Career Counselling – Coping with Employment Termination and Redundancy

According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) media release dated 19 April 2018, the national labour force participation rate is at an all time high of 65.7% which means that more individuals aged 15 to 64 years are working now more than ever before.

Whilst the above is good news for our economy there is also the flip side of employment and the world of work.  That is, the need to address underemployment, retrenchments and terminations and the associated impact of same.

In the most recent ABS – Labour Market Statistics Report (July 2014) it was noted that 2 million individuals ceased their job in the 12 months to Feb 2013.  Of those 2 million individuals, 19% or 381,000 were retrenched or made redundant.

Thus, over the course of your career life cycle it is inevitable that at some point in your career you will experience this transitional period.  In fact, many clients have reported that they have experienced this period 2, 3, 4 or more times over the course of their career.

Thus, whilst you may perceive redundancy and/or termination to be taboo, embarrassing, humiliating or a hush hush topic in fact Continue reading “Career Counselling – Coping with Employment Termination and Redundancy”

Career Counselling: – Careers – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Unless I have had the opportunity of meeting you in person or communicating with you via online discussion  I do not know your individual story or where you are in your individual career life cycle however if your career story is anything like mine you have had some good, bad and down right ugly times in your life and career.  There is no judgement, just a hypothesis based on ones’ personal experiences and those of clients one has helped over the years.

So often we get caught up in the shoulds of life and our careers, which basically translates into us placing expectations on ourselves, that we lose sight of are the bare basics; simply put that life and our careers come down to two fundamental aspects – experiences and relationships.  Be it the relationship we have with ourselves and/or others or the experiences we crate or are presented to us in order to grow, develop and evolve as human beings.

Thus, when you look at the purpose of your career it really comes down to simply Continue reading “Career Counselling: – Careers – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”

Career Counselling: – Is your Career Counsellor legitimate?

I remember back in the early 2000’s when I first started my practice (then called HR Aspects) and commenced market research to compare and contrast my expertise and experiences with competitors of the time; the internet was still in it’s infancy and very few organisations advertised on Google.

Fast forward 15+ years and there are hundreds and thousands of career providers spruiking their services on Google alone claiming to be a Career Counsellor, Career Coach, Professional Resume Writer, Career Development Consultant, Specialist or Expert. Quite frankly, for the average individual looking for someone to help them with their career related queries or concerns it is very confusing – how can you possibly sort out what services you need and want if Continue reading “Career Counselling: – Is your Career Counsellor legitimate?”

Career Counselling and Development – Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens

Blu Ripples Career Counselling and Development Services for High School Students
Blu Ripples Career Counselling and Development Services for High School Students

CAREER COUNSELLING AND DEVELOPMENT – NEWCASTLE, LAKE MACQUARIE AND PORT STEPHENS NSW

Last Thursday, 21st May 2015, I had the privilege of speaking with numerous high school students, parents and members of the general public at the Newcastle Lake Macquarie Career and Training Expo.

It was very encouraging to hear Continue reading “Career Counselling and Development – Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens”

Career Counselling: – IF ONLY I…… STOP the Regrets and start pursuing your dreams

If you could be or do anything in this life what would you do or be.  As children we have so many dreams about what we will do, be and become when we grow up but somewhere between childhood and adulthood our dreams become squashed, buried deep, hidden away or totally pulled apart and reworked because they do not fit our loved ones or societies view of who we should be.

So my question to you is:-

“What dreams have you buried or given up on that would bring you fulfillment, happiness and joy”?

Do not place any limitations on yourself such as if I only had a million dollars in the bank and did not have to worry about bills, the mortgage, school fees etc I would be or do xxxxxxxx.

Find a way of incorporating your dreams into your life it maybe that you start small for example you may have always wanted to start your own small business; start doing some research, enrol in a small business course, talk to people who work in the industry and have already set up their own small businesses.

By focusing on what you want (big picture) and taking positive small steps to incorporate aspects of the big picture into your life you will eventually see the realisation of your dreams.

Find the peace, contentment, fulfilment, happiness and joy that you have been searching for.  It is YOUR LIFE after all – You deserve to be HAPPY, content and fulfilled.  So take a risk, follow your dreams and be the best person you can be.  Life is too short for mediocrity.