As someone who doesn't like maths, I have to say that I was very sceptical about the repertory grid, but after experimenting with it in class yesterday I found I really liked it and realised that it could be a very useful tool in the guidance process.
Kelly's idea of self-characterisation is simple but very effective. It seems amazing to me that an organisation like Careers Scotland have not taken this idea on already. Rather than asking clients to fill out the 'diagnostic card' when they come in, they should give them just 7 mins or so to fill in a self characterisation sheet (like we did) and thereby give the adviser a much more solid basis to work from....maybe it would help the advisers to feel less 'scared' when an adult came in looking for guidance! If they felt this idea wouldn't work so well with young people then maybe they could just trial it for the adults......
I like the way that Kelly's PCP approach is very focused on the person and their agenda. As Kelly says, constructs are personal and it is therefore vital for the careers adviser to know more about the person's constructs in order to be able to understand how they see the world. Rather than 'diagnose client's', it seems to me a much better idea to start from the person's perception.
Inspiration from Graduation!
16 years ago
But lot of people wouldn't like to/be capable of exposing themselves like that
ReplyDeleteI can't see it working in an organisation like careers scotland, especially if you had never been there before or didn't know/trust the advisor!
I think it would a) send a lot of people running to the hills b) completely throw people who were expecting leaflet-type help or c) make people edit their issues to make them more 'acceptable'
There is a web page about use of grid in careers guidance at http://www.enquirewithin.co.nz/career.htm and a whole lot of other related stuff
ReplyDeleteOh I do agree with you! I have no idea why bigger organisations don’t use this very simple yet very effective way of giving clients some ownership of their interviews and hopefully building up their confidence. But I can hear them now, it’s a time issue, not everyone wants to use this technique, why should we use it when we have client contact cards they can fill out that tells us nothing about them!!
ReplyDeleteI have always been very scared of interviewing adults but now I am looking forward to it! I want to give someone the opportunity to try this out, of course they may not want to, but I think by giving them the opportunity to give you some information about themselves that they think is important for you to know and is relevant to why they are seeking your guidance, can only be a positive start to your relationship building – its person centred all the way for me!
If I went into a guidance organisation and the person at the reception handed me a self characterisation sheet I'd probably wonder what was going on.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first comment here, that it is something that would need to be discussed and explained with an adviser first.
Also, not everyone uses places like Careers Scotland, Connexions & HE for guidance. The vast majority are seeking information (colleges/uni's) and help with a CV. The amount of vocational guidance interviews in places like Careers Scotland centres is relatively small.
I agree that it is a good tool to have for getting to know a client better but only when the client was comfortable with it and with appropriate cleints.
I also think it is a perfect way of giving clients ownership of the interview - I'm looking forward to trying it out in the future too. I think some clients might find it difficult - but for others I think they would find it liberating, like some of us expereinced in class ourselves. It would depend on the client, but I think for many it would work really well.
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