About the Bookstore Browse Aisles Search Desk Shopping Basket Book Trade Terms Just Released! Return Policy Help Here is the full reference card for this book... If you'd rather place an order by talking to one of our cheerful order desk clerks, please call 1-888-232-4444 (USA and Canada only) or 250-383-6864. From Europe, ring our UK order desk clerk at local rate number 0845 230 9601 (UK only) or 44 (0)1865 722 113. A Structured Guide to Career Selection by James O'Sullivan 65 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0270; ISBN 1-4120-2442-0; US$17.45, C$22.95, EUR14.95, £9.95 An amazingly simple, yet comprehensive, approach to assessing career options. This is a workbook where the student is led to a step-by-step exploration their preferred choices in a structured manner. Read more! about the book       about the author       excerpts       catalogue info About the Book This workbook employs a revolutionary approach to assisting students in selecting a career or college course. Using the structured thinking methodology of Dr. Edward de Bono, this workbook will lead the student in a simple, yet comprehensive, step-by-step exploration of all their choices. The main objective of the work is that the student themselves look at all their options and make selections based on personal goals and interests. The workbook exercises are divided into 7 simple steps: 1. Personal goals and ambitions are listed. 2. Factors which affect careers are explored 3. Alternatives are then selected (a suggested list of over 200 is given) 4. Facts about each of the 20 choices must then be assembled. 5. Having assembled the facts on each career the student is then directed in a simple assessment of the choices. This is done with an emphasis on objectivity. Pros and cons will be explored equally. 6. Based on the data assembled in step 4, and the assessment of options in step 5, the picture should now be much clearer. The student should now be in a position to make their choices based on knowledge and objective assessment. 7. The final step is to plan a simple strategy. This will involve planning the steps required to achieve the career of their choice. The work can be done by the student working alone but would benefit more by being completed in a classroom context where processes are discussed under guidance. It is not suggested that this manual should replace, but rather complement, the standard procedures of career guidance. About the Author James O'Sullivan is a retired school principal with thirty years' teaching experience. Much of this teaching involved private tuition dealing with pupils from ages four to university level on a daily basis. He also specialises in the teaching of constructive and creative thinking - giving seminars on the topic to teachers and business management. It is a combination of this experience with the Edward de Bono foundation and his work with students all levels that have provided the basis for this workbook. His website www.teaching-thinking.com is a synopsis of the development of thinking and an exploration of thinking styles.

Excerpts

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Decision Making
3. Guide to completing the exercises
4. Aims Focus - long term aims / short term aims
5. Brainstorm Focus - Factors involved
6. Alternative Focus - what choices do I have
7. Fact Focus - assembling Facts about selected Careers.
8. Assessment of Choices *Plus Focus & Minus Focus - looking at the Pros and Cons equally.
9. Refinement - shortlisting the choices after objective assessment
10. Short term aims - laying out a strategy to achieve our goals.

Introduction

One hundred years ago choosing a career was not a difficult choice. Generally a young person would be following a family tradition and take over the family business or farm. The Third level study choices were limited to engineering (mechanical and structural), medicine or academic. Otherwise one could serve an apprenticeship and learn a trade : carpentry, metalwork, stonemasonry, saddler etc. The vast majority of young people would drift into general labour with only a minimum of education.

Social and financial status was a huge obstacle to college education. The class barriers often placed insurmountable obstacles for the young person. A further restriction was that most Educational qualifications and trades were only available to the male half of the population! The choices were therefore very limited - often there was no choice at all.

Today that has totally changed. It is far more difficult for the student. The choice is now so vast that it can be very difficult to consider all options. It is your future and this huge decision must be made at some stage.

The purpose of this work is to help you make that decision with more confidence. You will be guided in a comprehensive exploration of choices. By the time you complete this work the picture should be clearer. It will not conclusively tell you what to do with your life but should make your final decision easier.

This workbook is not intended to replace any of the standard procedures or methodologies of your Guidance Counsellors - rather it will be used in conjunction with standard procedures. Your Guidance Counsellor, friends and parents will assist and direct you in your work. Guidance Counsellors today have to fulfil a complex role beyond the traditional one of Career selection. This work is to facilitate and assist in just one facet of that role.

Decision Making

Making decisions is too often based on just one Factor - our emotions or what we often term "gut instincts". This is not adequate. Intuitive decisions should always be influenced by adequate knowledge and experience. When a fireman or doctor arrives at the scene of an accident they can react intuitively in seconds to make the correct decisions. This is based on knowledge and experience. Where there is lack of knowledge decisions can be flawed and even dangerous.

Although gut instinct is an important factor, it can too often be the only factor on which students base their career and study choice. "I like ... " or "I don't like...", when put at the start of our thinking, will always only direct our attention in one direction. If we start by saying "I like..." the next word is usually "because...". In other words we react and then try to explain why we are reacting this way. All the thinking then becomes just an argument in favour of this initial reaction - rather than an objective assessment of options....

Fact gathering should always precede decision-making. When we have assembled as much information as possible only then can we make choices with reasonable confidence and accuracy. In all choices there are many factors to be explored first. This book will assist you in that exploration and give you more confidence as you start into your future.

Aims Focus

We always need a good reason to do something. This makes the work more enjoyable and focused. When we set out aims we can measure our progress as we achieve each of those aims in turn. This gives a sense of achievement. In order to give direction or purpose in this work you must decide why or how you want to do it. What do you hope to achieve by this exercise? Listing goals is a very important step so that we can make stronger choices with confidence. Just the exercise of writing these points down will help give you something to aim at.

Note: Never list aims under "I should..." or "I could...". Using these terms only weakens willpower and does not give strength to your direction. Use "I WILL....".

Brainstorm Focus

Sometimes brainstorming is considered a tool for creative thinking - or generating new ways to look at something. Here the sole purpose is to direct our attention at as many factors as possible to be considered in making a career choice. We look at how a career can impact on our lives, work location, working environment, salary etc. Do not consider any specific career at this stage. Simply take suggestions from all members of the group. List key words, phrases etc. that should be considered in any career choice.

It is essential for confidence in approaching decision making to do a Brainstorm Focus. It is a vital part of planning in order to avoid possible omissions. How often the situation arises that there are unforeseen complications because we "had not thought of that" or "that question was not asked at the time". This is less likely to occur if we have made a deliberate effort to consider all factors involved.

Alternative Focus

Here we ask ourselves what alternatives do I have in career choices. Do not limit yourself initially to just what you think is suitable for you or within your ability range. Too often girls do not consider engineering or army as an option. Boys, on the other hand, sometimes do not consider nursing or interior design as options. This list should initially cover all possible careers. They should be achievable careers within a reasonable time span e.g. Rather than saying Astronauts maybe Aviation would be the appropriate start. Also it would be better to generalise somewhat by listing medicine rather than GP and also Surgeon. Most courses start generally and after the initial years the student is given the opportunity to branch into specific areas. Consider each career as a ladder where other opportunities arise as one goes up. What we want to focus on here is the starting point of that ladder. If you want to own your own hotel some day then Hotel Management may be the start of that ladder.

When students set out to choose a career some factors very often limit their explorations e.g. Stereotyping, financial constraints, perceived ability constraints, peer pressure, parental pressure... etc.. Under Alternative focus we want to go beyond those constraints - they can be considered at a later stage when assessing the options. Limiting your choice of alternatives too quickly is never an intelligent move.

Fact Focus

Before we can even start to consider a career we must first assemble as much information as possible about each. Research each of the 20 Careers in your Alternative Focus list. Do this using the questions you have selected in the Brainstorm Focus. Take each career in order and answer the ten questions on that specific career. At the bottom of the page then add any further relevant information. Where possible ask people involved in that particular career. Otherwise ask teachers or parents, or research on the net or from reliable sources. Try to ensure the information is accurate.

Be as precise as possible in the answers. If the question is "What is the work environment like"? An answer like "good" or "not nice" would not do. Give more detail in every case.

While doing Fact Focus it is important to realise the difference between Fact and Opinion. Consider facts as precise and accurate information. Opinion on the other hand is based on one person's point of view. Opinion is usually personal judgement

Plus Focus / Minus Focus

Now we must assess each of those 20 choices in turn. This is the part where we try to put aside personal emotions, likes and dislikes. Assessment is all about taking a balanced approach and looking at both sides of the story equally. For many years now you have practised the usual type of discussion and debate: we take a stance on an issue and use all our ability to justify why that stance is correct. This is argument and debate. It is used as a means to prove why we are correct rather than balanced exploration of a topic.

Too often our thinking is directed by "I like.... Because..." or "I don't like.... Because....". In other words we react to an Idea and then argue why our reaction is correct. This is usually done without any balanced assessment of the idea. Choosing a career based on this approach is dangerously weak thinking. It requires a more balanced approach of looking at pros and cons equally. The thinking you do now could affect the rest of your life.

Plus Focus: Select the first of the twenty careers. Write it at the top. Now give five reasons why you think this would be the right choice for you. No justification or explanation is necessary. Simply list the good points of this career. Why it would be suitable for you? Why it would work? What are the benefits? What are the good points?

All the points given should state why this is the right choice for you. Do not try to give explanations. Keep the statements as short and simple as possible.

Where you have difficulty finding ten points ask opinions from others - peers - parents - teachers - or ideally: people involved in those particular careers.

Minus Focus: When you have completed the PLUS points proceed to fill in five minus points. Write five reasons why this particular career would be a bad choice for you. What would be the difficulties? Why would this not fulfil your aims in life? Why do you think you would not like this career? What are the drawbacks or weaknesses?

All the points given should state why you feel this would be a bad choice. Again - consult others where you have difficulty finding points.

Aims Focus - Immediate aims

Now that you have a better idea of what type of career you would like to pursue the following exercise is designed to give direction and strength of purpose to your work in the forthcoming years. It is the next step on the ladder to achieving your ambitions. Here we lay out what are the goals and schedule you must set in the next few years to achieve the Career of your choice. Keeping options open is very important also - the more options you have the more you will have to generalize these aims. It is a plan of work which should be referred back to regularly - to assess whether you are making positive progress.

In setting our these aims be aware of following factors: Exam grades required. Appropriate choice of subjects. Colleges to attend. Expenses (living and college). Study times required. Duration of course. Etc.

Catalogue Information