Career Counseling - FAQs
How can a career counselor help me?
Are there special challenges/problems for a person entering a creative field?
Is this a good time to get a job?
I've done career assessments on my own. Why do I need a career counselor?
What if I have questions after receiving feedback on assessments?
Do you have a listing of jobs?
What is a professional résumé?
I'm in therapy. Does this affect career counseling?
How do I answer tough interview questions?
What do people say about Anne Headley's work?
How much does it cost to work with Anne Headley?
A career counselor is one who guides and supports another person (the client) through the process of deciding on a career, pursuing a new position, negotiating a better situation in one's present employment, and/or understanding one's gifts and how they can be used in the workplace of today and tomorrow. Practically speaking, a career counselor has specific training in career theory, communication, assessment, and counseling. Feel free to ask anyone identified as a career counselor where he/she received training.
How can a career counselor help me?
You have to tell the counselor where you are stuck. Is it information? Lack of confidence? Fear of change? Bad experiences on the job? Encountering age or other discrimination? Past failures? A counselor can take any of these situations and put them into a new perspective.
We can't make gaps in work history go away, but we can help you account for your time. We can't eliminate age discrimination, but we can help minimize the possibility of it. The more honest you can be with your career counselor, the more she or he can help you work around the barriers which are keeping you from the success you crave.
Are there special challenges/problems for a person entering a creative field?
Yes. Artistic arenas (art, music, writing, museum or theater work, for example) attract certain personalities, who may be very gifted. One of the most important things to remember is that in entering an artistic field, the art of compromise is essential. The novice needs to be punctual and to perform the essential details. Beginners won't start out as stars, and may feel unfulfilled and frustrated. Remember to make the most of your after-work hours to develop your talents. This keeps you energized and inspired. Creative people need to keep using their gifts, whether for pay or not, to keep growing, and not become depressed and discouraged.
Is this a good time to get a job?
If we learned anything from recent tragic events, it is that today is all we have. Job hunting today is more complicated than yesterday, but there are successes happening all the time. Response times for your applications or resumes may be slower, because companies are unsure of their own economic health. More than ever, it's a perfect to capitalize on your contacts, strengths, and opportunities.
For a more in-depth discussion of the impact of the terrorist attacks on and since 9/11/2001, see the article by career guru Richard Bolles called Job-Hunting after September 11 at http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/articles/after911.shtml
I've done career assessments on my own. Why do I need a career counselor?
There are many instruments available for your use on the Internet. Some are well researched and appropriate for you. Many are not. A dialogue with a career counselor can be uniquely personal and tailored to your situation. A trained career counselor is experienced in selecting assessment instruments for clients with specific needs and interests.
Furthermore, if you take several tests, the results can appear to be contradictory. A career counselor can determine patterns, conflicts, and needs for further exploration. These findings can be more important than the actual job titles which career assessments can produce.
What if I have questions after receiving feedback on assessments?
Be in touch! A brief e-mail with a short question will be answered promptly. If the question merits more discussion, then Anne Headley will contact you and suggest an hour (or a half hour) of career coaching to resolve the question.
Do you have a listing of jobs?
No. Career planning is not job placement. I don't have job listings. I do not line up contacts for you. That's your job.
Back to topWhat is a professional résumé?
A professional résumé follows the conventional rules (no more than two pages in length), while highlighting something special. It should be the right blend of your past and your future. It may contain a career objective, a summary of skills, a professional profile, a mission statement, or something that is just right for you. Your education, special skills and work experience will be arranged in a way most advantageous to you.
An effective résumé is one which makes your phone ring or your e-mail blink.
I'm in therapy. Does this affect career counseling?
Career counseling is not therapy. We will talk briefly about why you are stuck in your job search, or why things haven't worked out for you on the job, but this will not involve an in-depth look at intense, interpersonal dynamics. If you are in therapy, I will seek your permission to contact your therapist and inform him/her of our work together, according to the ethical guidelines of the National Career Development Association.
How do I answer tough interview questions?
Answer: one at a time! You will be prepared. You will answer honestly, briefly, and tactfully. If mistakes are being discussed, you will acknowledge your responsibility for problems and explain how you have learned from them and have changed.
What do people say about Anne Headley's work?
Anne really helped me with all aspects of my application for a specific job. She helped to make my resume more polished and to really tighten the cover letter to make a solid first impression. When it came to the interview, although I was qualified for the job I was interviewing for, she helped me to make a better presentation and to tailor the interview to my strengths. She also introduced the idea of having a portfolio, which was a big asset for the interview - Catherine, Baltimore.
I often think of the Strong test, the Meyers-Briggs, and the Flower and how they have informed and continue to inform my choices as I undertake my new career. Career counseling did provide me with insight into myself. Your knack for understanding people has given me the self-awareness I needed to understand how to take the next step. Thank you. - Mary from MD
I just wanted to thank you so much for all of the assistance and support you gave me during our couple of sessions together. I believe those sessions played a big role in my thinking outside the box so that I would recognize an opportunity like this one if I saw it. - Mark, Columbia, MD.
Anne Headley’s career counseling transcends the typical job search that you might do on your own. She can reassure and strengthen your current careerchoice, or help you find an entirely new direction.Surprisingly, she offered advice on constructive waysto resign from a job, how to navigate the honeymoon period in the next job, and the proper care and feeding of mentors. For example, there are ways to resign that can leave a healing effect with your colleagues, your former co-workers, your former organization, and yourself. -Mannix from MD
Working with Anne to get a full assessment of my work preferences and skills prevented me from continuing to make the same career mistakes over and over again. Liz from VA
I really appreciate your help in my discovery of myself and what I want in a job. You are the greatest! THANKS so much for the guidance and support. Ilene from Beltsville, MD.
You asked me to update you when I started my new job in the corporate world. I started work 2 months ago and am *so* much happier. I wanted to say thank you for your help and support - for being so accomodating with me being in the UK and all. - Jacquie, Cardiff, Wales
I took your advice and started emailing potential employees. I got a call the first day (last Thursday) and started working on Tuesday as a commercial appraiser in training. So far so good.
Thanks for the push! It's exactly what I needed. I'm indebted to you! - Darrell, Dunkirk, MD.
Thank you so much for your support and guidance, and straightforward, no nonsence helping hand! Your approach and counsel really helped me get a thick skin, and definitely helped me develop a strategy for the eventual next job hunt. I look back, and I feel as though I have left a jungle, and I am remembering everyone with whom I spoke, the good, the bad....the really bad, and I am glad that I sought you out for support. I am also on the look out for my artsy friends, so if any of them need help, I am recomending you, because of your empathy. - Ricardo from MD.You gave me the helping hand I needed at the lowest point in my life...and I will always be grateful. Your kind words and encouragement meant so much. I really cannot tell you how much hope you gave me as well as the wonderful résumé! Doors just began to open after that. And I do thank you. -- Cathy, Gaithersburg, MD
It really was so helpful in getting me off the dime. To have a finished CV that people have praised gives me added confidence. Thanks again.-- Tom, Chicago, IL
How much does it cost to work with Anne Headley?
Coaching or Career Planning (via telephone or e-mail)
$40.00 per half hour or $80.00 per hour
Career Counseling (in person)
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