This would use her flair for design, knowledge of business, and also her astute knowledge of people. Although she might need some additional education in beginning her own business, this would not be as extensive as going back to school, which Cindy feared she would have to do, to remain competitive in the working world. Application of data to client

Cindy is a 'people person' at heart. Hopefully, this forced career change will be the proverbial blessing in disguise and allow her to explore previously hidden internal aspects of her vocational self. Although Cindy was frequently called upon to show leadership of other administrative personnel, she was often relegated to a supportive capacity at her previous place of employment. At the helm of her own business, in an occupation she loved, this would not be the case.

Review of analysis with client

However, upon further exploration, Cindy was somewhat leery about beginning a new business from scratch, given the high failure rate of new enterprises. She said she would consider adding to her business skills and try to work her way up within an already-established organization. Still, Cindy was concerned about not being hired because of her age, or relegated to lower-level retail work if she began working at a store.

Counseling strategy

Cindy was encouraged to pursue a variety of options. Signing up at temporary agency could provide her with access to different types of office work and allow her to find a place in an industry that interested her and drew upon her interpersonal skills to a greater degree. Also, even if some office jobs are not glamorous, many are highly social and demand leadership and working with the public.

Client response

Cindy said she was more hopeful after taking the assessment, but she still had many regrets that she did not strengthen her business-related background while she was younger and had more time, money, and energy to pursue her own business. However, she said that working for a new and expanding business and having the ability to use managerial techniques as well as secretary-related skills would be satisfying enough for her to willingly take a pay cut at first, although her finances were tight.

Cindy admitted that she had always been frustrated when forced to take a 'back seat' at her places of previous employment. She felt that she only really exercised her full potential at meetings when she could show her hospitality skills, entertaining executives and other staff members.
Structured Assessments

Use additional headings for data collection responses

1. How can I be useful to you as you construct your career?

Cindy felt that talking about her fears and hopes for her vocational future were helpful, even if she did not agree with all of the assessment results. Cindy felt she was more artistic than suggested by the SDS, given her love of fashion and beauty. Simply doing the assessment was useful as a kind of soul-searching therapy. Also, engaging in discussion and forming a clearer plan about trying new occupations in the near future made her feel less hopeless. Cindy said she had known many former administrative assistants like herself were often forced to work at Wal-Mart because of their obsolete skills.

2. Who do you admire? Who would you like to pattern your life after? How are you like them? How are you different?

Cindy said that the person she admired most was her mother, a wonderful cook at homemaker. Although Cindy was not a homemaker, she said that she had always respected her mother's skills to make others feel welcome. A final possibility Cindy said she would like to consider would be working in the hospitality industry, either as a caterer or in a restaurant. Cindy said that she might consider taking on some part-time work in the fields that interested her, including fashion and food, to have a better understanding of how she could move forward in those industries.