupational identity, interests, and abilities are

components that help form their self-concept. Super (1957) states that a person’s career is

an implementation of his self-concept; however, when an individual is going through a

career change or even a crisis, their career may no longer be an accurate expression of

their self-concept. Super believes that when one goes through the reestablishment stage,

they go through a period of reevaluating their self-concept, which Super calls the

“renewal” stage.

Implementing Super’s lifespan theory can be very beneficial for this specific

population. In order to work with an individual who has experienced an involuntary

career transition, it is particularly important to look at the different roles they play within

the society, what stage(s) they have they gone through, and in what stage would they like

to be in. It is important to take into consideration on how they have formed their own

self-concept and if that self-concept is helping or hindering the career transition process.

By becoming aware of these important elements, the career development program can

construct interventions and help individuals based on their specific needs.

Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

As people move through life, they continually experience change and transition.

Whether the events are expected or not, the transition process alters their roles, behaviors,

9

routines, and relationships. Nancy Schlossberg (2006) provided a framework to help

understand transition processes, factors that influence coping mechanisms, and strategies

individuals use to take control of anticipated, unanticipated events, and non-events.

Per Schlossberg (2006), there are three different types of transitions: anticipated,

unanticipated, and non-event. In order to understand an individual’s transition process, it

is very important to first identify the type of transition the individual is experiencing.

Anticipated transitions can refer to major life events that are typically expected (e.g.,

graduation, getting married, or becoming a parent). Unanticipated life events comprise of

unexpected and nonscheduled events such as being fired, laid off, divorce, or death.

Lastly, non-events can consist of events that the individual was expecting, but did not

occur (e.g., marriage that never occurred, the child who was never born, not receiving the

promotion you expected). Although everyone experiences transitions, it can be different

for everyone based on how they viewed the change of event. The level of impact and

relationship between the individual and event or non-event makes a difference in

understanding an individual’s transition process.

Schlossberg (2006) provides a structured model to describe factors that influence

an individual’s ability to cope with change through the transition. In order to better

understand an individuals coping mechanisms, it is essential to look at the individual’s

resources or possible deficits they may have in their transition. Schlossberg (2006)

describes features of coping into four categories: situation, self, supports, and strategies.

She refers to “situation” as the person’s situation at the time of the transition and “self” as

the person’s inner strength for coping with the situation. She refers to “supports” as the

support that is available to the person at the time of the transition and to “strategies” as

10

the coping strategies the person tries to use to change the situation.

When working with mid-life males who are going through an involuntary career

transition, it is important to recognize the 4 Ss. By looking at the situation, the counselor

is able to examine what triggered the transition, the timing, the amount of control the

individual had over the transition, and other stressors that they may have in addition to

the transition. When looking at the second factor, self, the counselor is able to gain a

deeper understanding of the client’s inner strength and identity. How the client views the

world can give the counselor a great insight into how they cope with transitions. The third

“S,” support, can provide the counselor with information about who the client’s support

system is or if they have any sense of support surrounding them. Lastly, when looking at

the fourth “S,” strategy, the counselor will be able to identify the client’s coping

responses and techniques the client uses to cope with the transitions (Schlossberg, 2006).

When working with this population, the job loss event may also stimulate them to

develop new interests and change occupations. For this reason, it is very important for

counselors to analyze if their resources (4 Ss) are sufficient enough to support the change.

The 4 Ss make an impact on how one views their own transition and their ability to

manage it. Additionally, it is also important to take into consideration the individual’s

values and to which degree they are able to make decisions. By gathering this

information, the counselor can have a better understanding on how to assist the client

with the transition process.

Consequences of the Problem

Interventions for this population are essential to having a successful career

transition. In the following section, the need for personal counseling, psychoeducational

11

groups, career counseling, job search assistance and retraining programs will be

discussed as possible consequences for this population.

Mental Health: Need for Personal/Family/Transition and Change Counseling

The impact of an involuntary career transition has shown to affect midlife males’

mental health in many ways. It has shown negative physical and psychological outcomes

such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002; Paul & Moser,

2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994; Archer & Rhodes, 1995). Individuals may have a low self-

efficacy, low self-esteem, and fears of the career transition (Behrens & Altman, 2000).

Individuals are also likely to suffer feelings of grief and guilt, loss of identity, and loss of

social support (Archer & Rhodes, 1995). The career development program can make a

positive impact by offering individuals personal counseling. By offering this service, it

can provide emotional support to participants and can help them develop effective skills

on how to cope with psychological distress of job loss and change.

Job loss has shown to have a significant impact on an individual’s family and has

caused family dissolution, marital dissatisfaction, and has created mental health effects

among the individual’s children, spouses and surrounding support groups (Kalil, 2005).

Studies have also shown how job loss can increase the likelihood of divorce among

couples (Doiron & Mendolia, 2009). Due to the job loss affecting family members, the

career development program for MLM will offer family therapy to assist participants in

addressing their family’s concerns about the job loss.

Due to the job loss being an involuntary event, it is important for participants to

go through a grieving process to mourn the loss of the job (Jones, 1979). Individuals may

experience reactions such as shock, loneliness, guilt, resentment, and hopelessness

12

(Westburg, 1971). It can also potentially lead individuals to lose motivation and their

sense of control (Joseph & Greenberg, 2001). The career development program can make

a positive impact by providing services through personal counseling to assist participants

with grieving the job loss, developing effective coping strategies, and with helping regain

their sense of control.

Lack of Support: Need for Psychoeducational Groups

According to Rabinowitz & Cochran (2008), men struggle with a loss of self-

esteem, self-confidence, and social support when experiencing a job loss. Due to the lack

of social support, providing support groups can be essential to the career transition

process. The program can offer psychoeducational groups to help participants develop

cognitive and behavioral skills through group meetings. This form of therapy will offer

individuals an opportunity to discuss issues with other members that may have similar

concerns. The role of the therapist will be to help participants build a supportive network,

maintain positive view of self, and to maximize positive growth through the career

transition process. Additionally, group discussions will focus on working towards

strengths and how participants can regain control through effective coping skills.

Career Change/Job Search Assistance: Need for Career Counseling

The unexpected event of losing a job can potentially lead individuals to change

positions within the organization or change careers outside of the organization (Behrens

& Altman, 2000). Involuntary career loss can oftentimes be a traumatic event for

individuals (Jones, 1979). Prior to career planning, they must be able to grieve and accept

the loss of the job. In order to assess the individual’s readiness, it is important for

counselors to identify any possible barriers that may interfere with the career counseling

13

process (Tyler, 1969). Once the individual has gained a sense of control and has become

aware of their own impediments, they are able to move forward with the career planning

process.

When working with individuals who have been employed in occupations

congruent to their personalities for a significant length of time, the career change process

can be much more difficult for them. Due to an individual’s identity being closely

associated to their occupation, it is important for counselors to help individuals regain

their identity by structuring interventions related to exploration of roles (Holland, 1959).

With the help of interest-based assessments, it can help them clarify goals and identify

occupations that are congruent with their personalities (Holland, 1959).

Implementing career stage-based interventions can be very beneficial for this

population. Due to individuals possibly entering the “recycle” stage, it is important for

counselors to structure intervention strategies that encourage progression, as opposed to

starting over (Super, Savickas, & Super, 1996). Career counselors can support this

process by educating participants on current labor market trends, occupations, pay,

necessary skills, education and experience requirements, and training programs.

Individuals may also go through the “disengagement” stage, which may enable them to

lack emotional support. By lacking support, individuals may also attempt to find

replacement jobs very quickly after the loss, which can negatively affect the later stages

in their career development process. It is important for counselors to provide emotional

support to help participants cope with the distress and to assist them in the “exploration

stage” by choosing a career choice carefully (Super et al., 1996). By offering these types

14

of intervention strategies, it can help individuals in progressing through career stages and

with making a successful career transition.

The impact of technology has not only shown to have an affect on displacement,

but on reemployment as well (Aaronson & Housinger, 1999). After conducting a study

on technological change in job displacements and reemployments, researchers found

specific age groups (35-49) to have a lower probability of finding a new job by 7.9% and

an additional 8.2% for ages 50-54. When counseling this specific population, it is

important for counselors to provide intervention strategies that enable individuals to be

aware of current job trends and to encourage participation in retraining programs.

Individuals can learn how to avoid skill obsolescence and can develop skills in areas that

are in demand.

Due to the constant change in finding reemployment, individuals would also need

assistance with building resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and finding effective job

search strategies (Wanberg & Marchese, 1994). The career development program will

offer participants a variety of workshops such as resume and cover letter workshop,

interviewing skills workshop, job search strategies workshop, networking workshop, and

transferable skills workshop. Participants will have the option in selecting workshops that

will best fit their needs, in addition to receiving career and personal counseling sessions.

Limitations

There are several limitations to this project. Although researchers have found

certain workshops to be beneficial for this population, the career development program

for MLM will refer participants to other locations who do offer those services such as

stress management workshops and introductory to computer workshops. Additionally,

15

counselors will refer participants who are interested in attending retraining programs.

Due to the high level of mental health effects for this population, the need for personal

and group counseling is essential.

This program will require participants to attend at least two personal counseling

sessions and five psychoeducational group sessions; however, career counselors will not

be conducting those specific sessions. Instead, the program will work alongside two

therapists who are required to have a master’s degree in Counseling with an emphasis in

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or be a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

(LPCC). Based on the different needs for this population, the personal counseling session

and psychoeducational group session provided in chapter 4 will provide a general

overview on the therapist’s goals, but will not state the specific outcomes of the session.

Technical Terms

The technical terms used in discussing the relevant literature will be provided

below.

Adaptation: A process during which an individual moves from being totally preoccupied

with the transition to integrating the transition into his or her life (Schlossberg, 1981)

Career: The combination and sequence of roles played by a person during the course of

a lifetime (Super, 1980).

Career Adaptability: The readiness to cope with the predictable tasks of preparing for

and participating in the work role and with the unpredictable adjustments prompted by

changes in work and working conditions (Savickas, 1997).

16

Career Change: a subset of work role transitions that include a change of employers,

along with some degree of change in the actual job or work role and the subjective

perception that such changes constitute a “career change (Ibarra, 2006).

Career Counseling: Is a multifaceted set of activities designed to help people (a) make

or remake occupational choices, (b) find jobs, or (c) achieve satisfaction and success in

the workplace (Brown, 2006).

Career Growth: When the person makes a transition from job loss to a new job that

provides new opportunities for psychological success (Hall, 1976).

Career Resilience: The ability to adapt to change, even when the circumstances are

discouraging or disruptive, implying the development of certain coping strategies,

including emotional capacities, to overcome structural and/or dispositional barriers

(Bimrose & Hearne, 2012).

Control Coping: Consists of actions and cognitive reappraisals that are proactive, take

charge in nature (Latack, 1986).

Coping: Constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage the internal an

external demands of transactions that tax or exceed a person’s resources (Folkman,

Lazarus, Dunkel-Schetter, DeLongis, & Gruen, 1986).

Dislocated Worker: An individual who has, through no fault of their own, been

permanently laid off from their job because their employer has reorganized the work

force in some way (Raber, 1996).

Displaced Worker: Persons 20 years of age and older who lost or left their jobs because

their plant or company closed or moved, there was insufficient work for them to do, or

their position or shift was abolished (http://www.bls.gov/news.release).

17

Escape Coping: Consists of actions and cognitive reappraisals that involve escapist,

avoidance strategies (Latack, 1986).

Grief: A sequence of subjective states that follow the loss and the companying mourning

(Bowlby, 1961).

Involuntary Career Changer: An individual who is confronted with making an

involuntary change that is undesired and often unexpected (Isaacson, 1981).

Job Change: As movement to a similar job or to a job that is part of a normal career path

(Lawrence, 1980).

Job Loss: A life event that removes paid employment from an individual involuntarily

(Latck, Kinicki, & Prussia, 1995).

Mass Layoff: Filing of 50 or more initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits

against an employer during a 5-week period, with at least 50 workers separated for more

than 30 days (http://www.bls.gov/mls/mlsreport).

Midlife: Age between 40 and 60 (Lachman, 2004).

Mourning: Psychological processes that were set in motion by the loss of a love object,

and they commonly led to the relinquishing of that object (Bowlby, 1961).

Personal Counseling: includes the processes that attempt to provide support and

assistance so that individuals can understand the nature of the economic or personal

changes that they are experiencing (Entine, 1977).

Recycling: The stage in which individuals, particularly those in midcareer, reexamine

their choices, and as a result, take action to change some aspect of their career (Sullivan,

Martin, Carden, & Mainiero, 2003).

18

Resilience: The motivational force within everyone that drives them to pursue wisdom,

self-actualization, and altruism and to be in harmony with a spiritual source of strength

(Richardson, 2002).

Self-concept: Picture of the self in some role, situation, or position, performing some set

of functions, or in some web of relationships (Super, 1963; 1996).

Social Support: The feeling of being cared for and esteemed within an interpersonal

network of communication and mutual obligation (Cobb, 1976).

Symptom-focused coping: Consists of those activities, such as joining a support group

or asking a friend for financial assistance, that an individual engages in to attempt to

decrease the hardship associated with the stressful event (Leana & Feldman, 1995).

Transition: An event or nonevent that results in change or assumption about oneself and

the world and thus requires a corresponding change in one’s behavior and relationships

(Schlossberg, 1981).

Unemployed: Persons aged 16 years and older who had no employment during the

reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made

specific efforts to find employment sometime during the four-week period ending with

the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they

had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008)

Chapter Conclusion and Transition to Chapter 2

An involuntary career transition can stem from a multitude of reasons. Individuals

can experience a job loss from being discharged, displaced, terminated, or laid-off. The

process of losing a job can be difficult for some and more difficult for others. Depression,

19

anxiety, stress, shock, and low self-esteem are among some of the negatives outcomes

individuals experience after a job loss. Jones (1979) reports that the job loss can be harder

for individuals who had a sense of fulfillment and attachment to their career. For others,

it may provide an opportunity to pursue another career they had been thinking about.

In chapter two, the theoretical perspectives of Super’s Life-Span theory and

Schlossberg’s Transition theory will each be discussed. Both theories will be described in

depth and will provide beneficial explanations on how it can be used with midlife males

who are going through an involuntary career transition. An introduction to the review of

literature will be articulated. This review will discuss topics on possible reasons for an

involuntary career transition, particularly in midlife males. The effects of job loss on

midlife males and on others will be articulated. Additionally, issues on reemployment

will be discussed. Furthermore, career issues that midlife males face during their

transition will be discussed, including the need for personal, family, and transition and

change counseling, social support, and career counseling. Lastly, existing programs for

this population will be articulated and career development program implications will be

added.

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CHAPTER II

Review of the Literature

In chapter two, the theoretical perspectives of Super’s Life-Span theory and

Schlossberg’s Transition theory will each be discussed. Both theories will be described in

depth and will provide beneficial explanations on how it can be used with midlife males

who are going through an involuntary career transition. An introduction to the review of

literature will be articulated. This review will discuss topics on possible reasons for an

involuntary career transition, particularly in midlife males. The effects of job loss on

midlife males and on others will be articulated. Additionally, issues on reemployment

will be discussed. Furthermore, career issues that midlife males face during their

transition will be discussed, including the need for personal, family, and transition and

change counseling, social support, and career counseling. Lastly, existing programs for

this population will be articulated and career development program implications will be

added.

Summary of General Theoretical Perspectives

The theoretical perspectives of Super’s life-span theory and Schlossberg’s

transition theory have been incorporated in the proposed career development program. In

the following section, a general summary of each theory will be discussed.

Donald Super’s Life-Span Theory

Super (1980) describes an approach to career development that focuses on stages

from childhood to retirement. Within these stages, he describes two major concepts: life

role and life stage. Individuals play multiple roles throughout their lifetime and can

consist of these nine life roles: (1) child, (2) student, (3) “leisurite,” (4) citizen, (5)

21

worker, (6) spouse, (7) homemaker, (8) parent, and (9) pensioner (Super, 1980). These

roles can be played in different settings such as the home, community, school (including

college or university) and the workplace. There are also five life stages, which consist of

growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and disengagement (Super, 1980).

The growth stage typically takes place between birth and fourteen years of age

and involves the individual in developing their own self-concept (Super, 1980). In

addition to learning about the world of work, individuals also begin thinking about their

future as a worker, which leads to the next career stage, exploration. The exploration

stage typically takes place between the ages of 15 and 24 (Super, 1980). During this

stage, the individual begins to turn their vocational self-concept into a vocational identity.

They begin forming ideas on how to fit into society and how they can prepare for a

specific occupation, which then leads to the establishment stage. The establishment stage

takes place between the ages of 25 and 44 (Super, 1980). In this stage, the individual

begins to implement their self-concept into an occupational role. They begin learning

how to take hold of a position by assimilating into an organization. Sometimes it may

lead individuals to refine their self-concept or learn about different ways to advance

within an organization, which leads to the fourth stage, maintenance (Super, 1980). This

stage takes place between the ages of 45 and 64 and it typically involves individuals

maintaining their position and preserving their self-concept within the organization.

However, due to vast organizational changes, fewer individuals are staying in the

maintenance stage. Instead, individuals are either voluntary or involuntarily going

through a stage in which Super (1984) calls the “recycling” stage. Individuals progress

through the recycling stage question and reevaluate their self-concepts, which makes

22

them go back into the exploration and establishment stages. Lastly, the disengagement

stage takes place after the age of 65 (Super, 1980). Within this stage, the individual

begins to experience a decline in energy and begins to disengage in their occupation.

They begin to develop a new vocational self by planning for retirement and creating a

new lifestyle. Although this stage was apparent in the earlier years, researchers argue that

individuals are now extending their work time-span past the ages of 60 and planning for

retirement much later.

In addition to looking at the process of how an individual chooses and adjusts do

different roles within their life-span, Super (1996) also believes it is important to look at

how an individual forms their own self-concept. An individual’s vocational and

occupational identity, interests, and abilities are components that help form their self-

concept. When individuals form their vocational identities, they begin envisioning their

goals, interests, and talents (Super, 1996). The formation of their identity can stem from

their values. Super states “values are the qualities which people desire and which they

seek in the activities in which they engage, in the situations in which live, and in the

objects which they make or acquire” (Super, 1970, p.4). Additionally, Super (1996) also

found different dimensions and metadimensions of forming a self-concept. Dimensions

can consist of the individual’s personality traits and attributes and metadimensions can

consist of specific characteristics that are intertwined with an individual’s personality

traits (e.g., self-efficacy and self-esteem). Super (1996) states that individuals do not have

a single self-concept, but constellations of self-concepts. They typically have a general

self-concept system, followed by specific and limited concepts of self in multiple roles.

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Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

As people move through life, they continually experience change and transition.

Whether the events are expected or not, the transition process alters their role/s,

behaviors, routines, and relationships. Nancy Schlossberg (2006) provides a framework

to help understand transition processes, factors that influence coping mechanisms, and

strategies individuals use to take control of anticipated and unanticipated events.

There are three different types of transitions: anticipated, unanticipated, and non-

event. In order to understand an individual’s transition process, it is very important to

first identify the type of transition the individual is experiencing. Anticipated transitions

can refer to major life events that are typically expected (e.g., graduation, getting married,

or becoming a parent). Unanticipated life events comprise of unexpected and

nonscheduled events such as being fired, laid off, divorce, or death). Lastly, non-events

can consist of events that the individual was expecting, but did not occur (e.g., marriage

that never occurred, the child who was never born, not receiving the promotion you

expected). Although everyone experiences transitions, it can be different for everyone

based on how they viewed the change of event. The level of impact and relationship

between the individual and event or non-event makes a difference in understanding an

individual’s transition process.

Schlossberg (2006) provides a structured model to describe factors that influence

an individual’s ability to cope with change through the transition. In order to better

understand an individuals coping mechanisms, it is essential to look at the individual’s

resources or possible deficits they may have in their transition. Schlossberg (2006)

describes features of coping into four categories: situation, self, supports, and strategies.

24

She refers to “situation” as the person’s situation at the time of the transition and “self” as

to the person’s inner strength for coping with the situation. She refers to “supports” as the

support that is available to the person at the time of the transition and to “strategies” as

the coping strategies the person tries to use to change the situation.

General Summary of Research Literature

Involuntary job loss is an inescapable life event for many individuals in the labor

force (Latack, Kinicki, & Prussia, 1995). Often times, it is a traumatic and unexpected

event and can affect them financially, psychologically, emotionally, and physically

(Hanish, 1999). Involuntary job loss can also force an individual to make an involuntary

career change (Isaacson, 1981). This review will discuss topics on: (1) possible reasons

for an involuntary career transition, particularly in midlife males (2) the effects of job

loss on midlife males (3) the effects of job loss on others, and (4) reemployment issues.

Possible Reasons for an Involuntary Career Transition

An involuntary career transition can stem from a multitude of reasons. They may

consist of different events such as the Great Recession, displacement, discharge, or lay-

off. Individuals who have or are currently going through an involuntary career transition

may be unemployed from one or more of the following reasons. The events focus

specifically on mid-life males who range from ages 40-60. Each one of the events varies

in severity and has affected individuals in many different ways.

The Great Recession

The Great Recession has been reported to be one of the most severe recessions

since the Great Depression (Danziger, 2013). According to the National Bureau of

Economic Research (NBER), the Great Recession began in December 2007 with a 5%

25

unemployment rate and increased to 9.5% by June 2009 (www.nber.org). Researchers

have analyzed many studies to examine the changes in severity, duration, and recovery

from past recessions between January 1979 to December 2011 (Hoynes, Miller, &

Schallar, 2012). Since then, they have found the Great Recession to be longer than the

early 1980’s recession. They have also found the effects to be greater for men than

women.

Displacement

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), 4.3 million workers were

displaced from jobs they held for at least three years from January 2011 through

December 2013. Studies showed that 35% of long-tenured displaced workers from the

2011-2013 period had lost their job due to the plant or company closing down or moving;

an additional 33% had insufficient work, and 32% stated their position or shift was

abolished.

Mass Layoffs and Unemployment

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012) conducts the Mass Layoff Statistics

(MLS) program to provide information on the number of layoffs on a large-scale and to

provide characteristics of dislocated workers who have filed claims for unemployment

benefits. The MLS program defines an extended mass layoff event as the filing of 50 or

more initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits against an employer during a 5-

week period, with at least 50 workers separated for more than 30 days

(http://www.bls.gov/mls/mlsreport). In 2012, 1.25 million workers were laid off from

6,500 extended layoff events. From the events, 33% of the claimants were between the

ages of 30 and 44, 20% were 55 or older, and 59.9% were men. Twenty-three states

26

reported increased numbers of laid-off workers. California represented the highest

number in laid-off events (2,141), which resulted in 588,039 unemployment insurance

claims. Eighty-six percent of the initial claimants resided within metropolitan areas and

Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, California, reported the highest number of initial

claimants in the area (275,404) (http://www.bls.gov/mls/mlsreport).

Technology Advancement and Skill Obsolescence

With the vast change in technology, the risk of losing a job has increased

(Aaronson & Housinger, 1999). Companies with frequent changes in equipment must

continuously train their employees, which is an expensive task to accomplish. Advances

in technology have shown to substitute skilled workers with laborsaving machinery or

equipment. Specifically, this shift has shown to affect low-skilled workers and those

without previous training. By being less skillful and lacking training, companies may

decrease the demand for employees (Aaronson & Housinger, 1999).

Effects of Job Loss on Midlife Males

The effects of unemployment from job loss have generally found to be negative

and can vary from individual to individual. This review will focus on how the loss of a

job can affect midlife males throughout their transition and how the loss of the job may

lead to an involuntary career change. Job loss has become a problem for many

individuals, particularly in males who range from 40-60 in age (Lachman, 2004).

Research has shown that involuntary job loss can affect this specific population in many

ways.

27

Negative Effects

Wanberg and Marchese (1994) conducted a study with 125 unemployed men and

122 unemployed women to assess the effects related to unemployment. The effects were

divided into eight different constructs, which included: financial situation, employment

commitment, job-seeking confidence, time structure, mental health, cognitive

impairment, physical symptoms, and unemployment negativity (i.e., how upset an

individual is about being unemployed). Participants included in the study were either

voluntary or involuntarily unemployed. Involuntary reasons for unemployment consisted

of being fired (33%), being laid-off (28%), working for a business that closed (9%), and

self-employment that did not work out (4%). In order to analyze the heterogeneity of the

unemployment experience, researchers used the “cluster analysis” technique to form four

homogenous groups of subjects within data sets. After analyzing the data, results showed

that group one (45 men and 38 women) had high levels of financial concerns, job-seeking

confidence, and employment commitment. Group two (21 men and 23 women) had high

levels of financial concerns, employment commitment, cognitive impairment, physical

symptoms, and were upset about being unemployed. Group three (38 men and 37

women) showed a moderate score on time structure, mental health and cognitive

impairment. Lastly, group four (21 men and 20 women) had a high level of job-seeking

confidence and time structure (Wanberg & Marchese, 1994).

Mental, Emotional, and Physical Effects

Involuntary job loss has shown to affect individuals mentally, emotionally, and

physically (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002). In a past study, Price et al. (2002) examined

the effects of job loss to issues related to demographics, reemployment, financial strain,

28

depression, personal control, self-esteem, poor health and emotional functioning. A total

of 666 participants (mean age=36) were included in a two-year longitudinal study. A total

of 276 of the participants were males and a total of 390 of the participants were females.

After gathering results, researchers found job loss events in both men and women

produced negative outcomes such as increases in financial strain, depression, poor

physical health, and loss in feelings of personal control and emotional functioning.

Behrens and Altman (2000) conducted a study with 92 mid-life career changers

who had attended an outplacement and job development program. Researchers asked

participants questions that pertained to their confidence, fears, and hopes. Ninety-five

percent of the participants shared that they had little or no confidence in their ability to

find mid-life career satisfaction and they feared it would never happen. When participants

were asked what was holding them back from making a mid-life career change,

participants stated that they were uncertain on where to begin, had low self-esteem,

family and time constraints, and not enough money. When asked to state fears,

participants expressed their fear of failure, financial ruin, starting over, inability to

persevere, and lack of emotional strength. Lastly, when participants were asked to give

descriptions on their hopes, they shared vague statements such as: fun and enjoyment,

fulfillment, finding direction, financial security, and using innate talents.

A meta-analysis research was analyzed by Paul and Moser (2009) to assess the

changes in mental health among men who lost their blue-collar jobs and among women

who lost their white-collar jobs. After reviewing 237 cross-sectional and 87 longitudinal

studies, results showed that there were negative changes in mental health (mixed

symptoms of distress, depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, subjective well-

29

being, and self esteem) and the effects were larger in men who were blue-collar workers

than women who were white-collar workers. The average number of unemployed

participants with psychological problems was 34% and 16% among unemployed

participants (Paul & Moser, 2009).

Not only have researchers found depression to be prevalent in individuals who

experienced a job loss, but they also found higher levels of depression among males who

were terminated from their job as opposed to being laid off (Miller & Hoppe, 1994).

Miller and Hoppe (1994) examined the differences in psychological distress and

reactivity among men who were laid off and terminated from their job. They found

significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression in terminated workers than laid off

workers. Terminated workers felt that they had been unfairly terminated for various

reasons such as age, injury, or lack of training or experience.

Grieving Effects

When an individual is confronted with a loss of a job, they must go through a

process to grieve the loss. This process is often times much more difficult when the

individual had a sense of fulfillment and attachment with their career (Jones, 1979). They

may even experience multiple losses simultaneously. Examples of such losses are: the

loss of the role of worker and provider, loss of wages and benefits, loss of the “work

family,” loss of sense of being productive, loss of internal locus of control, loss of social

status, loss of pride and dignity, loss of role in family, often loss of ability to trust, and

very often of self-esteem (Foster & Schore, 1989).

Westburg (1971) outlines 10 reactions within the grieving process: shock,

emotional release, depression and loneliness, physical distress, panic, guilt about the loss,

30

hostility and resentment, an inability to return to usual activities, unable to develop a

sense of hope, and a struggle to affirm reality during which the individual accommodates

the loss and redirects life based on the situation. Not all individuals experience the same

form of grief nor do they grieve in the same order. The intensity, length, and order may

be different depending on the individual’s experience (Jones, 1979).

Archer and Rhodes (1995) conducted a longitudinal study to investigate

individuals’ grieving processes after losing their job and to assess the effects of

depression and anxiety in becoming unemployed after a job loss. A total of 38

unemployed men were interviewed shortly after a job loss and interviewed four times

over the following year. The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (Zung, 1965) and the

Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1983) were

administered to measure depression and anxiety. The Mulhall Personal Questionnaire

Rapid Scaling Technique (PQRST) was used to measure the intensity of feelings and

thoughts associated with grief. After participants were asked to label the degree to which

six phrases applied to the statements (e.g., shock, anxiety, anger, preoccupation,

depression, restlessness, pangs, searching, attachment, and adaptation), results showed

that restlessness, irritability, depression and preoccupation occurred in over half of the

sample and anxiety was reported by 45% (Archer & Rhodes, 1995).

Effects on Coping Strategies

Coping plays an important role in the job loss process. The level and extent of

stress makes a difference on how individuals cope with the job loss (Latack, 1986). There

are different forms of coping resources; they can be psychological, social or

organizational. How a person copes with a stressor can be determined from antecedent

31

variables, which can be personal characteristics or environmental factors. Coping

resources can also be determined through stress appraisals, which can vary on the

individual depending on how they view the event.

By using Lazarus’ and Folkman’s stress and coping framework, Armstrong-

Stassen (1994) examined different types of strategies layoff survivors (blue-collar

technicians) used to cope through the process. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) described

two coping strategies: control-oriented coping and escape/avoidance coping. Control

coping consists of mental and physical actions that involve the individual to be proactive

and escape coping consists of actions that involve avoidance strategies.

Results showed that survivors who used control coping strategies were found to

have positive outcomes and escape coping with negative outcomes. Individuals who

utilized control coping strategies were less likely to experience job related anxiety,

greater job satisfaction and job performance, and were less likely to leave the

organization than those who experienced escape coping (Latack, 1986).

Positive Effects

Although job loss is particularly a stressful transition, it can also potentially lead

to positive career growth outcomes in individuals; however, there are many factors that

affect and promote the career growth process (Latack & Dozier, 1986). First, in order for

an individual to have positive career growth, they must maintain a moderate level of

stress. Researchers have found moderate stress levels to be linked to motivation and

challenge, which can help the individual in finding a new job/career (Lazarus &

Folkman, 1984). The following characteristics have shown to moderate stress levels in

32

managers and professionals: individual characteristics, environmental characteristics, and

characteristics of the transition process.

How the individual viewed their previous job and the extent of involvement they

had influences their career growth from job loss. Individuals who were less involved in

their jobs and viewed their previous job as stressful and dissatisfying are more likely to

look at their job loss from a positive viewpoint (Fineman, 1983; Hartley, 1980; Little

1976). In addition to looking at their involvement at work, it is important to look at the

individual’s productivity level outside of work. Hepworth (1980) found that when

individuals occupy their time productively (e.g., job search, extracurricular activities),

they are less likely to experience stress and are more likely to keep their sense of identity

and self-esteem (Hartley, 1980).

A second factor that has shown to moderate an individual’s stress level is their

surrounding support system. One of the most important sources of support is the

individual’s family (Latack & Dozier, 1986). When the family is flexible and adaptable,

it creates room for the individual to redefine roles within the family context. In addition

to the environmental characteristics, it is also important to look at the individual’s

financial resources (Little, 1976). Financial distress can cause an individual to have a low

morale about unemployment. Family support and financial support are critical to the

career growth process.

The characteristics of the transition process also play an important role in

moderating the individual’s stress level (Latack & Dozier, 1986). The manner in which

the job loss was communicated is one of the first aspects of the transition process.

Research shows that individuals were less stressful when the termination decision was

33

communicated by their immediate superior, were provided with an explanation, and were

given a warning in advance for the termination (Swinburne, 1981). When advance

warnings are provided, it gives the individual time to process the shock and can also give

them time to search jobs prior to officially being terminated. By providing an accurate

explanation, it can help the individual work on areas that may have been challenging

before or it can create opportunities to find jobs that are better suited for their skills. By

addressing the termination in a professional manner, individuals are more likely to

maintain their self-esteem and reestablish their sense of control (Latack & Dozier, 1986).

These factors are essential to the career growth process. When individuals are

aware of these characteristics, it can create opportunities to redirect their lives, develop

new skills and competencies, change careers, or consider new alternatives (Latack &

Dozier, 1986). Once they begin identifying not only losses, but gains from their previous

experience, that means growth has occurred. Focusing on the career growth process is

important because it provides individuals with an opportunity to restructure their lives

with a positive mindset.

Effects of Job Loss on Others

Job loss has not only shown to have a significant impact on the individual, but the

individual’s family as well. It has shown to affect them financially, emotionally, and

psychologically. Studies have shown how the job loss event can cause family dissolution,

marital dissatisfaction, and can create negative mental health effects among the

individual’s children, spouses, and surrounding support groups.

Involuntary job loss can affect the family’s well-being in many ways (Mendolia,

2014). Not only can it be stressful for individuals who have lost their job, but it can also

34

affect their emotional warmth towards their family members (Kalil, 2005). Based on a

sample of married and cohabitating couples, researchers used the British Household

Panel Survey to investigate the impact of job loss on partners’ mental health. They found

the job loss to have a negative income shock for the whole family, especially if the

husband’s job was the main source of income. The financial strain can affect family

members by not having a steady income for economic resources (e.g., schools, housing,

and food) and may increase their likelihood to rely on public assistance. Children’s

observations of their parents’ work experiences can also play a big role on how they view

the world of work. In a recent study, Barling, Zacharatos, and Hepburn (1999) had found

undergraduates to perceive their parents as insecure individuals due to their job insecurity

and were distracted cognitively in their own academic performance.

In addition to examining spouse’s mental health, Vinokur, Price and Caplan

(1996) studied the risk of marital dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among

couples. By conducting a longitudinal study with 815 recently unemployed job seekers

and their partners, researchers found that financial strain increased depressive symptoms

and decreased the social support of both partners, which in turn lead to a decrease in

relationship satisfaction (Vinokur, Price, & Caplan, 1996).

Job loss has also shown to increase the likelihood of divorce. By using the British

Household Panel Survey, Doiron and Mendolia (2009) were able to analyze the effects of

involuntary job losses experienced by the husband and were able to look at the

probability of marital dissolution. Researchers distinguished different types of

displacements (dismissal, redundancy and temporary job ending) to analyze the impacts.

35

Results showed that couples in which the husband experienced a job loss were more

likely to divorce and the effects were stronger for dismissals and temporary job endings.

The impact of experiencing a job loss has shown to not only affect the individual,

but the individual’s family as well. It has shown to affect the partner’s mental health and

also shown to increase the likelihood of divorce. Individuals who are going through a

mid-life career transition can experience a variety of difficulties. It is important for

counselors to be aware of these issues to tailor services that meet their specific needs.

Reemployment Issues

A total of 765,000 workers were displaced from manufacturing jobs during the

2011-2013 period. Of those displaced, 59% were reemployed and a total of 21% of

workers were unemployed in January 2014. Twenty-five percent of workers displaced

from jobs in education and health services fields were most likely unemployed and 16%

of workers displaced from jobs in the construction industry were unemployed in January

2014 (http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted).

Technology

The impact of technology has not only shown to have an affect on displacement,

but on reemployment as well (Aaronson & Housinger, 1999). After conducting a study

on technological change in job displacements and reemployments, results showed that

there was a 10% increase in industry computer usage, which decreased the chances of

individuals finding a new job by 5.7%. Researchers also found specific age groups (35-

49) to have a lower probability of finding a new job by 7.9% and an additional 8.2% for

ages 50-54. It was also stated that less educated workers were less likely to find new

employment and fewer skilled workers appeared to have more difficulty in finding a new

36

job after being displaced from high-tech industries with higher computer usage industries

(Aaronson & Housinger, 1999).

Poor Mental and Physical Health

A number of studies have shown how an involuntary job loss can have negative

effects on one’s mental and physical health. Due to these effects, the individual may have

one or multiple barriers to reemployment. Skarlund, Ahs and Westerling (2012)

administered the General Health Questionnaire to 502 newly registered unemployed

participants to examine the effects mental health had on reemployment opportunities.

Results showed that participants’ mental health was associated with lower levels of

reemployment after one year and having a poor level of mental health was a significant

predictor of failing to be reemployed. Researchers noted that poor mental health may

negatively influence the individual to not participate in labor market programs. There was

also a correlation between psychological distress and decreased reemployment.

Psychological distress may inhibit an individual to engage in job-seeking behaviors,

which decreases their chances for reemployment.

Low Self-Efficacy

Low self-efficacy has also shown to have a negative impact on reemployment. In

a past study, Westaby and Braithwaite (2003) compared two methods to assess factors

associated with individual’s reemployment self-efficacy (RSE). By using a control belief

measure and motivational reason measure with 815 participants (mean age 37.2 years),

researchers were able to assess whether specific factors of reemployment were easy or

difficult for participants and how individuals explained their overall RSE. Results showed

that participants exhibited low to moderate in both control belief and motivational reason

37

variables (Westaby & Braithwaite, 2003).

Reemployment Influences

Leana and Feldman (1995b) conducted a longitudinal study nine months after

industrial workers (age=average 40) were laid-off to examine factors that influenced

them to regain employment and whether their reemployment was satisfactory or

unsatisfactory. Factors consisted of the individual’s motivation, coping resources, and

coping strategies. Motivational factors may include financial pressures, which can cause

individuals to be more active in the job search process. An individual’s perception of the

job market may also help or hinder their motivation to look for a new job. Coping

resources consist of the individual’s internal energy, which can be their problem-solving

skills, social skills, and self-efficacy. Coping strategies are methods individuals use to

create new routines after they have experienced a stressful event (Leana & Feldman,

1995b).

After gathering responses from participants, results showed that individuals who

had financial responsibilities (e.g., children to support) felt greater pressure to get

reemployed regardless of the quality of the job. Individuals who had greater coping

resources for job hunting and engaged in more coping behaviors predicted greater

opportunities for reemployment (Leana & Feldman, 1995b). Workers who felt pressured

to find new jobs were more likely to end up with unsatisfactory jobs, which prolonged

their adjustment period.

38

Career Issues and Interventions for Mid-Life Males

Based on the needs and characteristics of midlife males who are going through an

involuntary career transition, many issues may arise from this specific population. In this

next section, different issues and corresponding interventions will be discussed.

Personal Counseling

The impact of an involuntary career transition has shown to affect individuals’

mental health in many ways. It has shown negative physical and psychological outcomes

such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002; Paul & Moser,

2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994; Archer & Rhodes, 1995). Individuals may have a low self-

efficacy, low self-esteem, and fears of the career transition (Behrens & Altman, 2000).

Individuals are also likely to suffer feelings of grief and guilt, loss of self-esteem, loss of

identity, and loss of social support (Archer & Rhodes, 1995). The career development

program for MLM will assist this issue by offering participants psychological counseling,

in addition to the other services. By offering this service, it will provide emotional

support to help participants cope with psychological distress of job loss and change.

Psychoeducational Groups

The program will also offer psychoeducational group sessions to help participants

build a supportive network, maintain positive view of self, and to maximize positive

growth through the career transition process. This form of therapy will offer participants

an opportunity to discuss issues with other participants that may have similar concerns.

The therapist will discuss issues related to fears, negative thoughts, and irrational beliefs.

Additionally, the therapist will address concerns related to the participants’ family and

social support and how they can regain control through effective coping skills.

39

Transition and Change Counseling

Due to the job loss being an unanticipated event, it is important for participants to

go through a grieving process to mourn the loss of the job (Jones, 1979). Individuals may

experience reactions such as shock, loneliness, guilt, resentment, and hopelessness

(Westburg, 1971). It can also potentially lead individuals to lose motivation and their

sense of control (Joseph & Greenberg, 2001). The career development program for MLM

will provide services through personal counseling to assist participants with grieving the

job loss, developing effective coping strategies, and with helping regain their sense of

control.

Family Therapy

Job loss has shown to have a significant impact on an individual’s family and has

caused family dissolution, marital dissatisfaction, and has created mental health effects

among the individual’s children, spouses and surrounding support groups (Kalil, 2005).

Studies have also shown how job loss can increase the likelihood of divorce among

couples (Doiron & Mendolia, 2009). Due to the job loss affecting family members, the

career development program for MLM will offer family therapy to assist participants in

addressing their family’s concerns about the job loss.

Career Counseling

The unexpected event of losing a job can potentially lead individuals to change

positions within the organization or change careers outside of the organization (Behrens

& Altman, 2000). According to Isaacson (1981), the likelihood of men changing careers

during their midlife period is increasing. Involuntary career loss can often times be a

traumatic event for individuals (Jones, 1979). Prior to career planning, they must be able

40

to grieve and accept the loss of the job. In order to assess the individual’s readiness, it is

important for counselors to identify any possible barriers that may interfere with the

career counseling process (Tyler, 1969). Once the individual has gained a sense of

control and has become aware of their own impediments, they are able to move forward

with the career planning process.

When working with individuals who have been employed in congruent

occupations for a length of time, the career change process can be much more difficult for

them. For these individuals, they are more likely to suffer from emotional distress,

depression, and anxiety (Brewington & Nassar-McMillan, 2000). Due to an individual’s

identity being closely associated to their occupation, it is important for counselors to help

individuals regain their identity by structuring interventions related to exploration of roles

(Holland, 1959). With the help of interest-based assessments, it can help them clarify

goals and identify occupations that are congruent with their personalities (Holland, 1959).

Implementing career stage-based interventions can be very beneficial for this

population. Due to individuals possibly entering the “recycle” stage, it is important for

counselors to structure intervention strategies that encourage progression, as opposed to

starting over (Super, Savickas, & Super, 1996). Counselors can assist this issue by

educating participants on current labor market trends, occupations, pay, necessary skills,

education and experience requirements, and training programs. Individuals may also go

through the “disengagement” stage, which may enable them to lack emotional support.

By lacking support, individuals may also attempt to find replacement jobs very quickly

after the loss, which can negatively affect the later stages in their career development

process. It is important for counselors to provide emotional support to help participants

41

cope with the distress and to assist them in the “exploration stage” by choosing a career

choice carefully (Super et al., 1996). By offering these types of intervention strategies, it

can help individuals in progressing through career stages and with making a successful

career transition.

Job Search Assistance and Training Programs

The effects of technology advancements have shown to negatively affect skilled

workers (Aaronson & Housinger, 1999). Due to the vast change, studies have shown to

substitute skilled workers with laborsaving machinery and equipment and have also

shown to have a high risk of losing a job (Aarsonson & Housinger, 1999). When

counseling this specific population, it is important for counselors to provide intervention

strategies that enable individuals to be aware on current job trends and to encourage them

on participating in retraining programs. Through retraining programs, individuals can

learn how to avoid skill obsolescence and can develop skills in areas that are in demand.

Due to the lack of confidence in finding reemployment, individuals would also need

assistance with building resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and finding effective job

search strategies (Wanberg & Marchese, 1994). The career development program will

offer participants a variety of workshops such as resume and cover letter workshop,

interviewing skills workshop, and job search strategies workshop. Participants will have

the option in selecting workshops that will best fit their needs, in addition to receiving

career and personal counseling sessions.

Existing Programs for the Focus Group

A program as specific as the Career Development Program for MLM does not

seem to exist; however, there are programs that assist individuals who have been

42

involuntarily unemployed, such as the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program

(Employment Development Department, 2014). The UI program primarily provides

financial benefits to individuals who have been out of work due to no fault of their own.

They must be physically able to work and they must be active job seekers in order to

receive UI benefits. Based on the individual’s quarterly earnings, they are able to receive

weekly financial benefits for one year (Employment Development Department, 2014).

Also, the UI program provides information on where unemployed individuals can receive

additional resources such as, job search assistance, basic necessities assistance, food

assistance, medical care and healthcare coverage, low cost car insurance, human services

assistance, community-based resources, housing resources, and assistance with utilities

(Employment Development Department, 2014).

Although the UI program provides beneficial information on financial assistance

and other helpful resources, they do not provide individuals with personal counseling or

career counseling. Due to the negative effects of going through an involuntary career

transition and the needs of this population, providing these two types of services are

crucial to their transition process. By providing career counseling, individuals can have

the opportunity to work with a career counselor to identify their interests and skills and

can explore different career and work options. Additionally, the UI program does not

provide in-person services to individuals on how they can successfully build their

resume, conduct an interview, and effectively apply and obtain a job. The career

development program for MLM will offer multiple workshops and tailor the services

based on the individual’s needs.

43

Theoretical Approaches Relating to Mid-Life Males

Donald’s Super’s Life-Span Theory

Super (1984) presents the life-span theory as a five-stage model consisting of

stages from childhood through retirement. He describes the stages as “maxicycles” and

titles them as growth (childhood); exploration (adolescence); establishment (young

adulthood); maintenance (middle adulthood); and disengagement (old age). According to

Super (1957), by the time the average person reaches the age of 45 and is in the

maintenance stage, he is typically established in his career and has successfully stabilized

his position. By this point, the individual has found and made a place for themselves in

the world of work and community (Super, 1957). However, individuals can sometimes

experience an unsuccessful establishment through various reasons and can force them to

refer back to earlier stages to reestablish themselves. Super (1984) referred to these stages

as “minicycles” to describe career transition periods individuals go through when their

career has been destabilized by involuntary events. When individuals are encountered by

involuntary events, they often feel inadequate at home due to not being able to support

the family, and may feel isolated and frustrated (Super, 1957).

For individuals who have lost their jobs, they may find it necessary to revert back

to recycle through the career development stages. During this process, the individual may

repeat tasks that were once completed at an earlier stage, such as learning about new job

opportunities, getting started in an occupation, and making the position secure (Super,

1957). During the recycling transition, individuals begin to adopt and modify roles,

reevaluate goals, and life career plans. They begin to redesign their lives, in hopes of

returning back to the establishment stage and stabilizing a new position (Super, 1984).

44

In addition to life stages, Super (1986) also places a great emphasis on the

different roles individuals play throughout their life and how they create their self-

concepts. Roles can consist of: child, student, leisurite, citizen, worker, spouse,

homemaker, parent, and pensioner. An individual’s vocational and occupational identity,

interests, and abilities are components that help form their self-concept. Super (1957)

states that a person’s career is an implementation of his self-concept; however, when an

individual is going through a career change or even a crisis, their career may no longer be

an accurate expression of their self-concept. Super believes that when one goes through

the reestablishment stage, they go through a period of reevaluating their self-concept,

which Super calls the “renewal” stage.

Super (1996) states that individuals do not have a single self-concept, but

constellations of self-concepts. They typically have a general self-concept system,

followed by specific and limited concepts of self in multiple roles. Super (1996) had

found different dimensions and metadimensions of forming a self-concept. Dimensions

can consist of the individual’s personality traits and attributes and metadimensions can

consist of specific characteristics that are intertwined with an individual’s personality

traits (e.g., self-efficacy and self-esteem). The individual’s metadimensions can make a

difference on how they form their self-concept. For an example, Super (1996) had found

individuals with a low self-esteem to have a more difficult time matching their self-

concept to an occupational concept.

Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

When working with mid-life males who are going through an involuntary career

transition, it is important to recognize the 4 Ss. By looking at the situation, the counselor

45

is able to examine what triggered the transition, the timing, the amount of control the

individual had over the transition, and other stressors that they may have in addition to

the transition. When looking at the second factor self, the counselor is able to make a

deeper understanding on the client’s inner strength and identity. How the client views the

world can give the counselor a great insight on how they cope with transitions. The third

“s,” support, can provide the counselor with information on who the client’s support

system is or if they have any sense of support surrounding them. Lastly, when looking at

the fourth “s,” strategies, the counselor will be able to identify client’s coping responses

and techniques the client uses to cope with the transitions (Schlossberg, 2006).

In addition to looking at the individual’s 4Ss, Schlossberg (2006) also discusses

about the importance of assisting individuals with the adaptation process through their

career transition and being aware of factors that may influence the process. Schlossberg

(1981, p. 7) states the “ease of adaptation to a transition depends on one’s perceived

and/or actual balance of resources to deficits in terms of the transition itself, the pre-post

environment, and the individual’s sense of competency, well-being, and health. When

looking at the characteristics of pretransition and postransition environments, Schlossberg

(1981) reports that interpersonal support systems (e.g., intimate relationships, family, and

friends) are essential to successful adaptation. When looking at the characteristics of the

individual, it is important for counselors to be aware of the individual’s sex (and sex-role

identification), age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

When working with this population, the job loss event may stimulate them to

develop new interests and change careers. For this reason, it is very important for

counselors to analyze if their resources (4Ss) are sufficient enough to support the change.

46

The 4Ss make an impact on how one views their own transition and their ability to

manage it. Additionally, it is also important to take into consideration the individual’s

values and to which degree they are able to make decisions. By gathering this

information, the counselor can have a better understanding on how to assist the client

with the transition process.

Summary and Transition to Chapter 3

Loss of a job is a major life event that affects many individuals, especially midlife

males. Studies have shown job loss to affect individuals mentally, emotionally, and

physically (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002). Researchers have found negative outcomes

such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002; Paul & Moser,

2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994; Archer & Rhodes, 1995). Additionally, studies have shown

individuals to suffer from low self-efficacy, low self-esteem, and fears of the career

transition process (Behrens & Altman, 2000). According to Rabinowitz & Cochran

(2008), men struggle with a loss of self-esteem, self-confidence, and social support when

experiencing a job loss. The job loss event has not only shown to affect midlife males,

but their families as well. Studies have shown the job loss to cause family dissolution,

marital dissatisfaction (Kalil, 2005), and divorce (Doiron & Mendolia, 2009).

Although job loss is particularly a stressful transition, it can potentially lead

individuals to pursue another career they had been thinking about. The unexpected event

of losing a job can potentially lead individuals to change positions within the

organization or change careers outside of the organization (Behrens & Altman, 2000).

According to Isaacson (1981), the likelihood of men changing careers during their

midlife period is increasing. For chapter 3, the procedure of the program will be

47

articulated. Additionally, the structure of the program and the different components will

be discussed such as information on location and staffing, offered services, and

supporting materials and assessments.

48

CHAPTER III

Procedure (Justification of the Problem)

The career development program for MLM is designed to offer an integration of

services to help fulfill participants’ personal and career needs. As previously stated, the

impact of an involuntary career transition has shown to affect individuals mentally and

emotionally. Research studies have found negatives outcomes such depression, anxiety,

and stress (Price, Choi, & Vinokur, 2002; Paul & Moser, 2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994;

Archer & Rhodes, 1995) and have found individuals to suffer from feelings of grief,

guilt, loss of identity, and loss of social support (Archer & Rhodes, 1995). Additionally,

research studies have shown individuals to have a low self-efficacy, low self-esteem, and

fears of the career transition.

Individuals who face these issues often have a difficult time throughout their

transition period. They may experience reactions such as shock, loneliness, guilt,

resentment, and hopelessness (Westburg, 1971). Schlossberg (1981, p. 151) states “when

people experience a work transition, especially when it is anticipated, they may come to

counseling feeling that they are in a crisis.” Addressing these concerns through personal

or psychoeducational group counseling can make a significant impact on the individual

and their career planning process. Although this may not be the case for everyone, it can

still be beneficial to first address any possible concerns they may have about moving

forth with their career.

The next main component of the program will be career counseling. Depending

on the needs of each participant, the individual may have a multitude of reasons for

seeking career counseling. Possible reasons can range from changing tasks within the

49

same organization to maybe changing positions outside of the organization. Individuals

may also realize after the loss of the job that they would like to change careers and begin

planning a new career path. For others, they may also need assistance with

creating/updating their resumes and cover letters or possibly with interviewing.

With the constant change and advancement in technology, finding a job is

becoming more complex. Individuals who are not familiar with job search strategies and

with employment trends can have a more difficult time obtaining reemployment. With

the help of career counseling, participants can learn how to utilize career resources and

can learn different strategies to better assist them in the career transition process.

Structure of the Program

The career development program is structured into six different parts (see

Appendix E) and provides services to eligible participants for six months. In order for

individuals to be eligible for the program, they must fill out a form and go through a pre-

screening session. By going through this process, counselors can assess whether the

applicant is an appropriate candidate for the program. Once the applicant has been

admitted to the program, they must fill out an intake form, a pre-assessment form, and

return both forms back to the program prior to meeting the career counselor. The intake

session will be the first official session for the program. During this session, the

counselor will explain the structure of the program and will familiarize the participant on

the services provided. Next, the career counselor will go over the consent form, which

will consist of explaining the rules to confidentiality and boundaries. Lastly, he/she will

use the applicant’s intake form as a guide to build rapport, clarify responses, build career

goals, and establish a positive relationship with the client.

50

Next, the participant will have the option in attending either three personal

counseling sessions or five weekly psychoeducational group sessions. If participants

would like to choose both of the options, they are welcome to do so. Additionally, if

participants would like to start or continue attending personal counseling after the three

sessions, they may do so as long as it is between the six month time period. Personal

counseling sessions and psychoeducational group sessions will be lead by a licensed

therapist.

Once participants have completed their personal counseling/psychoeducational

group sessions, they will meet with the same career counselor from the intake session at

least two times within the six-month time period. If participants would like to meet with

the career counselor again, they may so do as long as it is in between the six month time

period. Next, participants will be required to attend a minimum of two workshops (e.g.,

resume/cover letter workshop, interviewing workshop, job search strategies workshop,

networking workshop, transferable skills workshop, stress management workshop).

Once participants have completed all required sessions and are approaching the

end of the six-month deadline, they are able to proceed to the action plan/closing session

to meet with the same career counselor they have been seeing throughout the program.

They will both work together to create an action plan and set short/long-term goals.

Participants will be given a post-assessment to evaluate the efficiency of the career

development program.

Location and Staffing

The career development program for MLM will be located within a mile radius of

Unemployment Insurance (UI) program locations in Southern California, specifically in

51

Los Angeles. California represented the highest number in laid-off events, which resulted

in 588,039 unemployment insurance claims. From these claims, 86% of the claimants

resided in metropolitan areas Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, California

(http://www.bls.gov/mls/mlsreport). Due to UI programs providing other benefits that the

career development for MLM does not offer, it would be beneficial to offer individuals

who qualify a combination of both services.

The program will be in need for three career counselors and three therapists. The

career counselor will be needed to conduct pre-screening sessions, intake sessions, and

career counseling sessions. Additionally, they will be needed to conduct workshops on

resume/cover letter building, interviewing, networking, transferable skills, and job search

strategies. Each career counselor is required to have a Master’s Degree in Counseling

with either an emphasis in Career Counseling or at least two years of experience working

in the field of career counseling or career development. One therapist will be needed for

personal counseling sessions and another therapist will be needed for facilitating the

psychoeducational group sessions. Each therapist is required to have a Master’s Degree

in Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or be a Licensed

Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

Personal Counseling

Due to the negative physical and emotional effects of an involuntary job loss, the

need for individualized personal counseling is crucial for midlife males (Price, Choi, &

Vinokur, 2002; Paul & Moser, 2009; Miller & Hoppe, 1994; Archer & Rhodes, 1995).

Due to the job loss being an involuntary event, it is important for participants to go

through a grieving process to mourn the loss of the job (Jones, 1979). The career

52

development program will offer personal counseling sessions to participants who are

enrolled within the six-month period. Participants will have the choice in either attending

three personal counseling sessions or attending five psychoeducational group sessions.

The goal of personal counseling is to help participants transition through unemployment

and improve their psychological and emotional well-being. Additionally, the program for

MLM will assist participants with grieving the job loss, developing effective coping

strategies, and with helping regain their sense of control.

In addition to providing individualized personal counseling, the career

development program for MLM will also provide family therapy for the participants.

Job loss has shown to have a significant impact on an individual’s family and has caused

family dissolution, marital dissatisfaction, and has created mental health effects among

the individual’s children, spouses and surrounding support groups (Kalil, 2005). Studies

have also shown how job loss can increase the likelihood of divorce among couples

(Doiron & Mendolia, 2009). Due to the job loss affecting family members, the career

development program for MLM will offer family therapy to assist participants in

addressing their family’s concerns about the job loss.

Psychoeducational Groups

The career development program for MLM will also offer psychoeducational

group sessions. According to Rabinowitz & Cochran (2008), men struggle with a loss of

self-esteem, self-confidence, and social support when experiencing a job loss. The

psychoeducational groups will meet five times every week for one hour. The groups will

be lead by one licensed therapist and each of the participants will be required to attend all

five sessions. Therapist will discuss issues related to fears, negative thoughts, and

53

irrational beliefs. Additionally, the therapist will address concerns related to the

participants’ family and social support. The role of the therapist will be to help

participants build a supportive network, maintain positive view of self, and to maximize

positive growth through the career transition process. Additionally, group discussions

will focus on working towards strengths and how participants can regain control through

effective coping skills.

Career Counseling

The event of losing a job can potentially lead individuals to change positions

within the organization or change careers outside of the organization (Behrens & Altman,

2000). Therefore, the need for career counseling is very important for this population.

When working with individuals who have been employed in congruent occupations for a

length of time, the career change process can be much more difficult for them. Due to an

individual’s identity being closely associated to their occupation, it is important for

counselors to help individuals regain their identity by structuring interventions related to

exploration of roles (Holland, 1959). Participants will be able to meet with a career

counselor once they have finished attending the personal counseling/psychoeducational

group sessions.

Workshops

Due to the lack of confidence in finding reemployment, individuals would also

need assistance with building resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and finding

effective job search strategies (Wanberg & Marchese, 1994). The career development

program will offer participants a variety of workshops such as resume and cover letter

workshop, interviewing skills workshop, networking workshop, and job search strategies

54

workshop. Participants will have the option of selecting a minimum of two workshops

that will best fit their needs during the six-month time period. Workshops will be

facilitated by career counselors.

Referrals

Due to the vast technological change, studies have shown to substitute skilled

workers with laborsaving machinery and equipment and have also shown to have a high

risk of losing a job (Aarsonson & Housinger, 1999). For this reason, it is important for

counselors to educate participants on current job trends and to encourage/refer them to

participate in retraining programs. Through retraining programs, individuals can learn

how to avoid skill obsolescence and can develop skills in areas that are in demand.

Additionally, the career development program will refer participants to other programs

that offer stress management workshops and introductory to computer workshops.

Supporting Materials and Assessments

• Workshop room/psychoeducational group session room

• Projector and projector screen

• Laptop for workshop facilitator

• Mini laptops for each participating member

• Internet access

• Notepads and pens for each member

• Photocopies of all handouts (see appendices)

Motivated Skills Card Sort

The Motivated Skills Card Sort (Knowdell, 2005) is a self-assessment that assists

individuals with identifying functional-transferable skills within two dimensions:

55

competency and motivation. The assessment helps identify areas that are central to

personal and career satisfaction and success. Additionally, it helps individuals with

pinpointing specific vocabulary words to describe goals and qualifications. The

assessment consists of 56 cards and a “motivated skills matrix.” Although this assessment

does not provide any measure of reliability or validity, it can be a beneficial tool to use

with MLM. With the assistance of the cards, it can help participants identify skills they

have acquired within the years and if they would like to transfer those skills into another

career field or possibly learn a new skill they had not thought about.

Campbell Interest and Skill Survey

The Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS) is a 320-item self-report

instrument that measures an individual’s interests and skills within different occupational

areas. The scales are based on seven different areas (influencing, organizing, helping,

creating, analyzing, producing, and adventuring) and are compared to individuals who

have been happily and successfully employed within the fields. Unlike other interest

inventories, the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey also assesses the individual’s

confidence to perform occupational tasks. In terms of reliability and validity, the media

test-retest reliability coefficients were examined over a 90-day period and for the

orientation, basic, and occupational interest scales were 0.87, 0.83, 0.87; however the

skill scales for the CISS are shorter, obtaining, lower coefficients of 0.81, 0.79, 0.79.

Campbell (1995) supports the construct validity for all CISS scales and concurrent

validity for the occupational scales. This assessment is intended on assisting participants

who may decide to change careers or possibly explore other fields that may interest them.

56

Transition

The career development program for MLM will provide an environment for

individuals that feels safe, empowering, and supportive. The licensed therapists will

provide personal counseling services and psychoeducational group sessions for

participants. The career counselors will lead the program by pre-screening applicants and

conducting intake sessions, career counseling, and follow-up sessions. Additionally,

career counselors will facilitate workshops on building a résumé/cover letter,

interviewing, job search strategies, networking, and transferable skills. The career

development program for MLM will also provide resources/referrals on retraining

programs and other additional workshops that may be more beneficial for participants.

The overall goals and objectives for the program will be discussed in chapter 4.

Specifically, the goals and objectives for the pre-screening session, number of required

sessions, and optional sessions will be articulated. Supporting materials and staff that is

needed for each session will be articulated and a detailed timeline of each program

session will be listed.

57

CHAPTER IV

Career Development Program for Mid-Life Males Who Are Going Through an

Involuntary Career Transition

For the following chapter, the overall program goals and objectives will be

discussed. A program outline will be provided followed by a detailed description of

program sessions.

Overall Program Goals and Objectives

Goals: Help participants improve their psychological and emotional well-being and

provide beneficial resources that can better assist them through their career transition.

Objectives: By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Gain a better understanding of themselves

• Learn how to utilize effective coping skills

• Expand their knowledge on the world of work

• Learn how to utilize career resources

Program Outline:

• Pre-Program Session: Screening

• Session 1: Intake

• Session 2: Personal Counseling (minimum of 3 sessions) (optional; must choose

between attending personal counseling or psychoeducational group sessions; or

both)

• Session 3: Psychoeducational Group (5 weekly sessions) (optional; must choose

between attending personal counseling or psychoeducational group sessions; or

both)

58

• Session 4: Career Counseling (Must attend at least 2 sessions)

• Session 5: Workshops (Must attend at least 2 workshops)

o Résumé/Cover letter building

o Interviewing skills

o Job search strategies

o Transferable skills

o Networking

• Session 6: Action Plan/Closing Session

59

Detailed Descriptions of Program Sessions

The details of the pre-programing screening session will be discussed, followed

by the intake session. As mentioned earlier in the limitations section, the personal

counseling and psychoeducational group sessions will not be discussed in depth. Based

on the different needs of participants, the career counseling and action plan session will

provide the reader with a general overview on career counseling goals. Lastly, detailed

descriptions of workshops will be provided.

Pre-Program Screening Session

Screening: Prior to accepting the applicants into to the program, they must satisfactorily

complete a screening process with a counselor to assess whether the applicant is an

appropriate candidate for the program.

Counselor Objective: First, the counselor will distribute the screening form to the

applicant. Once the client has filled out the form, the counselor will use the eligibility

criteria chart to confirm if the potential participant is appropriate for the program. Next, if

the client is eligible for the program, the counselor will give the client an intake form and

pre-assessment form to fill out at home. It is important to tell the client that the intake and

pre-assessment form must be returned to the office prior to meeting with the counselor.

Once the client has turned in the two forms, the counselor will be able to make their first

appointment. If the applicant is not eligible for the program, the counselor will explain

why they are not eligible by providing them information on the structure of the program.

If applicable, the counselor is encouraged to provide other resources depending on the

applicant’s needs.

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Eligibility Criteria: In order for the applicant to be accepted into the program, they must

meet the following criteria:

o Male

o 40-60 years old

o Experienced an involuntary job loss (must meet at least one of the areas)

o Discharged

o Displaced

o Fired

o Laid off

o Worked for a business that closed after 10 years

o Owned and lost the business after 10 years

Length: 10-15 minutes

Materials:

• Pre-screening form (see Appendix A), eligibility criteria chart (see Appendix B),

intake form (see Appendix C), pre-assessment form (appendix F), career program

layout (see Appendix E), and a pen.

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Session 1: Intake

Intake Application: Once participants have turned in their two forms (intake form and

pre-assessment form), they will receive their first appointment to meet with the Career

Counselor to go over their intake form. The intake form will consist of open-ended

response questions and will include the following six sections: (a) general information,

(b) employment information, (c) education/training, (d) skills, (e) personal information,

and (f) career information.

Intake Session: The career counselor will begin by first providing the participant with a

consent form to explain the rules to confidentiality and boundaries. Afterwards, the

counselor will use the applicant’s intake form as a guide to build rapport, clarify

responses, build career goals, and establish a positive relationship with the client. During

this time, it is important for the counselor to familiarize the client with program

services/resources by using the program layout sheet and to identify which services will

meet the client’s needs. It is encouraged to provide the client with different scenarios on

past participants and how they have navigated through the program.

Length: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Counselor Goals:

• Build positive rapport with the participant

• Introduce structure of program and services/resources offered

• Identify services to meet client’s needs

Materials:

• Intake form (see Appendix C), career program layout (see Appendix E), consent

form (see Appendix D), and a pen

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Session 2: Personal Counseling

Personal Counseling Session: Once participants have completed their intake session

with a career counselor, they will have the option in choosing to meet with a personal

counselor or attending the psychoeducational group. Participants will be required to

attend a minimum of three sessions for personal counseling. All personal counseling

sessions will be lead by a licensed therapist and the sessions will take place at the career

development program center.

Goals: Therapists will provide emotional support to help improve their psychological and

emotional well-being and will assist participants with the grieving usually associated with

losing a job. Additionally, they will address any concerns that the participant has and will

base each session on the needs of the participant.

Counselor Goals:

• Build positive rapport with the participant

• Provide rules to confidentiality

• Use open-ended questions

• Reflect on feeling and meaning

• Demonstrate empathy and convey genuineness

• Implement intervention style that is best appropriate for the client

• Address concerns that the participant may have

• If applicable; address the 4Ss (e.g., situation, self, support, and strategies)

Length: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

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Session 3: Psychoeducational Group (5 Sessions)

Psychoeducational Group Session: The psychoeducational group will consist of no

more than seven participants. There will be five sessions and they will meet every week

at the center. All sessions will be facilitated by the same licensed therapist.

Goals: The goals of the psychoeducational group sessions are to help participants build a

supportive network, maintain positive view of self, and to maximize positive growth

through the career transition process. Additionally, group discussions will focus on

working towards strengths and how participants can regain control through effective

coping skills.

Sessions:

• Session 1: Divided into four parts as follows: (1) introduction, (2) rules to

confidentiality, (3) establish rapport by having participants introduce themselves,

(4) provide purpose of group meetings.

• Session 2: Address and increase awareness on possible negative thoughts and

self-talk, fears, and irrational beliefs.

• Session 3: Discuss about the change in social support and if/how families have

been affected by the job loss.

• Session 4: Focus on working towards strengths and how they can regain control

through effective coping skills.

• Session 5: Conclude group session and allow time to have participants debrief and

reflect on their psychoeducational group experience.

Length: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

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Session 4: Career Counseling

Career Counseling Session: Once participants have completed their sessions either

through personal counseling or through the psychoeducational group sessions, they can

proceed to the next step to see a career counselor.

Goals: The goals of career counseling are to help participants understand the relationship

between themselves and the world of work and to assist them with the career planning

process. Additionally, career counselors will educate and provide electronic resources on

current labor market trends, occupations, pay, necessary skills, education and experience

requirements, and training programs. Lastly, they will provide one-on-one services to

participants who need additional help in constructing resumes/cover letters or

interviewing.

Counselor Goals:

• Continue to build positive rapport with the participant

• Assess readiness for career counseling

• Address career concerns and identify if participant is thinking about changing

careers

• If applicable, address the 4Ss (e.g., situation, self, support, and strategies) and

their life role and life stage.

• Provide services that would benefit the participant’s needs

Length: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Materials:

• Motivated Skills Card Sort (optional)

• Campbell Interest Skills Survey (optional)

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Session 5: Workshops

Transferable Skills Workshop

Workshops: Once participants have met with a Career Counselor, they can attend any

workshop they would like in any order; however, they must attend at least two workshops

during the six months. All workshops will be held at the career development program

center.

Goal: Participants will learn about the importance of transferable skills, how to identify

their own transferable skills, and how their skills relate to their job search process.

Objective: Participants will identify at least ten transferable skills, will learn how to

communicate one of their transferable skills, and successfully connect their skills to

potential jobs.

Materials: Projector, computer, transferable skills PowerPoint, transferable skills

checklist handout (see Appendix G), transferable skills workshop facilitator guide (see

Appendix I), and pens.

Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Staffing: One Career Counselor

Presentation:

Part I: Introduction

• The facilitator will:

o Introduce the meaning of “transferable skills” by providing a definition

and a reason for why they are important.

o Explain how transferable skills can be acquired through various life roles

and can be applied in many different situations.

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Part II: Activity Time

• Facilitator will distribute “transferable skills checklist” worksheet and encourage

participants to check-off at least 10 skills they may have from the list.

• Next, each participant must share at least one of their skills and how they obtained

that skill to another participant in the room.

Part III: Connecting Skills to Jobs

• Facilitator will provide an example of a job posting and will highlight the

requirements section to identify what skills the employer is looking for.

• By using the “matching the job description” worksheet from the handout, the

facilitator will assist the participants on how to match their skills to the job

posting skills.

• Next, the facilitator will provide another example of a job posting and will allow

the participants to match their skills on their own. Sharing out loud on their

findings is highly encouraged.

Part IV: Conclusion/Debriefing

• Each participant is encouraged to share their ideas and what they learned from the

workshop

• Any possible last questions that participants might have may be asked during this

stage.

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Résumé and Cover Letter Building Workshop

Goal: Participants will learn about the importance of a resume and cover letter in the job

search process. They will learn about the different components and what needs to be

included on a resume and cover letter. Lastly, they will be given time towards the end of

the workshop to construct a rough draft of their own resume and cover letter.

Objective: Participants will learn the purpose of a resume and cover letter. They will

learn about the three different types (e.g., chronological, functional and combination) of

resumes and will select a type that is closely related to their needs. Participants will learn

about common resume and cover letter components and what to include in each section.

By using an example of a job posting, participants will learn how to tailor their resume to

a specific job. They will also learn how to use action verbs and how to avoid mistakes.

Materials: Projector, computer, resume building PowerPoint, chronological resume

example (see Appendix J), functional resume example (see Appendix K), combination

resume example (see Appendix L), cover letter format sample (see Appendix M), cover

letter sample (see Appendix N), action verbs list (see Appendix O), resume workshop

facilitator guide (see Appendix P), 10 laptops, and pens.

Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Staffing: One career counselor

Presentation:

Part I: Introduction

• Facilitator will begin by giving an overview of the workshop and will distribute

the resume building handouts, along with pens to take notes.

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• Next, the facilitator will state what the importance of a resume is:

o The objective of a resume is to provide you with the opportunity to

interview for a job.

o Your resume is used as an advertising tool

o Your resume is meant to leave a lasting impression on a prospective

employer

o It must be able to highlight your achievements in a compelling and concise

manner

Part II: Types of Resumes

• Facilitator will provide participants with examples of three different types of

resumes (chronological, functional, and combination). Participants should be

encouraged to have in mind which type would best fit their needs.

Part III: Resume components

• Due to the “chronological” resume being the most commonly used type, the

facilitator will use that as an example to go over the different components.

• Components will include:

o Contact Information

o Objective (optional)

o Summary of qualifications (optional)

o Education

o Certification/Licenses (optional)

o Experience

o Skills (soft skills & hard skills)

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o Volunteer (optional)

o If applicable, additional headings can include: relevant coursework,

research, publications, and leadership

Part IV: Accomplishment statements

• With the help of the “action verbs” page from the handout, the facilitator will

show examples of different statements and how the quality of writing

accomplishment statements makes a difference.

o “Trained new employees” vs. “Trained more than 15 new employees over

a six month period resulting in increased customer satisfaction.”

Part V: How to tailor a resume to a job posting

• The facilitator will show an example of a job posting as a guideline and highlight

the “qualifications” section. Then, the facilitator will demonstrate how to use

keywords from the “qualifications” section to match a resume.

• Probing statements:

o Read the specific skills and qualifications: underline words/phrases that

match your background

o Read the job responsibilities: underline words/phrases that match your

background

o Every time you apply for a job, it is very important to tailor your resume

to that specific job.

Part VI: Resume Format

• Facilitator will discuss how to format a resume. Topics will focus on the:

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o Length of the resume, font style, margin sizes, category headings, bolding

words, dates, use of bullets, spacing, and paper style.

• Facilitator will also discuss commonly made mistakes

o Spelling and grammatical errors

o “I” statements

o Personal information

o References

Part VII: Cover Letter

• Facilitator will:

o Distribute the “cover letter format” sheet and “cover letter sample” sheet

o Describe the importance and purpose of a cover letter

o Go through each one of the sections (e.g., introduction, body paragraph,

and closing paragraph) and show an example on how to write an

appropriate cover letter.

Part VIII: Resume and cover letter building time

• For the remaining time, participants will each be given a laptop from the

facilitators and will be able to construct a rough draft of their own resume and

cover letter. If participants already have a rough draft, they are welcome to have

it critiqued by the career counselor at another time. If participants need more time

to work on their roughdraft, they can stay after the workshop and continue

working on it.

• Any last questions participants may have can be asked in this stage.

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Job Search Strategies Workshop

Goal: Participants will learn techniques on how they can improve their job search

process.

Objective: Participants will learn how to search and apply for jobs. They will learn about

the “hidden job market” and how they can apply to jobs in several different ways. Lastly,

they will learn how they can keep track of past applied jobs and be proactive throughout

their job search process.

Materials: Projector, computer, job search strategies workshop PowerPoint, job search

record sheet (see Appendix Q), matching the job description handout (see Appendix H),

job search strategies workshop facilitator guide (see Appendix R), paper and pens.

Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Staffing: One Career Counselor

Presentation:

Part I: Introduction

• Facilitator will introduce themselves and give an overview of the workshop

• Next, he/she will ask participants what their experience has been like so far

Part II: Different ways to search jobs

• Facilitator will show participants how they can search for jobs and not rely solely

on jobs posted on the Internet. Suggested places to look for job openings:

o Newspapers, alumni associations, volunteering groups, networking, social

networking sites, staffing agencies, Chamber of Commerce, community

groups, job fairs, professional associations..etc.

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Part III: “Hidden Job Market”

• Facilitator will discuss about the importance of networking and how to obtain jobs

that are not advertised on websites.

Part IV: Create Job Search Plan

• Participants will learn how to create their job search plan by doing the following:

o Listing their skills, strengths, and interests and types of jobs that match

o Creating/updating their resume

o Researching and contacting employers and companies they would like to

work for

• Facilitator will distribute the Job Search Record Sheet to assist participants in

keeping track of work search activities.

• Participants will be able to make note of the:

o Position they applied for and when they applied

o Employer/company they applied for

o Person they contacted for the position (if applicable)

o Method of contact they used (e.g., in person, phone, email)

o Contact information that was given to them

o Result of contact (if applicable)

Part V: Conclusion/Questions

• Facilitator will conclude the presentation by reassuring participants that the job

search process is not easy and that it will take time. He/she will remind

participants to see a career counselor if they need additional help.

• Questions?

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Networking Workshop

Goal: Participants will learn about the meaning and importance of networking. They will

learn how and where to network. Lastly, they will learn how they can use the given tools

to improve their job search process and increase potential employment opportunities.

Objective: Participants will learn about the benefits of networking in relation to finding a

job. They will learn about different types of networking styles (e.g., professional

organizations, LinkedIn). Lastly, they will learn how to identify their own networks and

maintain relationships within networking events.

Materials: Projector, computer, networking PowerPoint, networking workshop facilitator

guide (see Appendix S), paper, and pens.

Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Staffing: One Career Counselor

Presentation:

Part I: Introduction

• Facilitator will begin by giving an overview of the workshop

• Next, the facilitator will state what networking means:

o Networking is an “individual’s attempt to develop and maintain

relationships with others who have the potential to assist them in their

work or career” (Dougherty, 2004).

Part II: Importance of networking

• Facilitator will:

o Describe why networking is critical in the job search process

o State the benefits of networking

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o Provide statistics on how effective networking can lead to potential job

opportunities

Part III: How to network

• Facilitator will distribute a sheet of paper to participants

• Participants will begin making a list of everyone they know in in their life that

might be able to assist them (e.g., family, friends, past co-workers, acquaintances,

neighbors).

• Next, participants will circle individuals’ name that they are close to and who are

also employed. Once they have identified those individuals, they will be ready to

begin the networking process.

• Participants will learn how they can network throughout their day, regardless of

their setting and how they can meet, greet, listen, and engage in conversation with

individuals whom they are not familiar with. Facilitator will:

o Encourage participants to approach individuals and ask what they do and

practice a brief presentation about themselves and what they hope to do

Part IV: Where to network

• Facilitator will:

o Describe how participants can network through professional

associations/organizations and through social media

o Briefly show participants how to use LinkedIn

o Show a list of professional organizations/associations on cacareercafe.com

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Part V: How to maintain networking relationship

• Facilitator will describe how to continue the communication with the new contact

after the first meeting.

o Sending a thank you card to the new contact. If someone referred the

participant, thanking him/her for their help would also be beneficial.

o Passing along a helpful resource to the new contact.

Part VI: Next step/conclusion

• Facilitators will ask participants what their next step will be and how they plan on

accomplishing their next plan.

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Interviewing Skills Workshop

Goal: Participants will be able improve their job interviewing skills through learning

about the different types of interviewing, how to prepare and respond to interview

questions and how to avoid making interview mistakes. In the end, they will be given

time to have a mock interviewing session with a counselor.

Objective: Participants will learn the purpose of an interview and how they can prepare

for an interview. They will learn how to identify types of interviews and how to respond

to different interview questions. Participants will learn how to research companies and

employers prior to the interview and how to recognize illegal questions. They will learn

how to appropriately shake hands with an employer and how to describe their strengths

and skills. They will learn how to avoid interviewing mistakes and how to properly end

an interview (e.g., handshake, thank you notes, and follow-up emails). Additionally, each

participant will be given extra time in the end to have a mock interviewing session with

one of the counselors.

Materials: Projector, computer, interviewing skills PowerPoint, interviewing skills

workshop handout (see Appendix T), interviewing skills facilitator guide (see Appendix

U), and pens.

Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Staffing: Two Career Counselors

Presentation:

Part I: Introduction

• Participants will be receive interviewing skills handouts and a pen to take notes

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• Facilitator will begin by asking the participants questions to gain a better

understanding on their needs and to familiarize him/herself with the participants.

• Probing Questions:

o How do you all feel about interviewing? Do you get nervous?

o Does anyone have any interviews coming up?

o Does anyone want to share their experience in their last interview?

• Purpose: What is the purpose of a job interview?

o The purpose of an interview is for the employer to determine:

§ Whether you can demonstrate the skill they are looking for

§ Whether you are you able to contribute

§ Whether you are the best fit for the company/organization

Part II: Preparation

• Facilitator will probe questions to have participants become more familiar with

themselves and how they can market themselves.

o Think about some of your accomplishments.

o What are some of your skills? Where did you obtain those skills?

o What kind of knowledge have you gained throughout your life? Was it in

a specific field? Was it through attending college? Was it through a work

experience?

• Facilitator will talk about the importance of doing research before an interview

and where that research can be found

o Research the organization, industry, and position

o What are the company’s values and mission statements?

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o What other divisions or affiliations are they a part of?

o What are some of their products or services?

o What does the position you are applying for entail? The better you

understand the position, the better you will be able to communicate your

interest in the job and relate your past experiences to the job

responsibilities.

§ Company website “About us” page or mission statement

§ Google

§ LinkedIn

§ Press Releases

§ Twitter/Facebook

§ Business Review Magazine

§ Press Releases

• Facilitator will provide a picture of a male and female in their interview attires.

Additional topics will be discussed such as:

o Use of fragrances and cologne

o Hygiene and grooming

• Facilitator will give additional suggestions on how to prepare before the interview

o Know the location of the interview and where to park

o Arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your scheduled time

o Be polite and friendly with everyone you meet and make sure to check in

with the receptionist.

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Part III: The Interview

• Facilitator will talk about the importance of a handshake and will demonstrate by

handshaking a participant’s hand.

o It is very important to greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm

handshake. Also, make sure to maintain good eye contact. These

components demonstrate your confidence level and enthusiasm.

• Participants will then practice by shaking their neighbor’s hand, smiling and

maintaining good eye contact.

• Facilitator will then go over some of the typical questions employers ask

candidates

o “Tell me about yourself”

o “Why do you want to work for this company?”

o “Why should we hire you?”

o “What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?”

o “How do you handle stressful situations? Give me an example”

• By using different techniques, the facilitator will demonstrate examples on how to

respond to interview questions

o Situation, task, action, result (STAR)

o 60 second commercial

Part IV: Facilitator will discuss the benefits of asking the employer some questions at the

end of the interview and provide examples of questions to ask.

• It will give you a better understanding of the duties and expectations of the job

• Help you prepare for your follow up interviews

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• By showing a genuine interest in the company, it will show the employer that you

have researched the company

o Is their room for growth within the company?

o How does the company measure performance?

o What is the nature of the training program and supervision provided to

new employees?

Part V: Closing of the interview

• Facilitators will demonstrate how to properly close an interview by giving a few

examples:

o Ask what the next steps will be in the process

o Ask for the interviewer’s business card. This will help with the follow-up

after the interview.

o Thank the interviewer(s) for their time

o Smile, shake hands, and offer to provide any additional information they

may need.

o Be sure to express your enthusiasm and desire for the job by simply

stating it.

• Facilitator will provide participants with a template of a “thank you” letter (found

in the handout packet) and will state the importance of sending a thank you letter

to the employer

Part VI: Mock interview

• Participants will be divided into groups of 3 and will have a mock interviewing

session with a counselor. They will practice and demonstrate how to give a firm

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handshake, how to properly answer interview questions and how to practice as a

group interview session.

• Participants will later be given time to discuss areas that were easy or difficult, or

how they might improve their response.

• Any additional questions participants might have may be asked in this stage.

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Session 6: Action Plan/Closing Session

Action Plan/Closing Session: Once participants have completed all required sessions

and are approaching the end of the six-month deadline, they are able to proceed to the

action plan/closing session to meet with the same career counselor they have been seeing

throughout the program.

Goals: The goals of the action plan/closing session will be to have the participant reflect

on their experience in the program and to discuss how the participant is going to

implement the techniques he learned from the program. The counselor and participant

will work together to construct short and long-term goals and will discuss what steps to

take in achieving those goals. Lastly, the participant will complete the post-assessment to

evaluate the efficiency of the program.

Counselor Goals:

• Create a list of short and long-term goals with the participant and discuss how

they can take the appropriate steps towards completing those goals.

o Goals can be related to the 4Ss (e.g., situation, self, support, and

strategies)

• Allow time for the participant to reflect/debrief on their experience in the program

• Administer the pre-post-assessment

Length: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Materials:

• Pre-post assessment (see Appendix F) and a pen.

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Method of Evaluation

A pre-post assessment will be given to participants to evaluate the efficiency of

the program. The pre-assessment form will be administered once the participant has been

accepted into the program. They will be required to bring the form back prior to meeting

with the career counselor for the intake session. The post-assessment form will be

administered at the end of the action plan/closing session. Pre-post assessment questions

will be divided into seven areas (e.g., personal/psychoeducational group counseling,

career counseling, transferable skills workshop, resume and cover letter workshop, job

search strategies workshop, networking workshop, and interviewing workshop) and will

consist of statements relating to the goals of each area. Due to each participant having a

different personal and career goal, the statements for personal and career counseling are

going to be more generally articulated and less specific. The statements relating to

workshops will however be more specific and will be tailored to each one of the

workshop objectives. Participants will rate their responses on a five point Likert scale

beginning with strongly disagree and ending with strongly agree. As part of the post-

assessment, participants will also be asked to answer the following question, “what else

do you know now that you didn't know before you came in?”

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CHAPTER V

PROJECT EVALUATION

Chapter five provides a summary of the evaluations of the career development

program for MLM. Three professional readers who are employed in the field of career or

college counseling and have relevant experience working with this population were asked

to read chapters one, three, and four and respond to the following evaluation questions. In

the following section, the qualifications of each evaluator will be presented, followed by

the evaluation questions and responses from each of the evaluators. The chapter

concludes with an overall summary of the project.

EVALUATOR QUALIFICATIONS

Evaluator one has been a Career Counselor at a public university since 2001.

Within this setting, he has had the opportunity to work with clients from diverse age

groups and backgrounds, including midlife career-changers, both voluntary and

involuntary. Although his work has not been gender-specific, it has provided him with

some insight into the challenges faced by this population.

Evaluator two is a Nationally Registered and Master Certified Career Counselor,

experienced in corporate, educational and non-profit sectors, and is a current member of

the National Career Development Association (NCDA.) She holds a Master’s Degree in

Educational Psychology/Counseling from Cal. State University, Northridge and has been

a Career Counselor for over 25 years in non-profit, community college and business

settings. Currently, she splits her time as a Career Counselor and Manager of External

Programs at a nonprofit (where she has worked for 14 years) and a Career Counselor and

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Adjunct Faculty member at a large California community college (where she has worked

for 18 years.)

Her specialties’ include re-entry clients, students, mid-career transition, job search,

mentoring, teaching, training and supervising.

Evaluator three has worked in higher education in the area of Student Affairs for

over twenty-five years and has a Master’s Degree in Counseling with a specialization in

Career Counseling. He currently works as an adjunct Academic and Career Counselor at

two community colleges and in that role has served clients at both sites who fall within

the target population.

EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

1) To what degree is the structure of the program suitable for this population?

Evaluator one states that the structure of this program is suitable for the needs of

this population as outlined in this work.

Evaluator two articulates that she thinks the overall structure of the program,

which would include intake, mental health counseling, career counseling and job search,

is suitable for this population and would be a wonderful resource to help midlife men.

She has some concerns about the details, content and timing of the program, which she

will discuss below.

Evaluator three believes the program is very suitable for the target population of

midlife males, between the ages of 40 and 60, who are dealing with involuntary career

transition. It explicitly addresses both the mental health and career concerns of this group

in a comprehensive manner.

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2) Based on the mental health needs of this population, how adequate are the

number of required sessions for attending personal counseling and

psychoeducational group counseling?

Evaluator one believes that the mental health needs vary from individual to

individual and states that this program meets the minimum requirements.

Evaluator two states that it has always been her experience that each individual

goes through an involuntary transition (and the emotions and reactions that follow) at a

different pace. It is hard for her (as a non-mental health therapist) to determine if three

personal counseling sessions or five group sessions will be adequate. Her thought is that

this is a good start and a necessary step in the process. She is not clear about the title

“psychoeducational” and if it is a good representation of the elements that will be

addressed in the sessions. A better title might include “support group.”

Evaluator three articulated that because the program provides a thorough

screening process for participants, he feels that the number of required sessions for

attending personal counseling and/or psychoeducational group counseling would be

adequate. An essential element of this program, especially in light of the rise of long term

unemployment for the target population, is that additional personal counseling sessions

are available during the course of the program above and beyond the required minimum

number of individual and or group sessions.

3) To what degree is the method of evaluation appropriate for this program?

Evaluator one the self-reported pre-post assessment utilized to evaluate individual

learning outcomes is appropriate.

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Evaluator two responded that the use of a pre and post assessment is a good way

to evaluate the impact the program has on participants. She cannot assess the

personal/group counseling without knowing the content of the sessions; however can

assess the other sections of Appendix F. The Career Counseling section includes a

question about personality; however there is not a personality section or assessment

included in the program. In addition there is a question about skills listed under Career

Counseling that is duplicated and unnecessary because there is a separate section on

Transferable Skills. The remaining sections (Resume, Job Search, Networking and

Interviewing) are good assessments of pre and post levels of understanding of

participants.

Evaluator three states that the pre and post assessment survey is an appropriate

tool for evaluating the program. The assessment is both comprehensive, asking for

participants to rate both the personal and career counseling interventions, and detailed,

asking for feedback on the specific learning tasks that the program has targeted for the

participants’ development. Though it is not discussed, the assessment would also serve

as a useful summary and memory aid for the program’s participants, as it emphasizes all

of the actions steps that go into a successful career transition.

4) Are there any issues that may potentially arise in the future from

participants?

Evaluator one does not anticipate any unusual issues arising from this program as

outlined.

Evaluator two believes that there needs to be a distinction between a job and a

career during the introduction in Session 1. Most of the clients attending will not have

88

the “luxury” to spend the necessary time evaluating options to create an ideal career for

themselves. They will most likely need to find a realistic job and need help doing so.

Resources should definitely include interviewing strategies, networking, resume

assistance, labor market trends and recommended websites. Long term career planning is

quite different than finding a job although both can introduce the concept of finding

meaning in work and utilizing current skills. If it is necessary for a client to completely

re-career and leave their current industry and return to school, both a short term plan and

a long term plan may be necessary. Clients who are desperately looking for work may

need to overlook some of their passions in order to find income. A clear distinction of

these outcomes is necessary for clients to continue to be positive and not be discouraged

or disappointed.

Evaluator three states that because the project’s target population are likely to

experience ever more frequent and lengthy career transitions, transition that last longer

than six months, it is likely that many of the program participants will still be engaged in

the process of career transition at the time program concludes. As the program comes to

a close, these “still in transition” participants may need additional guidance in creating a

robust, resilient, and comprehensive support system to help them achieve their goals after

they no longer have access to the structure and support from the program.

5) To what degree are the assessments appropriate for this population? Is there

another assessment you believe is more appropriate?

Evaluator one believes the assessments utilized in this project are appropriate. An

alternative interest assessment might be the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) due to its

more universally accepted Holland theoretical base. He would also recommend the

89

exploration of personal/career values (a card sort could be utilized for this process as

could the Career Anchors assessment) for any individual participating in this program.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or a reasonable facsimile might also be

utilized to help understand the potential relationship between personality preferences and

the navigation of life transitions.

Evaluator two articulated that career values are an important component of any

career assessment. An individual’s career values often change when faced with an

unanticipated transition. She would recommend a component that addresses career

values along with skills and interests. Her concern is the amount of time necessary to

devote to all three assessments would be more than one session. In addition, if any of the

assessment exercised could be completed in advance that would allow the time in the

workshop to be devoted to reviewing the results instead of completing them during the

session.

Evaluator three believes that both assessments used in this program are

appropriate and should be effective. Both the Motivated Skills Card Sort and the

Campbell Interest and Skill Survey integrate the issues of skills and interest in an

effective and dynamic manner, allowing for the program participant to see how these

dimensions of career development have played out in their lives in the past, present, and

possibly in the future.

6) Please provide any recommendations you may have for revising the program.

Evaluator one has no additional recommendations at this time.

Evaluator two states that a mid-life male in transition is most likely going to need

to find work and income immediately and a six month program seems like a longer

90

period of time than most of these participants will realistically have to devote to this

process. She thought that the process can be shortened in length without eliminating any

of the components by offering sessions and workshops over a shorter duration with the

offer to continue if necessary. Giving clients a sense of hope that their transition will

take the least amount of time will help with some of the emotional reactions from the

start. She would additionally suggest adding one more Career Counseling session. Time

is needed to address a Realistic job search, the possible need for re-education and the

difference in finding a practical job versus a long-term enjoyable career. During the

interviewing workshop, it is critical to discuss the effects of the lay-off on self-confidence

and how to overcome these feelings in an interview. The job search workshop and

networking workshop could be combined, as there seems to be a lot of overlap. Her

belief is that most individuals find work through their network. There needs to be

adequate time devoted to this concept. In addition, most of these mid-life males who

have been working in the same position for over ten years will need to understand the

latest in job search (including LinkedIn and other online resources and websites) which is

much different from the way job search was conducted over ten years ago. Lastly, one of

the workshops offered might include financial planning, creating a budget and resources

for retirement planning since this population could benefit from these services as well.

Evaluator three believes that as the program comes to a close, these “still in

transition” participants may need additional guidance in creating a robust, resilient, and

comprehensive support system to help them achieve their goals after they no longer have

access to the structure and support from the program.

91

CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY OF PROJECT

In conclusion, the career development program for MLM is designed to offer an

integration of services to help fulfill participants’ personal and career needs. Numerous

research studies have shown the importance and need of providing both personal and

career counseling services for this specific population. By creating this program,

professionals can help participants improve their psychological and emotional well-being.

Additionally, they can provide beneficial resources that can better assist MLM through

their career transition process. Through providing a safe, supportive, and empowering

environment, the career development program aims to assist MLM during their

involuntary career transition process.

Chapter one provided the statement of the problem and the importance of the

problem. Additionally, it identified and discussed the characteristics of the focus group.

The theoretical perspectives of Super’s Life-Span theory and Schlossberg’s Transition

theory were discussed followed by the consequences of the problem. Furthermore, the

limitations of the project were articulated, as well as definitions of the technical terms

used throughout the project.

In chapter two, the theoretical perspectives of Super’s Life-Span theory and

Schlossberg’s Transition theory were each discussed. Both theories were described in

depth and provided beneficial explanations on how the two theories can be used with

midlife males who are going through an involuntary career transition. An introduction to

the review of literature was articulated. The review discussed topics on possible reasons

for an involuntary career transition, particularly in midlife males. The effects of job loss

on midlife males and on others were articulated. Additionally, issues on reemployment

92

and career issues that midlife males face during their transition were discussed, including

the need for personal, family, and transition and change counseling, social support, and

career counseling. Lastly, existing programs for this population were articulated and

career development program implications were added.

In chapter three, the procedure and structure of the program were articulated.

Additionally, the different components within the program were discussed such as

information on location and staffing, offered services, and supporting materials and

assessments.

Lastly, chapter four discussed the overall goals and objectives for the program.

Specifically, the goals and objectives for the pre-screening session, number of required

sessions, and optional sessions were articulated. Supporting materials and staff that is

needed for each session was articulated and a detailed timeline of each program session

were listed.

93

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Appendix A: Screening Form

Career Counseling Screening Form Note: All information will remain confidential

Name: Date:

Last First

Address: Street Address Apartment/Unit # City State Zip Code

Phone: Email: Is it okay to leave a message? ☐ Yes ☐ No Is it okay to email you? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Birthdate: Sex: Phone: Email:

Is it okay to leave a message? ☐ Yes ☐ No Is it okay to email you? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Have you been employed in the same industry for more than 10 years? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Reason for Unemployment: What do you hope to accomplish from career counseling?

!

!

Applicant Information

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Appendix B: Eligibility Criteria Chart

Eligibility Criteria Chart Name of Applicant: Last First In order for the applicant to be accepted into the program, they must meet each of the following areas:

☐ Male ☐ 40-60 years old ☐ Experienced an involuntary job loss (must meet at least one of these areas):

• Discharged • Displaced • Fired • Laid off • Worked for a business that closed after 10 years • Owned and lost the business after 10 years

Eligible: ☐ Yes ☐ No ! If yes, please staple the applicant’s screening form to the “eligibility criteria chart” sheet and place in the “eligible applicants” folder. Afterwards, please give the applicant one intake form to fill out at home. Once they return the completed intake form, they will be able to make an appointment with the counselor. ! If no, please provide a reason as to why they did not qualify by explaining the structure of the program. If applicable, please provide the applicant with other possible resources.

X Signature of Counselor Date !

104

Appendix C: Intake Form

! 1!

!!!

Career Counseling Intake Form

Note: All information will remain confidential

Name: Date:

Last First

Address: Street Address Apartment/Unit # City State Zip Code

Phone: Email: Is it okay to leave a message? ☐ Yes ☐ No Is it okay to email you? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Birthdate: Sex: Emergency Contact Name: Contact Relationship: Contact Phone:

Current Employment Status: ☐ Full-time ☐ Part-time ☐ Unemployed

Please list your last (3-5) jobs including job title, employer, dates of employment, reason for leaving and what you liked and disliked about that job. (1) Job Title: Employer: Dates of employment: Reason for leaving: What I liked:

GENERAL INFORMATION

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

105

! 2!

What I disliked:

(2) Job Title: Employer: Dates of employment: Reason for leaving: What I liked: What I disliked: (3) Job Title: Employer: Dates of employment: Reason for leaving: What I liked: What I disliked:

(4) Job Title: Employer: Dates of employment: Reason for leaving: What I liked: What I disliked:

106

! 3!

(5) Job Title: Employer: Dates of employment: Reason for leaving: What I liked: What I disliked:

Briefly list any formal education you have obtained and any other relevant education, certifications, or specialized training: (1) Degree/Certification/License: Institution: Date obtained: (2) Degree/Certification/License: Institution: Date obtained: (3) Degree/Certification/License: Institution: Date obtained:

What are your top 3 skills? 1) 2) 3)

EDUCATION/TRAINING

SKILLS

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! 4!

What can you do easily that other people find difficult?

What is difficult for you that others seem to find easier? Do you have a computer and Internet? � Yes � No How would you rate your computer skills with respect to looking up information on the Internet, sending email and using word processing programs?

� Very little skill � Average skill � Above-average skill

Relationship & Family History

Relationship status: � Single � Married � Separated � Divorced � Widowed Do you have any children? � Yes � No If yes, please state how many children and their age:

Please describe your living situation:

(For example, live with parent(s), friend, roommate, significant other, self)

Family Background !

What is/was your father's career? What is/was your mother's career? What types of careers do other significant family members have (brothers, sisters, others who influenced you)?

PERSONAL INFORMATION

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! 5!

Health Information

Do you have any current concerns about your physical health? Please specify:

Behavior – Please circle any of the following behaviors that apply to you: Overeat Suicidal attempts Can’t keep a job Take drugs Compulsions Insomnia Vomiting Smoke Take too many risks Odd behavior Withdrawal Lack of motivation Drink too much Nervous tics Eating problems Work too hard Procrastination Sleep disturbance Crying Impulsive reactions Phobic avoidance Outbursts of temper Loss of control Aggressive behavior Concentration difficulties

Feelings – Please circle any of the following feelings that apply to you: Angry Guilty Unhappy Annoyed Happy Bored Sad Conflicted Restless Depressed Regretful Lonely Anxious Hopeless Contented Fearful Hopeful Excited Panicky Helpless Optimistic Energetic Relaxed Tense Envious Jealous Others:

Physical – Please circle any of the following symptoms that apply to you: Headaches Stomach trouble Skin problems Dizziness Tics Dry mouth Palpitations Fatigue Burning or itchy skin Muscle spasms Twitches Chest pains Tension Back pain Rapid heart beat Sexual disturbances Tremors Unable to relax Fainting spells Blackouts Bowel disturbances Hear things Excessive sweating Tingling Watery eyes Visual disturbances Numbness Flushes Hearing problems Don’t like being touched

Please describe any incidents or problems that may have been associated with the job loss:

Please list medicines you are currently taking, or have taken during the past 6 months and reason for taking them (include any medicines that were prescribed or taken over the counter):

109

! 6!

Do you have any disabilities? If so, please explain:

Have you recently or are you presently receiving counseling or other mental health services from a counselor/therapist? If so, please explain:

Have you ever been treated by a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker or counselor? If so, please explain:

Substance Abuse History Have you ever experienced a problem with alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications? If so, please explain:

!

Have you ever been treated for problems with alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications? If so, please explain:

110

! 7!

Social Support System

Please describe your social support network (check all that apply): � Family � Neighbors � Friends � Co-Workers � Support/Self-help group � Community Group � Religious/spiritual center � Other

Military Service:

Have you been/currently in the military? � Never in Military � Served in Military-No combat � Served in Military-With combat

Please state why you decided to come for counseling: !

What do you hope to accomplish from this program?

What are your current career goals? (Even if you are uncertain, just fill in any thoughts you might have):

!

How do you like to spend your leisure time?

CAREER INFORMATION

111

! 8!

If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? !

What kind of barriers could get in the way of meeting your career goals (e.g., fear, self-esteem/confidence, pressure from others, mental health, motivation, no interests, lack of career information, indecisiveness)?

Which of the following career-transition workshops would be most helpful to you? (check all that apply): � Job Search Strategies � Resume & Cover Letter Building � Networking � Interviewing � Stress-Management � Financial Planning � Health & Wellness � Transferable Skills � Intro to Computers (email, Internet, Microsoft Word)

Is there any additional information about yourself that you would like to share with us that could assist us in this process?

X

Signature of Client Date

112

Appendix D: Consent Form

Program: The career development program for MLM is designed to help improve participants’ overall well-being during their involuntary career transition process. Additionally, the program offers resources to help participants gain information on how they can gain re-employment and develop new skills through their career development process. The program is structured into multiple sessions and requires each participant to attend the following sessions:

1) Intake Session 2) Personal Counseling (3 sessions) (must choose between #2 or #3) 3) Psychoeducational Group Sessions (5 sessions) (must choose between #2 or #3) 4) Career Counseling session (Minimum of 2 sessions) 5) Workshop (Minimum of 2 workshops) 6) Action Plan/Closing session

Confidentiality: All participants have the right to confidentiality on disclosing information in counseling sessions. There are however some limitations to confidentiality. As mandated reporters, career counselors and therapists are required to report to any instances of suspected child/elder abuse and report if the participant is at danger to themselves or others. Fees, Length and Program Usage: Participants may utilize services up to 6 months, which include attending workshops and meeting with a career counselor/therapist. First day of program usage begins on the day of the intake session and continues through 6 months, excluding weekends. There are no fees required to participate in the program. Right to Termination: Each participant has the right to end or take a break from the career development program. We highly recommend for each participant to discuss their request with the career counselor prior to terminating so they can provide participants with alternative resources and conclude the counseling relationship. Participants are always welcome to come back and continue using the services for the remainder of time they had left. I have read and discussed the above information with my Career Counselor. I understand the program requirements, the nature and limits of confidentiality, and what is expected of me as a client of the Counseling Services. _____ _____ Name of Client Name of Career Counselor _____ _____ Signature of Client Signature of Career Counselor _____ _____ Date Date

113

Appendix E: Structure of the Program

Must choose one or both

!

!Pre-program Screening

Session

!Intake Session

Personal Counseling

(Minimum of 3 sessions)

!Psychoeducational Group

(5 Sessions)

Workshops (Resume/cover letter, job

search, interviewing, networking, transferable

skills)

!Career Counseling

Session (Minimum of 2 sessions)

!Action Plan/Closing Session

114

Appendix F: Pre-Post Assessment

Name:&____________________________________________&&&&&&Date:&__________________________________&&

Please rate the following statements

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree of Disagree

Agree

Strongly

Agree Personal/Group Counseling I&am&aware&of&my&personal&

strengths.&

I&am&aware&of&my&challenges.& I&feel&that&I&have&effective&coping&

skills&after&my&job&loss.&

I&feel&that&I&have&a&sense&of&control&over&my&employment.&&

I&feel&that&I&have&a&supportive&network.&

I&am&aware&of&my&positive&thoughts.&

I&am&aware&of&my&negative&thoughts.&

I&am&aware&of&my&fears.& Career Counseling

I&am&aware&of&my&values.& I&am&aware&of&my&personality&and&how&it&relates&to&the&world&of&

work.&

I&can&identify&5&skills&that&I&do&well&and&enjoy&using.&

I&am&aware&of&my&interests.& I&am&aware&of&my&vocational&

identity.&

I&know&how&I&can&transfer&my&skills&into&a&different&occupation.&

I&know&how&to&research&many&different&occupations.

I&feel&confident&in&researching&employment&trends.&

I&know&how&to&search&different&occupations&and&find&the&skills&and&training&that&is&needed.&

I&am&able&to&make&a&decision&about&choosing&a&career&path.&

I&know&what&next&steps&to&take&to&achieve&my&career&goal.&

I&feel&confident&about&my&future&career&plan.&

115

Pre-Post Assessment

Transferable Skills: I am able to identify my

transferable skills.

I am able to identify 10 of my transferable skills.

I am able to communicate and relate my skills to a potential job.

Resume and Cover Letter: I know the purpose of a resume and

cover letter.

I am aware of the differences between a chronological resume,

functional resume, and combination resume.

I am aware of the components needed to construct a resume

I am able to tailor my resume to a specific job posting.

I understand the importance of using action verbs and avoiding mistakes in resumes and cover

letters.

Job Search Strategies: I am able to search and apply for

jobs.

I am aware of the “hidden job market.”

I am aware of how to effectively keep track of past applied jobs

throughout the job search process.

Networking: I am aware of the meaning of

networking.

I know how to network and where to go for networking.

I am aware of the benefits of networking.

I am aware of the different networking styles.

I am able to identify and maintain my own network system.

Interviewing: I am aware of the importance of

interviewing.

I am aware of how to prepare for an interview.

116

Pre-Post Assessment

I am able to identify different types of interviewing styles.

I am able to respond to difficult interviewing questions.

I am able to recognize illegal interview questions.

I am aware of the benefits in researching companies before the

interview.

I am aware on how to appropriately shake hands with the employer.

I am able to describe my strengths and skills to the employer.

I am aware of interviewing mistakes.

I am aware on how to properly follow-up with the employer.

What else do you know now that you didn't know before you came in?

117

Appendix G: Transferable Skills Checklist

Usi

ng W

ords

, Ide

as

Artic

ulat

e

Inno

vativ

e

Com

mun

icat

e ve

rbal

ly

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Spea

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form

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Sp

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R

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118

Oth

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pres

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er S

kills

:

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

___

____

____

____

___

119

Appendix H: Matching the Job Description Handout

Matching)the)Job)Description))))

Job)Title:)__________________________________________________________________________)))

Job$Description$ Your$Skills$$

__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$$

$

$___________________________________________$

$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$

$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$

$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$

$

$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$$__________________________________________$

$__________________________________________$$

$___________________________________________$

$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$

$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$$___________________________________________$

$$

$

120

Appendix I: Transferable Skills Workshop Facilitator Guide

Presentation

Part I: Introduction

• Introduce yourself and provide an agenda for the workshop:

o Agenda:

§ Learn the meaning and importance of transferable skills

§ Identify your own transferable skills

§ How to apply transferable skills in the job search process

o “How would you define transferable skills?” “Any ideas on what they

are?”

§ Transferable skills are skills that you have developed that can

transfer from one environment to another.

§ They can include skills that you have developed at home, during

education/training, work, volunteering or in participating in

hobbies.

o Why are transferable skills important?

§ “Learning about your own transferable skills can help you

articulate responses for job interviews and can help you develop a

skills summary section for your resume.”

§ “It can help you focus on skills that you have gained from recent

experiences and how you can market them.”

121

Part II: Identify transferable skills

• “Take a moment and reflect on your previous work experience, hobbies, volunteer

work, and other activities you’ve been involved in.”

• Distribute “transferable skills checklist” worksheet and encourage participants to

check-off at least 10 skills they may have from the list.

• Next, encourage participants to share at least one of their skills and how they

obtained that skill to another participant in the room.

Part III: Connecting Skills to Jobs

• Now that you’ve identified some of your skills, let’s see how we can match them

to potential jobs.

o Provide an example of a job posting and highlight the requirements

section to identify what skills the employer is looking for.

o Distribute the “matching the job description” worksheet and show

participants how they can match their skills to the skills the company is

looking for.

Part IV: Conclusion/Debriefing

• Encourage participants to share their ideas and what they learned from the

workshop

• Questions?

122

Appendix J: Chronological Resume

Chronological Christopher

christohersmith@yahoo.com • Northridge, CA • (818) 800-1234

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

• Over three years of insurance industry experience • Consistently recognized for superior customer service and efficiency • Exceptional attention to detail, illustrated by consistently high review scores

EDUCATION Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration California State University, Northridge (CSUN) May 2002 Associate of Science in Business Administration Los Angeles Pierce College June 2000

EXPERIENCE Farmer’s Insurance August 2000 – 2014 Commercial Claims Representative, Woodland Hills, CA • Handled commercial insurance claims dealing with HOA’s and liabilities • Increased personal efficiency rating from 89% to 98% in three months • Assisted in Wind and Hail Catastrophe in Dallas, TX, in July 2010 Farmer’s Insurance August 1995 – 2000 Claims Representative, Orange County, CA • Specialized in determining coverage for insured’s • Generated high levels of claim process times and finalization • Led a team of insurance adjusters during several CAT’s • Managed high inventories and provided file audits and feedback Wells Fargo Financial August 1990 – 1995 Financial Credit Manager, Orange County, CA • Recognized as top performer in the Midwest region • Generated over 2.5 million in sales rom January- August 2007 • Earned maximum monthly bonus in record amount of time SKILLS • Bilingual in French language • Proficient in utilizing Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Macintosh systems

Credit: Pierce Community College

123

K: Functional Resume

Functional Freddy

freddy@yahoo.com • Northridge, CA • (818) 800-1234 SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

• Over three years of insurance industry experience • Consistently recognized for superior customer service and efficiency • Exceptional attention to detail, illustrated by consistently high review scores

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & SKILLS Business Development

• Contributed to an increase of territory sales by 20% in two years through unique cold calling methods, dynamic presentations, and telemarketing

• Directed participated in landing 20 new client accounts using targeted prospecting and a proprietary follow-up process developed especially for the regional market

• Improved advertising campaign resulting in 15% increase in direct response inquiries

Administration

• Helped re-vamp back office processes including billing functions, sample distribution and tracking, staff training, media-relations, and advertising scheduling

• Assistant manager to sales team; personally accountable to 5 account mangers • Helped coordinate extensive advertising and direct mail production process, including

copywriting, proofreading, design, layout, photography, and video production Customer Service

• Aided management team in building solid client relationships by assisting customers with product selection, order fulfillment, logistics, and problem resolution

• Tag-teamed with company sales representatives in the negotiation of custom credit plans to assist customers in making better use of their quarterly budgets

WORK EXPERIENCE California Sales Group Inc. Youngstown, NY Sales Representative – Medical Equipment May 2002- June 2014 EDUCATION Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Management California State University, Northridge (CSUN) May 2000

Credit: Pierce Community College

124

L: Combination Résumé

Combination Cody

cody@yahoo.com • Northridge, CA • (818) 800-1234

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Over four years of computer programming and repair experience • Active participant in the computer community as demonstrated by involvement

with teaching and tutoring of students • Exceptional computer skills as outlined by experience in website creation and

computer repair

TECHNICAL SKILLS Computer Skills

• Advanced skills in XHTML, Perl, Java, Visual FoxPro, C++, Applet programming • Broad understanding of, and experience with Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux,

Solaris, and HP-UX • Extensive experience with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Adobe Acrobat X pro

Programming Experience

• Designed websites for organizations including the Career Pathways Organization • Created Online Word Puzzle game using artificial intelligence program • Currently creating online store for Big Johns Fishing Outlet

Communication

• Tutored freshman Computer Technology students in C++ and HTML • Presented a lecture on emerging technologies for Systems Programming Class • Prepared written reports for research done by the Tech Club

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Computer Technician, Best Buy, Valencia, CA May 2002- June 2014

• Completed computer repairs for 200+ customers in a timely manner

Computer Repair Technician, Circuit City, Van Nuys, CA July 1998- July 2001 • Recognized for superior customer service and computer repair abilities

EDUCATION Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Technology California State University, Los Angeles May 2000 Credit: Pierce Community College

125

Appendix M: Cover Letter Format Sample

Goals of a cover letter: • Attract a potential employer’s attention • Quickly and concisely point out relevant skills, knowledge of industry/position,

and knowledge of company. • Encourage the reader to move onto your resume with positive expectations.

An effective cover letter should:

• Include Information about why you want to work for the employer • Demonstrate clear and concise writing skills • Address any concerns about your application, such as a gap in job history or lack

of a specific skill • Demonstrate your knowledge of the position to which you are applying. Create a

different cover letter for each position you apply to. • Create connections between your experience and the qualifications the employer

is looking for.

You Information Date

Contact Person’s Information RE: Position Title Dear Mr./Mrs. ______________ Introduction: Refer to the job for which you are applying and how you heard about it. This is the appropriate place to mention a referral. Body Paragraph: Sell yourself! It should include the following:

• An emphasis on relevant skills, abilities, and experience. You want to answer the question: Why should I hire you?

• Also discuss why you want to work with this particular employer, what stands out about this particular organization? This is where you want to demonstrate your knowledge of the organization including its services, products, or operations.

• Explain why you want this particular position and why you are the right candidate for the job. Also demonstrate an understanding of the position to which you are applying.

Closing Paragraph: Be concise. Ask for an interview and thank them for their time. Signature and Name typed.

Credit: Pierce Community College

126

Appendix N: Cover Letter Sample

Roberto Walter Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Rob.walter@gmail.com (818) 555-6735

April 8, 2015 Mr. James Garcia Human Resources Manager Imagtec Technologies 2345 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91356 Re: Human Resources Associate Position Dear Mr. Garcia, I am applying for the Human Resources Generalist position advertised in the October issue of the Human Resources Career Bulletin. I will graduate in June with an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Los Angeles Pierce College. The values of community involvement, creating safe, healthy environments and dedication to providing quality healthcare to everyone is something that is very important to me and I’m excited about the prospect of working for California Medical Group who advocate those same ideals. Through my internship in the Human Resources department at Saatchi, I acquired an excellent understanding of the responsibilities and expectations associated with working in this field. This knowledge, combined with my computer proficiency in Word, Excel, and Access, allows me to be extremely innovative and efficient. Additionally, I developed strong written and verbal communication skills through human resources activities such as drafting job postings, evaluations, conducting employee orientations, and speaking to audiences of over 100 people. I believe that I could be a valuable asset to the California Medical Group. I look forward to meeting with you to further discuss this opportunity. Please contact me at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Roberto Walter Credit: Pierce Community College

127

Appendix O: Action Verbs List

Management Executed Approved Attained Improved

Strengthened Increased Directed Evaluated Organized Planned

Met

Communication Wrote

Informed Interpreted Contacted Addressed Convinced Formulated Critiqued

Spoke Inspired

Recommended

Helping Assisted Coached

Counseled Educated Expedited Motivated

Rehabilitated Served Solved

Initiated Arranged

Detail Oriented Arranged Allocated Scheduled Processed Prepared Enforced

Documented Compared

Planned Specified Evaluated

Manual Skills Assembled

Bound Built

Constructed Designed

Developed Handled Installed

Monitored Operated Prepared

Negotiation Cooperated Represented Coordinated

Publicized Strengthened Developed Prepared

Recommended Submitted

Investigated Compiled

Technical Assembled Calculated Computed Designed Operated Upgraded

Solved Repaired

Programmed Devised

Fabricated

Teaching Adapted Advised Inspired Informed Coached Clarified Verified Trained Provided

Persuaded Set Goals

Research Analyzed Clarified Collected Compared Conducted Critiqued Detected

Determined Diagnosed Evaluated Examined

Credit: Pierce Community College

128

Appendix P: Resume Building Workshop Facilitator Guide

Résumé Presentation

Part I: Introduction

• Begin by introducing your name and providing an agenda for participants:

o Agenda:

§ Importance of a resume and how it can be used

§ Types of resumes

§ Resume Components

§ How to create your own resume and tailor it to a specific

position

§ Resume formatting “do’s and don't’s”

§ Cover letter 101

§ Resume and cover letter building time

• “What is a résumé and why is it so important?”

o The objective of a résumé is to provide you with the opportunity to interview for a job.

o Your résumé is used as an advertising tool

o Your résumé is meant to leave a lasting impression on a prospective employer

o It must be able to highlight your achievements in a compelling and concise manner

129

Part II: Types of Resumes

• Provide participants with examples of three different types of resumes

(chronological, functional, and combination). Participants should be

encouraged to have in mind which type would best fit their needs.

o Chronological resumes: Begins with current positions and follows

your work history in reverse chronological order.

o Functional resumes: Focuses on the skills and responsibilities an

individual has had and de-emphasizes where those skills come

from.

o Combination resumes: Combines components from both the

chronological and functional resume.

Part III: Resume components

• Due to the “chronological” resume being the most commonly used type,

use that as an example to go over the different components.

• Components will include:

o Contact Information

o Objective (optional) o Summary of qualifications (optional) o Education

o Certification/Licenses (optional) o Experience o Skills (soft skills & hard skills)

o Volunteer (optional)

o If applicable, additional headings can include: relevant coursework, research, publications, and leadership

Part IV: Accomplishment statements

130

• Refer to the “action verbs” sheet and show examples of different

statements and how the quality of writing accomplishment statements

makes a difference.

o “Trained new employees” vs. “Trained more than 15 new

employees over a six month period resulting in increased customer

satisfaction.”

Part V: How to tailor a resume to a job posting

• Show an example of an online job posting and highlight the “qualifications”

section. Then, demonstrate how to use keywords from the “qualifications”

section to match a resume.

• Probing statements:

o “Read the specific skills and qualifications: underline words/phrases

that match your background.”

o “Read the job responsibilities: underline words/phrases that match

your background.”

o “Every time you apply for a job, it is very important to tailor your

resume to that specific job.”

Part VI: Resume Format

• Describe each one of the components and commonly made mistakes:

o Length of the resume, font style, margin sizes, category headings,

bolding words, dates, use of bullets, spacing, and paper style.

131

• Commonly made mistakes

o Spelling and grammatical errors

o “I” statements

o Personal information

o References

Part VII: Cover Letter

• Facilitator will:

o Distribute the “cover letter format” sheet and “cover letter sample”

sheet

o Describe the importance and purpose of a cover letter

§ “It allows you to introduce yourself to the employer and

allows you to expand on the information you have already

included in your resume.”

o Go through each one of the sections (e.g., introduction, body

paragraph, and closing paragraph) and show an example on how to

write an appropriate cover letter.

Part VIII: Resume and Cover Letter Building Time

• Provide each one of the participants a laptop and reassure them that they

can always bring their resume and cover letter back to their career

counselor and have it critiqued.

• Questions?

132

Appendix Q: Job Search Record Sheet

Job$Search$Record$Sheet$$

$

$Date$of$Contact$

$Position$

Applied$for$

$Company/Employer$

Nam

e$

Nam

e$and$

Title$of$

Person$

Contacted$

$Method$of$

Contact$

$Contact$

Inform

ation$

$Result$of$Contact$

$ $ $ $

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $$

$$

$$

$$ $

$ $ $ $

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $ $

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $ $

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $$

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $ $

$$

$$

$$

$ $ $

$$

$$

$$

133

Appendix R: Job Search Strategies Workshop Facilitator Guide

Part I: Introduction

• Introduce yourself and give an overview of the workshop:

o Different ways to search jobs

o “Hidden Job Market”

o Create a Job Search Plan

• Before starting presentation, ask participants what their job search

experience has been like so far. Depending on their responses, try to keep

their concerns in mind and intertwine presentation with their

positive/negative job search experience.

Part II: Different ways to search jobs

• How many of you have been applying to only online-posted jobs?

• How is that going so far?

• Show participants how they can search for jobs and not rely solely on jobs

posted on the Internet. Suggested places to look for job openings:

o Newspapers, alumni associations, volunteering groups, networking,

social networking sites, staffing agencies, Chamber of Commerce,

community groups, job fairs, professional associations..etc.

Part III: “Hidden Job Market”

• Discuss about the importance of networking and how to obtain jobs that

are not advertised on websites.

o Most jobs (70-80%) are not advertised online.

134

Part IV: Create Job Search Plan

• “In order to be successful in the job search process, it is important to

create a plan.” Before applying to jobs,

o List your skills, strengths, and interests and types of jobs that match

o Create and update your resume

o Research and contact employers and companies you would like to

work for

• Distribute the “Job Search Record Sheet” to assist participants in keeping

track of work search activities.

• Explain how it can be difficult sometimes to keep track of applied jobs.

With this sheet, it can help them be more proactive and can help them

refer back to the companies they applied for.

• Briefly go through each one of the sections on the chart:

o Position they applied for and when they applied

o Employer/company they applied for

o Person they contacted for the position (if applicable)

o Method of contact they used (e.g., in person, phone, email)

o Contact information that was given to them

o Result of contact (if applicable)

Part V: Conclusion/Questions

• Make sure to conclude the presentation by reassuring participants that the

job search process is not easy and that it will take time. Remind them that

they can see a career counselor if they need additional help.

• Questions?

135

Appendix S: Networking Workshop Facilitator Guide

Part I: Introduction

• Introduce yourself and provide participants with the agenda:

o What is networking?

o Importance of networking

o How to network (activity time)

o Where to network

o How to maintain networking relationship

o Conclusion/Next step

• Begin by providing participants a definition of what networking means:

o Networking is an “individual’s attempt to develop and maintain

relationships with others who have the potential to assist them in

their work or career” (Dougherty, 2004).

Part II: Importance of networking

o Describe why networking is critical in the job search process and

how it can be beneficial:

§ It is an important business skill. It provides an opportunity to

meet new people and exchange information with others.

§ Referrals are one of the main ways people obtain jobs.

§ You will have a higher chance in getting your resume to the

manager than an external applicant.

o Provide statistics on how effective networking can lead to potential

job opportunities

§ It is the most effective job search strategy.

§ According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70% of jobs are

found by networking.

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Part III: How to network

• Distribute a sheet of paper to participants

• Advise participants to make a list of everyone they know in in their life that

might be able to assist them (e.g., family, friends, past co-workers,

acquaintances, neighbors).

• Have participants circle individuals’ names that they are close to and who

are also employed. Once they have identified those individuals, they will

be ready to begin the networking process.

• Educate participants on how they can network throughout their day

regardless of their setting and how they can meet, greet, listen, and

engage in conversation with individuals whom they are not familiar with.

o “Talk to people wherever you go!” (e.g., weddings, airplane rides,

supermarket lines, bookstores, elevators, coffee shops).

o Encourage participants to approach individuals and ask what they

do.

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Part IV: Where to network

• Provide other ways someone can network

o Social Media

§ LinkedIn (Show a brief overview of LinkedIn)

o Professional Associations

§ Show example on cacareercafe.com

Part V: How to maintain networking relationship

• Describe how to continue the communication with the new contact after

the first meeting.

o Send a thank you card to the new contact. If someone referred the

participant, thanking him/her for their help would also be beneficial.

o Pass along a helpful resource to the new contact.

Part VI: Next step/conclusion/questions

• Ask participants what their next step can be to start the networking

process and how they can accomplish that goal.

• Questions?

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Appendix T: Interviewing Skills Workshop Handout

Top Tips on Successful Interviewing

1) Research the company: Know the organization’s values and mission.

Research their products and/or services. 2) Create a list of your accomplishments: What are you good at? What

experiences of yours stand out? 3) Prepare for commonly asked interview questions:

a. Why did you choose to apply to our company? b. How much do you know about our company, our product, our

service? c. Describe a time when you were faced with a challenging situation

and how did you handle it? d. Tell me about yourself. e. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?

4) Send a thank you letter after the interview: See example below

Roberto Walter Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Rob.walter@gmail.com (818) 555-6735

April 8, 2015 Mr. James Garcia J. B. S. Paper Company. 2345 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91356 Dear Mr. Garcia, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you and interview for the Sales position at J. B. S. Paper Company. My enthusiasm and interest has greatly increased as a result of your interview. I am especially interested in the opportunity to participate in the new sales initiative you mentioned and am confident that my education and experience make me an ideal candidate for the position. Please feel free to contact me at (888) 555-1234 if you require any further information from me. I look forward to speaking to you soon. Sincerely, Roberto Walter

Credit: Los Angeles – Pierce Community College

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Appendix U: Interviewing Skills Workshop Facilitator Guide

Presentation

Part I: Introduction

• Introduce yourself and provide an agenda for the workshop:

o Agenda:

§ Purpose of a job interview

§ How you can prepare for an interview

§ How to successfully answer interview questions

§ How to follow-up on the follow

§ Mock-Interview

• Next, ask the participants questions to gain a better understanding on their

needs and to familiarize him/herself with them.

• Probing Questions:

o How do you all feel about interviewing? Do you get nervous?

o Does anyone have any interviews coming up?

o Does anyone want to share their experience in their last interview?

• Purpose: What is the purpose of a job interview?

o The purpose of an interview is for the employer to determine:

§ Whether you can demonstrate the skill they are looking for

§ Whether you are you able to contribute

§ Whether you are the best fit for the company/organization

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Part II: Preparation

• Probe questions to have participants become more familiar with

themselves and how they can market themselves.

o “Think about some of your accomplishments.”

o “What are some of your skills? Where did you obtain those skills?”

o “What kind of knowledge have you gained throughout your life?

Was it in a specific field? Was it through attending college? Was it

through a work experience?”

• Discuss the importance of doing research before an interview and where

that research can be found

o Research the organization, industry, and position

o What are the company’s values and mission statements?

o What other divisions or affiliations are they a part of?

o What are some of their products or services?

o What does the position you are applying for entail? The better you

understand the position, the better you will be able to communicate

your interest in the job and relate your past experiences to the job

responsibilities.

§ Company website “About us” page or mission statement,

Google, LinkedIn, Press Releases, Twitter/Facebook,

Business Review Magazine, Press Releases

• Provide a picture of a male and female in their interview attires.

• Cover topics on the use of fragrances and cologne, hygiene and

grooming.

• How to prepare before the interview:

o Know the location of the interview and where to park

o Arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your scheduled time

o Be polite and friendly with everyone you meet and make sure to

check in with the receptionist.

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Part III: The Interview

• Discuss the importance of a handshake and demonstrate by handshaking

a participant’s hand.

o It is very important to greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm

handshake. Also, make sure to maintain good eye contact. These

components demonstrate your confidence level and enthusiasm.

• Next, have participants practice by shaking their neighbor’s hand, smiling

and maintaining good eye contact.

• Share some of the typical questions employers ask candidates:

o “Tell me about yourself”

o “Why do you want to work for this company?”

o “Why should we hire you?”

o “What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?”

o “How do you handle stressful situations? Give me an example”

• Address strategies to consider when answering typical questions such as

those above

• By using different techniques, the facilitator will demonstrate examples on

how to respond to interview questions

o Situation, task, action, result (STAR)

o 60 second commercial

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Part IV: Discuss the benefits of asking the employer some questions at the

end of the interview and provide examples of questions to ask.

• It will give you a better understanding of the duties and expectations of the job

• Help you prepare for your follow up interviews

• By showing a genuine interest in the company, it will show the employer that you have researched the company

o How does the company measure performance?

o What is the nature of the training program and supervision provided

to new employees?

Part V: Closing of the interview

• Demonstrate how to properly close an interview by giving a few examples:

o Ask what the next steps will be in the process

o Thank the interviewer(s) for their time

• Provide participants with a template of a “thank you” letter state the importance of sending a thank you letter to the employer

Part VI: Mock interview

• Divide participants into groups of 3 so they can have a mock interviewing session with a counselor. They will practice and demonstrate how to give a firm handshake, how to properly answer interview questions and how to practice as a group interview session.

• Ask participants afterwards what areas were easy or difficult, or how they might improve their response.

• Any additional questions participants might have may be asked in this stage.