Career Vision - Visions Newsletter Feb. 2007

www.careervision.org

For Our Clients & Their Families
5 WAYS TO GET MORE MILEAGE OUT OF YOUR CAREER PORTFOLIO

The tangible prize you take home from your feedback session is an information-rich Career Vision Portfolio, a binder loaded with information customized just for you.

1. In conjunction with your personalized consulting session, this reference tool supports a much deeper understanding of what makes each of you unique. Not only does it contain the assessment results and a list of college majors that support careers that are a good "fit", it also includes planning and specific career information to help you easily investigate the recommendations.

Here are four more ways to use your Portfolio: More...

Events Calendar
Click for more information on these events

3/2 DuPage County Guidance Counselor Institute Day

3/7 Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, "How to Help Your Teen Choose a Motivating College Major"

3/12 Johnsburg HS, "Tips for Career Decision-Making"

3/20 DePaul University, Program for Alumni Career Mentors

Don't see your school, organization or business listed above? Call us if you would like to host a free Career Literacy program, or set up an entire series for your parent group.

Does your high school have a Career Vision Partnership to educate students and their parents on the importance of early college and career planning? Call to find out more.

Learn more about how we can assist you. Call us at 630.469.6270

Career Vision
800 Roosevelt Road
Suite E-200
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
toll free: 800.469.8378
local: 630.469.6270

February 21, 2007

The Aptitude Advantage
One of the best competitive advantages for workers in today's dynamic economy is to know your strengths or natural abilities. Did you know that aptitude measurements are designed to predict someone's potential to learn or acquire the skills to perform specific tasks? Do you know why this is important? First, the information helps identify what types of tasks are most readily mastered. Second, the information indicates what types of jobs depend on people who are most "fit" or capable in these roles. Here are three challenges in discussing natural talents:

The first challenge is accepting that we are not all equally talented in every task put before us. If anyone has ever watched a track meet, you can see that a smart coach does not expect each contestant to compete in every event. The individual who is good at long distance running is not usually the best at shot put or even sprinting. The same is true in organizations. More...

Study Says College Freshmen Hunger for Career Help
A new national research study indicates that 66% of entering first-year college students would welcome career guidance assistance. The research was conducted by Noel-Levitz, a consulting firm used by over 1,800 colleges and universities to help address the issues of student recruitment and student persistence to graduation. The survey instrument used for this 2007 National Freshman Attitudes Report was completed by over 97,000 first-year college students last summer and in early fall.

High interest in obtaining career counseling was evident across all institutional types and categories of students. A full 66% of the students said they would like help selecting an educational plan that will prepare them to get a good job. Over 62% of the students indicated they would like to talk with someone about the qualifications needed for certain occupations. Almost half the students reported that they would like some help selecting an occupation that is well suited to their interests and abilities.
More...

Counselors' Corner: Neuqua Valley's Guidance Department Shines

Under the direction of Karen Lemanski, the Guidance Department at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois, is making a difference in their students' lives. Their mission is "to provide guidance and support for all students regarding emotional, social, academic and career development."

One of their many unique programs takes place during a student's sophomore year. All sophomores do a week-long "Career Research Project" in their English classes that is designed to start students thinking about potential careers and the prerequisites needed to enter the field. Utilizing the DuPage Education-to-Careers workbook, "Where Am I Going From Here?", students select a specific career to explore. They spend two lab days using CareerCruising software and the internet to do research. Students interview a person in that field and use at least 5 sources to write a paper and give a class speech on the career. This is the students' English class project for the semester and is a great way to help them learn about different career paths and the education required to enter those fields.

Supporting the good work of Neuqua Valley's Guidance Department and their goal of providing "best practice" resources to their families, Career Vision partners with Neuqua Valley to provide Career Literacy(TM) programs for their parents and students throughout the year. Through the partnership, many Neuqua Valley students have received Career Vision's "Advantage Scholarships" to assist them in their success.

Headed by Susan Janes, Neuqua Valley's resource-rich College/Career Center is open daily and two Wednesday evenings every month. On one of those evenings--Wednesday, March 7th, Career Vision will provide a parent/student program in the auditorium entitled, "How to Help Your Teen Choose a Motivating College Major".

Hats off to all Neuqua Valley High School counselors for their ongoing dedication to helping students reach their full potential!

For more information on how your school can establish a Career Vision High School Partnership, contact Sue Simpson at 630.469.6270.

Thank you for your interest in Career Vision
Career Vision helps individuals identify college and career options that accentuate their strengths and lead to success more quickly. We are part of the Ball Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to helping individuals discover and develop their potential since 1975.

If you know of a parent who has a high school or college student unsure of their college or career direction, or someone who is looking to make a change to a more satisfying career, please forward this newsletter to them or have them call us. It would be our privilege to assist them. Gift certificates are available.

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