Career counseling guide

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Cof undedbyt heErasmus+programmeoft heEuropeanUni on


Open Gates to the Knowledge of Entrepreneurship Nr. 2017-1-RO01-KA219-037428

Career counseling guide

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union


Open Gates to the Knowledge of Entrepreneurship Nr. 2017-1-RO01-KA219-037428

Partners: - Romania, Technological High School Costesti - Cyprus, IMS Private School - Italy , I.I.S."Luigi Sturzo" - Turkey, Sule Muzaffer Buyuk Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi COORDINATORS: Mrs. Corina-Violeta Motrun , Technological High School Costesti-Romania Mrs. Maria Grazia Raimondi,I.I.S."Luigi Sturzo"-Italy Mr. Onur Arslan ,Sule Muzaffer Buyuk Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi-Turkey Mr. Pavlos Pavlides ,IMS Private School-Cyprus TEACHERS: Mrs.Tatiana Stoian Preda, Technological High School Costesti-Romania Mrs.Daniela Ghitulescu, Technological High School Costesti-Romania Mrs.Violeta Telescu, Technological High School Costesti-Romania Mrs.Silvia Santamaria,I.I.S."Luigi Sturzo"-Italy

EDITOR: Mrs. Corina-Violeta Motrun , Technological High School Costesti-Romania

CORECTOR: Mrs.Daniela Ghitulescu, Technological High School Costesti-Romania

“The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.�


Career counseling guide

Contents: 1. Terminology. a. Career b. Career counseling 2. Factors involved in career choice and development 3. What does the career counselor do? 4. Planning your career 5. Self-recognition and personal development 6. Personal marketing 7. Management and access to information 8. Entrepreneurship, career option 9. Technics for finding a job


1. Terminology.

Career The concept of career has been more defined over time. This was regarded either as "the ascension of a person within the hierarchical structure of an organization" or as "the trajectory traveled by a person through learning, training, experience and work." Career: "succession of occupations, jobs, and positions a person has during his / her active life, including pre-vocational (such as student and active) and postvocational (retired who can act as substitutes, collaborators, etc.) "(Butnaru, 1999). Professional career is the professional evolution of an individual throughout his life. Within the same profession, a person's career may be subject to specializations, training or professional promotions. Career can also be seen in economic, sociological or psychological terms. From an economic point of view, the career consists of a sequence of jobs occupied by a person as a result of his training and professional merits. From a sociological point of view, it is a sequence of roles played by a person, each of which is the basis of the next one. From a psychological point of view, the choice of roles and the success in their exercise depend on the aptitudes, interests, values, needs, previous experience and aspirations of the person concerned (FIMAN, 1998). Career counseling According to the definition used by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Commission and the World Bank, "Career counseling refers to services and activities intended to assist the individual, at any age and at any time in his or her life, the education, training and occupation plan and to develop their own career. These services can be organized in schools, universities, training institutions, public employment services, the workplace, voluntary and community activities, and the private sector. Activities can be run with individuals or groups, face to face or remotely (such as those offered on the phone or web services over the Internet). These services provide career data (printed, electronic or otherwise), assessment and


self-evaluation tools, counseling interviews, career development education programs (to help the individual have a good self-image, be aware of the opportunities that can benefit and develop their career management skills), job search programs and transition services. " Career counseling can be done both during the course of the studies and after their completion both during the active working life and after it is completed. Career counseling means the process of maximizing compatibility between the resources, requirements, aspirations, values and interests of an individual, and the real supply of education, training and socio-professional integration. Career counseling has become a process of particular practical importance because of its implications in various fields: education, labor, economy, health, culture, trade, services, etc.

Career counseling is an extremely useful tool in that: • provide information - on contact with the beneficiaries of the information, counseling and guidance services - about their needs, requirements or aspirations in terms of education and training offer; • facilitates young people's access to alternative ways of planning and career development


, • normalizes the transition to the labor market; • provide feedback to educational institutions and trainers on the basic skills, skills and abilities required by the dynamic labor market; • makes individuals capable of initiative, able to make decisions about their continuous training and personal career development. Career counseling appears as a form of continuous assistance to the individual in the complex process of adapting to the changing work environment; it helps the individual to discover his / her interests or preferences for a profession or family of professions, to check that he / she has the skills necessary to successfully practice that profession and to assess his / her chances of professional success. For this, the counselor must have the means to investigate the two poles of interest: the individual and the profession.

According to the Declaration of the International Association for School and Professional Orientation (AIOSP) in Stockholm (1995), counseling and guidance are services to help young people and adults: • "to understand and to evaluate; • communicate effectively with others; • to draw up plans for their own career and proper training; • Consider alternative careers;


• to successfully face the various obstacles to gaining a place in society and on the labor market "(Jigău, 2001). Counseling involves helping the client get to know and realize his abilities, to force all his "reserves" in a timely manner for his permanent social evolution. Counseling also means recommending the means by which customers overcome certain difficulties or loopholes, to offset their limits (Mitrofan, 1991).

Career choice is a moment of decisive decision in the person's life, when it specifies the form of socio-professional activity in which it is to capitalize on its skills, knowledge and knowledge base. Career choice is a natural consequence of the differentiated schooling process and appears as a result of the young man's orientation in the whole of social values. School and family ensure the young man achieves the necessary maturity level for such a decision, helps him / her in making the decision by providing information about his / her professions and his / her own personality characteristics (Butnaru, 1999). The career decision should strike a balance between individual and social interests.


2. Factors involved in career choice and development

• family pressure - a situation in which close persons feel justified to impose their own model to follow, no matter the open opposition or felt by the young person; sometimes in the name of the most noble intentions, the home family maintains the infant's youthfulness and adds to it; • the pressure of society - defines and imposes in collectives wide professional patterns invested with a certain meaning at a given moment, launches "trends" in choosing, exercising and valorizing professions; • circumstances (financial situation, parental role, marital status) - on the one hand, there are situations when these coordinates are favorable to the career, in the sense that they support or predispose the individual to a high compatibility with the professional field concerned; on the other hand, it is the case where these data stops a normal career progression in relation to the personality of the individual, at least in the absence of obvious efforts to reconcile them; • past performance - the individual carries personal history of aspirations, attempts, regroups, job satisfaction, or professional horizons; these may be


disturbing factors as they have been associated with failures, disappointments, touches of deep ego etc .; • personality - there are personality traits that some occupational spheres make use of, and others inhibit them; also, how the individual relates to the profession is given, to a large extent, by his / her cognitive / affective / willing dominance and their combination. The capacity for mutual adaptation of the two reference systems is responsible for the optimal socio-professional insertion of the individual, as well as for the renewal of the way in which work can be successfully exercised in a given field; • Concerns and attitudes - the happy case when formal concerns coincide or are complemented by personal interests of knowledge or exploration, is the reverse of the situation in which the explicit attitude towards the actual work is at one time undermined by opposing personal interests. Inner conflict may generate destruction of relationships with significant people in the work environment or the neglect of strong reasons that do not correspond to the professional path chosen; • personal value system - it is analyzed related to three types of disjoint values: • Helping people - focusing on relationships with colleagues, looking for rewards like friendship, collaboration; • Material gain - appreciation of work situations and professional relationships after the measurable contribution they can have to personal welfare; • the opportunity to be creative - the freedom to make improvements to the workplace is for some people a reward in itself, for which it expresses its creativity in different forms and moments; this value is the key to organizational and individual progress; • Faith - the foundation of professional choice on the belief that there is only one valid way to perfect each; this implies assuming risks related to the alteration of the original motives, subsequent developments in the profession or personality, the temptation to explore unknown territories. Any choice is perfect and should not pay tribute to a rigid self-assumed convention; faith must be invested in the idea that man goes through experiences (including professional ones) that make him better, reveals his abilities and shows him more clearly the way forward in the future.


Throughout their lives, the individual is confronted with many aspects of career choice. In early childhood, by playing, the first ways to practice the skills of different professions appear. There is a direct relationship with certain persons in the child's immediate universe and empirical contact with different professional roles: the educator and the teacher, the doctor, etc. As aging progresses, it begins to study the various disciplines of education that lead to the crystallization of the field and the content of the work of many professions. It is a period of exploration, career aspirations, a time when the child dreams of becoming a cosmonaut, footballer or actor. Upon entry into the middle school, a more stringent need for self-knowledge and skill testing arises, and at the end of this period, the first important option for the future career will be: choosing the appropriate way to continue studying (in secondary education). The importance of this moment for the child's future requires prior training so that the decision is not taken at random. There is a period of accumulation of new knowledge and clarification of areas of interest. In addition to the theoretical training, the teenager now needs self-knowledge, exercising the skills to face the labor market, to make a second important decision regarding his career: continuing education (in higher education) or inserting (hiring in the workplace and practicing a craft). It is very important to know and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of both variants in order for the option to be made in accordance with the possibilities (talent, skills), but also with the sociocultural and economic realities of the environment in which the individual lives. Concluding, career counseling is the process of assisting individuals, regardless of their age and active life, through which they are assisted in making the best decisions about their own socio-professional path.


The role of the career counselor

The career counselor is the specialist that help and guide the counselor in the process of self-knowledge and personal development in order to achieve a competitive career management of the internal career. It provides advised persons with information about the professions and occupations in the field of interest of applicants for the counseling process, helps them to compare their requirements with their personal characteristics and skill level, analyzing each alternative together and assessing the consequences.


3. What does the career counselor do?

• Provides individual or group counseling services, guiding people interested in career choices, training or complementary training • Guides the beneficiaries of the counseling services for self-knowledge, skills development, finding their own resources and solutions, according to the wishes and aspirations of the counselor; • In the counseling process the specialist does not impose his / her own opinions or solutions.

When is it necessary to appeal to a Career Advisor? The need for career counseling can occur at any time in active life and even after retirement. In general, each of us asks for specialists when we need guidance and we do not have the necessary knowledge. In Career Counseling we can address the specialist in one of the following situations: • Difficulties in choosing a high school or faculty to follow; • Difficulties in compiling a resume or a Letter of intent; • You want to hire yourself for the first time and you do not know what kind of job it would suit you; • You want to hire yourself and you do not know how to look for a job; • You do not know why your applications at different jobs have not been taken into account; • You want to change your job but you do not know how to do it; • You do not know how to deal with a crisis in the workplace; • You can not keep a job for more than a few weeks


4.Planning your career

"Open your eyes wide! You have hundreds of opportunities in front of you! "

Career is one of the most important aspects of a fulfilled life. Planning a career is shaping your career goals, setting a path you want to go and what you need to get where you want. Career planning is a continuous process of context and development.

THE CAREER PLANNING CONCEPT is the process of identifying career needs, aspirations and opportunities, choosing occupations, organizations and pathways to be pursued in a career.


What are the advantages of career guidance: Short term: - self-knowledge - increasing motivation - developing interpersonal relationships and abilities - Career planning - Getting useful information about careers and occupations - Exploring opportunities Long-term: - professional satisfaction - easier insertion into the labor market - developing flexibility and adaptability to change - Linking lifestyles, values, leisure, education, and profession Career planning is based on creating realistic career plans to allow you adapting to the requirements of the labor market and performing the roles optimally. It's about evaluating your strengths and weaknesses, see opportunities for development and set goals and plans to reach these goals. Career planning is a five-step process: Self-knowle dge / self-evaluation 2. Educational and occupational exploration 3. Adoption of the career decision 4. Establish a career plan 5. Personal promotion So, besides setting up a series of personal and professional goals, you have to identify also the means by which you can achieve them. Career development is the result of implementation good career planning that will provide you with the skills and experience you need. It is a process that involves change and self-development throughout your life as a result of integration of all roles (student, family member, worker, citizen), contexts (family, school, community, work) and events (first day of school, first job, parenting, job change) in a person's life.


5. Self-recognition and personal development

What we discover through self-knowledge:

The information about our own person that we identify through the self-knowledge process refers to: -the professional values we have-the criteria we make for choices. -interests - subjects that capture our attention and we can study long without interruption. -skills - what we can do at a high level of performance - attitudes - ways to relate to the world and life - Personality trails At this stage in which you are self-knowledge involves knowing or learning as much information as possible about you, information relevant to your professional approach.

Interests are crystallized preferences of a person for certain areas of knowledge or activity.


Types of interests: - realistic interests (R), the tendency to move towards activities that involve the manipulation of objects, machines and instruments; - investigative interests (I), attraction for research, investigation in the more diverse domains (biological, physical, social, cultural); - artistic interests (A), attraction to less structured activities that presuppose a creative solution and offer the possibility of self-expression; - social interests (S), involves focusing on activities that require relational interpersonal relationship; - entrepreneurial interests (E) is manifested by the preference for activities that allow for initiative and the possibility of coordinating their own activity or the activity of a group; - Conventional interests (C) imply preference for activities that require the systematic and orderly manipulation of data or objects within a well-organized and defined framework. In the professional planning process, identifying personal and professional values is another important step. Values are the basic beliefs of a person about what is important in life, in interpersonal and work relationships. They motivate behavior and are reflected in aspirations and demands towards the work environment and the lifestyle of a career. Career choice also implies choosing a particular lifestyle. Therefore, values are one of the most important factors in your choices, through their direct influence on: • career decision - choosing those occupational and professional backgrounds that meet your needs and promote your personal values; • adapting to the requirements of the educational / occupational environment - you will adapt more easily to environments that correspond to personal values; • professional satisfaction - you are more likely to be happy with your choices and be satisfied with the activities you are doing when there is a congruence between personal values and those promoted in the chosen occupational environment. Value related to career


By understanding work-related values and career preferences, can help you understand what kind of career is right for you. Although there are only two aspects from a multitude of factors, both personal values and preferences can influence decisively career choices. Career related values can be divided into 3 major categories: Intrinsic values: They are related to intrinsic motivation: 1. Variety at work 2. opportunity to develop professionally 3. ability to work in a new field of activity 4. Possibility of community support 5. Experimenting adventure, strong emotions, meeting the need for strong sensation, taking risks 6. Possibility to feel respected for what you are doing 7. the opportunity to compete with others 8. the opportunity to be in constant contact with other people 9. Possibility of influencing others 10. the opportunity to express your creativity Extrinsic values They are related to tangible rewards: 1. Perception of control, authority 2. The ability to travel 3. Financial rewards 4. Possibility to be an entrepreneur 5. Opportunity to work in a team 6. Ability to work in a rapidly growing field 7. Possibility to do your own work program 8. Work in a job associated with a healthy lifestyle 9. Win an Intellectual Status 10. Possibility to work in a work environment perceived as aesthetic, pleasant


Values of life They are associated with lifestyle 1. The ability to save money 2. Opportunity to enjoy luxury holidays 3. Opportunity to have access to rich cultural life 4. Possibility to be an active member of the community 5. Building a timetable that allows quality time with family 6. Developing a lifestyle in a populated city 7. Possibility of living in another country 8. Opportunity to invest in spiritual growth 9. Developing a rural life 10. Perception of a professional and amusing life

Holland claims that, to the extent that the personality characteristics correspond to several aspects of the same work environment, one can speak of satisfaction or dissatisfaction at the workplace. Holland concludes that: - Individuals have different combinations of specific individual features; - People have some relatively stabilized features after adolescence (research asserts that the process of building patterns of interest of individuals is stabilizing up to 25 years); - Choosing an occupation is a way of expressing personality; -Members of the same fields of activity have similar structures and histories of personality development; - Individuals who practice in certain categories and have a personality structure will react similarly in similar work situations; - Satisfaction, stability and professional status depend on the congruence between their own personality and the work environment; - Most individuals can be divided into six types of personality and as many types of work environments: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, entrepreneurial, conventional;


- Successful pursuit of an occupation / profession requires certain combinations of features, characteristics from individuals; these combinations of skills, interests, temperamental aspects, attitudes, values are relatively similar to the different people pursuing the same occupations.


6. Personal marketing

Personal promotion includes the ways in which a person systemizes and presents information about their own skills, interests, educational and professional experiences in pursuit of career goals. Personal promotion implies: - an instrumental component (the techniques and tools used to achieve career goals: CV, Letter of Intent, Visiting Card and Personal Portfolio); - an attitude component (behaviors and attitudes that a person manifests in interpersonal relationships for personal promotion: assertive communication, social network development, training for the job interview). The key to success in a career is how we manage to achieve our PERSONAL BRAND, how we manage to shape our own image as a real interest for potential employers. So think of your brand as a product that you want to promote and sell to the representatives of the companies you are targeting! Any product, even the best, could not enter the market without a strong marketing strategy. So you have to do the same thing when you want to go in and then keep on the labor market. To do this, you need first and foremost a well-thought-out plan, but at the same time very flexible, because the labor market is in a continuous dynamic. Therefore, the strategic personal marketing plan aims to engage in a certain job and to pursue a successful career in the chosen field. The specific information included in such a plan is: 1. Purpose and personal goals; 2. Personal SWOT analysis; 3. Analysis of qualities and defects in relation to the chosen career; 4. Core strategic career alternatives;


5. The basic career goal; 6. Curriculum vitae; 7. Letter of motivation (to be employed in a job); 8. Personal promotion strategies. Four key tools in personal marketing

Promoting the personal brand on the labor market can be achieved through four key tools (motivation / intention letter, resume, job interview, and letter of thank). So, attention to the way you conceive and present yourself to potential employers, because they play a decisive role in your own recruitment process and implicitly in the success of your professional career. 1. Letter of intent The letter of intent is the bond between you and the company. It is the way in which the employer generates the first impression of the potential candidate, it is a first contact, even if only on paper. So, through such a document, you should convince the potential employer of what you are best suited for a particular job. If the letter is coherent, elaborate and strategically drafted, you will give the impression that you are a well-organized and prepared person. But keep in mind that the letter of intent / motivation must be as personalized as possible tailored to the company / institution and job you are applying for. There is no content standard, as in the case of your resume, so try through your creative and written communication skills to put your personal brand in your favor expressing your interest in running for a job. In this context, you will address the letter of motivation to a person in the HR department (if you do not know his name and function) and if the firm is small to the general manager or his / her president.


2. CV

CV is another important tool of personal marketing. That's why you pay attention to the way in which he is thought, elaborated and written. The CV says a lot about the one he describes. Do not treat this document with superficiality and no part of it, be it all relevant to the potential employer. It must be conceived and drafted with great tact, thus that the recruiter is interested in knowing you, inviting you to an interview. More and more frequently employers ask the candidates for their Europass CV, which has a very good structure thus providing much of the information needed for the selection process. Fundamental principles in writing a CV 1. Focus on the essentials! - The CV should be short, clear and concise. In a CV selection process, usually employers allocate between 1-3 minutes for each CV - Read carefully the application procedure and the instructions given in this regard. - If your professional experience is limited, you can start with studies where it can be highlighted aspects of success in this direction (very good environments, scholarships, prizes, courses relevant to the post, etc.) after which the professional experience is presented 2. Be clear and concise! Be brief, a resume should not exceed 2-3 pg. A4. In the CV you will only introduce the issues relevant on each component. -Avoid to present unnecessary data. It does not specify issues unrelated to the service (under no circumstances your political or religious orientation, the color of your eyes or hair; hobbies). - Update your resume as you gain experience and do not hesitate to delete / quit irrelevant information for the job you are applying for. 3. Always adapt the resume for the position / position you are applying to!


-Discover your strengths from the needs of your business. - Do not include training / work experience irrelevant to the post, unless your experience is limited. - Before sending an employer's CV, check if it matches the desired profile to the employer. - Be honest and true. Do not artificially inflate your resume, risk being discovered at an interview selection. 4. Be careful about writing your CV! - Your resume must be accurate, intelligently designed and look impeccable so you can prove to the person who hires you to be the right person for the job. - Grammatical, editing or punctuation errors are not accepted. - Write your resume on the computer, the handwritten ones are not agreed by employers. - Be careful not to miss essential data, such as address, phone number, e-mail address, to which be able to be contacted. - Attention to exact dating of years of study or professional experience. Chronology errors shows that you do not have the skills to work with the details or that you are careless. - Print your resume on white, quality paper (if it is not sent in format electronic) - Keep the format suggested by europass 5. Check your CV once filled! - Corrects drafting mistakes Ask for the help of a friend to read your CV and to get his opinion about the content (clarity and concision) and drafting. - Do not forget to fill out your resume with a letter of intent. - Treats your CV seriously, it makes the difference between those 15 seconds decisive to be called or not to a job interview.

3. Job Interview The job interview is the culmination of a job search. It's first indicator that you have done your homework so far and have been appreciated by recruiter. Now it's up to you how


convincing you are in the face-to-face discussion with him. To increase your chances of success in getting your job done, do not give up training at this stage either. Hence, preparing for the job interview requires three steps: 1. Preparation before the employment interview 2. Participation during the employment interview 3. Completion of the employment interview. 3. Job Interview Rules to follow in an interview situation

Your personal file - will contain all papers already filed at the headquarters of the company, it must be a copy of the candidate when presenting the interview. It must be prepared to detail any aspect of CV or other documents submitted to the employer. Psychological aspects - they relate to the self-image and the degree of trust in one's own person. It is advisable to adopt a positive thinking strategy - the person to argue with optimism and the conviction that the interview will be completed successfully. Clothing - is the image that the client offers to others. In the professional environment, it has long since been abandoned to the idea that "not a coat makes man". In the case of a formal interview, it is even recommended to resort to a sober suit, quality shoes and accessories (briefcases, folders). Hairstyle must be appropriate, discreet perfume and jewelry reduced to a minimum. Nonverbal language - non-verbal signals being interviewed are very significant for the employer, who will not hesitate to base their final decision on these beyond the way the candidate answers the questions. This will take into account the ways in which the person presents himself, greets, tightens his hand (firm but not exaggerated), the posture and the position on the chair (which must be neither tense nor too relaxed), visual contact maintained constantly, but without insistence or ostentatiation). Also, the literature recommends the practice of difficult questions in stressful situations. In the absence of the exercise and taken


by surprise, the candidate risks suddenly breaking the visual contact, indicating to the recruiter that something is wrong. The literature presents three distinct moments in the preparation of an interview: -The initial stage - where the candidate gathers information about the target company and the job he wants; - Stage of the interview itself - the focus is on the positive attitude, the full control of the information contained in the documents of employment, self-presentation; -Postinterview stage - the candidate takes notes after the meeting is completed and politely asks for a response from the company (whether positive or negative). The career counselor can provide a person with a general and specific recommendation such as: - - Know with certainty what job you want to get. -To learn as much information about the company and the target station. - Keep up to date with the field in which you want to work. - Make a list of your qualities, achievements and shortcomings. - Prepare a 4-5 minute exposure to showcase your quality and achievements. - Prepare to answer difficult questions about your shortcomings and unrealisations, so as to present them as much as possible in a more favorable light. - Refer to experiences and achievements to demonstrate your ability to fulfill the professional duties of the job you are applying for. - Make sure your value system is in line with that of the company you want to work with. - Think positively and trust yourself. The employer is not an opponent. - Be punctual. Interview delay means a first negative impression the employer does about you. - Avoid the use of "incentives" before the interview. - Pay close attention to clothing! - During the interview is advisable to politely refuse the offer to serve soft drinks and coffee. - Try not to schedule another important activity on the day of the interview, just to give all your attention to this event. - Listen carefully to what the employer says. Give maximum interest to moments where he says nothing: breaks can be very significant! - Be sincere, do not lie about your professional experience!


- If you do not understand a question, ask for explanation, and if you need time to think for a response. - Avoid answering YES or NO only; try as much as possible and without being stupid, develop responses and give meaningful details. - Pay attention to non-verbal language! (Szilagyi, A., Vlădulescu, L., 2001)


7. Management and access to information Career management is a combination of strategic planning and career choices made by a person. The result of a successful career management includes a sense of personal fulfillment, a balance between the personal and professional side of life, the achievement of the proposed objectives and financial security. According to some authors, the notion of career is synonymous with the profession or occupation, and according to other authors, it also has other meanings such as: the time when a certain person is working in a certain field, the position in society, but especially the stage, step into the social or professional hierarchy.

Career is therefore the dynamic framework in which a person lives his professional life, a movement along a road in time. Because passing this path requires some knowledge and skills, we can conclude that a professional career is an evolutionary succession of professional activities and positions occupied in an organization that a person reaches, as well as the skills, knowledge, skills and competencies developed over time. As a person accumulates work experience, her development can be seen as a succession of stages marking its rise and decline: -Exploration. This stage actually starts from childhood, from that, "I want to become physician "or" I want to become an economist ", etc., later in the teens the options become more realistic, being marked by questions like "What do I really want from life?" "What is the profession that suits me?" Exploratory activities consist of clarifying and identifying their interests and capacities for the purpose of success in the chosen professional field, this stage taking place around the age of 25.


- Trying. The first job, after finishing high school or faculty, has a persistent career influence. If the first job provides the individual with professional and material satisfaction, the chance of successfully fulfilling the tasks and possibly promoting it, it has a positive impact on the career, causing it to pass quickly to the stabilization and maintenance stage. Most of the time, however, young people have a "wrong start" either because of their own ignorance, unrealistic expectations they have from a certain post, or because of the organization that does not offer the appropriate reward, the chance to adapt and integration into the organization. These situations usually require the "testing" of several positions, the individual is looking for a permanent job that is appropriate to the skills and needs that characterize him and tries to stabilize in the organization that attracts him the most. -Stabilization. At this stage the individual stabilizes on a particular occupation and in a particular organization, thinking in the longer term his future. He wants to be successful, identifies his priorities, focusses on key activities to fulfill his objectives, the main concern being to promote rapidly and to increase professional status. -Advance and maintain. At this stage the individual focuses on the urgent attainment of professional goals and on maintaining progress in the organization. -Final career (around age 55). At this stage, three distinct trajectories are broken: growth, maintenance and decline. For some individuals, this stage corresponds to a period of continuous increases in status and influence within the organization (growth). For others, it is the moment when they have reached the highest level of responsibility and status that they are able or that they want (maintenance). Information is an essential requirement of modern society. A strong individual, adapted to social and economic requirements - is a well-informed individual. Therefore, in addition to knowing the skills and personal interests, Adult Career Advice Services should facilitate access to current and true information on demand and supply in the local / national labor market, the situation of the most sought-after trades or the morally exploited, allow for familiarize yourself with the practical aspects of the various professions, provide suggestions on the most useful ways to find a job. Educational and occupational exploration aims to seek and interpret information on educational paths and the labor market. Career planning is based on the dynamic relationship of the first two stages. The information activity on career development opportunities should be carried out throughout the individual's life. Information can be assimilated and interpreted in different ways by people with different levels of education, age, gender, socio-economic and cultural background or family background. Career information about your career can be obtained by consulting: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/home Europass provides you with the five documents through which skills and qualifications can be easily and easily understood in Europe, Europass opens doors to studies and work in Europe.


EURES is the European Job Mobility Portal: https://ec.europa.eu/eures PLOTEUS is the portal of learning opportunities in the European space, aimed at helping students, jobseekers, workers, parents, career counselors and teachers to learn about education in Europe. On the http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/home_en.htm portal, you will find information on learning opportunities and training opportunities available in the European Union. Website contains links to the websites of universities and higher education institutions, databases of schools and adult education and training courses. To make informed choices, this portal contains links that provide you with complete information about traveling to another European country: - sites with descriptions and explanations on European education training systems; - Sites with information on cost of living, study fees, accommodation, legal framework and other general ,information for European countries; - exchange and grant programs (Erasmus +) available in European countries; - contact details, subscription procedure for scholarships, etc. Ploteus helps students, jobseekers, workers, parents, counselors, trainers to find out about ways to study in Europe: learning opportunities and training opportunities available in the European Union; education and training systems; exchange programs and grants; everything you need to know when moving to another European country. PLOTEUS, the European Education Offers Portal created by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture, offers a wide range of accessible information using the "Search for Education Offers" engine. Information is selected and updated by the Euroguidance network. EUROGUIDANCE is the network of National Centers for Information on Vocational Training, http://euroguidance.eu/. Key Features: Provides information on education and training opportunities in Europe especially for professionals who provide guidance and who have to put the information at the general public;- supports the exchange of quality information on education and training systems and qualifications in the European Union, the European Economic Area and the countries of Europe Central and Eastern Europe;- supports the Ploteus portal; Euroguidance is a network of centers linking career guidance systems across Europe, promotes mobility, helping guidance counselors and individuals to better understand opportunities available to European citizens in Europe. ERASMUS + is the education and training program launched in January 2014, a program that provides funding for 200,000 students annually to study and work abroad. In addition, Erasmus finances cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe. The program supports students, teachers or university staff who want to teach abroad, enterprise staff.


8. Entrepreneurship, career option

Entrepreneurship refers to a person's ability to put their ideas into practice. It involves innovation, creativity and risk-taking as well as the ability to plan and manage projects to achieve goals. It provides support for every person in private and public life, increases employees' awareness of the context of their work, and increases their ability to seize opportunities, and provides a basis for social and commercial entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a competence that can be learned. You do not have to be born with this ability to be a successful entrepreneur, but you can become a successful entrepreneur by learning and engaging skills. This option implies the highest degree of dynamic risk in the labors market. An entrepreneur owns a business and usually hires other people. A business can be built from scratch, bought or purchased through a franchise. Entrepreneurship involves high financial risks but also high rewards. Most entrepreneurs have less than 20 employees. Entrepreneurs are people who value entrepreneurial creativity, value independence, enthusiasm and success. They have a high tolerance to ambiguity and unlockable internal control. To succeed, their beliefs must be aligned with the purpose of the businesswhich they lead.

Personal qualities to start a business: Studies have shown that there are some key qualities that are common to businesspeople / entrepreneurs:  Perseverance;  Critical thinking;


 Self-confidence;  Self-determination;  Involvement;  Strong motivation; Initiative spirit;  Intelligence and creativity;  Assume the risk;  Ability to make a decision;  Good organizer;  Ability to develop an action strategy;  The ability to draw up a plan;  Ability to communicate and relate to people around. The success of your business will depend both on your attitude and on your qualities! Developing entrepreneurial skills is a plus in the formation of any young person, reduces the time needed for transition from school to active life, increases the awareness of future employees about the context of their work, increases their ability to take advantage of opportunities, and provides a basis for those which will start industrial, social or commercial activities. Simulated / Exercise firm is an interactive learning method for the development of entrepreneurship, a modern concept of interdisciplinary integration and application of knowledge (economic, legal, etc.), a teaching-learning process that provides conditions for practical testing and deepening of the competences acquired by pupils / students in vocational training. Exercise fim is used in the last two years of high school, on the specialized modules: operational planning, organization of human resources, marketing, in the XIth grade, and competitive environment, business financing and business negotiation in the 12th grade. The specific objectives of applying this method of learning are: o developing the entrepreneurial spirit of students in vocational and technical education; facilitating the passage of graduates of vocational and technical education from school to active life; and developing the entrepreneurial spirit of adults through continuous professional training programs. The implementation of the concept of "exercise firm" aims at creating the type of dynamic entrepreneur able to develop a new production process, to bring a new product or service to market or to discover a new distribution path. More specifically, the simulated / exercise company is a concept of learning by doing, where the learner is actually working on a job,


performing the same operations and using the same procedures and documents as a real employee, in a real enterprise, with the only difference that the products with which it operates and the money are not real but simulated. The overall objective of simulated enterprise learning is to develop entrepreneurship through: - familiarizing students with the activities of a real company; - simulation of the economic processes specific to the real business environment; - improving business language; - improving the knowledge about the functioning of market economy mechanisms; - encouraging competitive spirit, quality and responsibility; - Developing competencies, skills, abilities needed for a dynamic entrepreneur: creativity, Competitiveness, Critical Thinking, Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Assuming responsibility, teamwork, initiativa, adaptability, perseverance, flexibility; - self-organization and self-evaluation of individual resources.


9. Technics for searching a job

Identifying a job can be done by: • Calling an agency or employment office; • consulting family, friends, ex-school colleagues and teachers, relatives, neighbors and knowledge; • regularly consulting newspapers publishing job advertisements; • identifying other job advertisements displayed at the entrance to certain institutions; • making an ad in a specialized publication; • participation in job fairs regularly organized by certain employment agencies; • Asking for a company audience; • consulting specialized sites and enrolling in a specialized database. In order to successfully carry out this step of identifying a job, those interested should: • Establish a weekly schedule to facilitate the organization of activities; • try to obtain information about the nature of the activities of the firm / organization to be addressed, its importance, the products it offers, etc .; • relate to as many people as possible in order to increase the chances of finding a job; • Consult ads with job offers (small advertising field), job sites (Internet network), placement and recruitment agencies, job fairs; • contact the employer directly (company, organization); • write your resume and send it to potential employers or enroll in specialized databases.


There are several job search strategies: - Blind search for jobs - Looking for job advertisements in newspapers, magazines, street ads, the internet, friendships, knowledge, etc. - focused search - when the student / graduate is aware of his / her own skills and interests; so it looks for something according to the profession for which it is qualified; - a fishing strategy that involves waiting for the right job. For graduates, another option is also to call the Municipal / County Employment Agency A.M / J.O.F.M. - or other county / regional employment agencies. Also, the Internet is a very good resource for finding a job, through the websites of different companies, etc. Not all sites post the available jobs or have online application forms, but many of them contain useful information for building a resume and a letter of intent. In any case, it is better not to rely solely on the internet to find a job, but to make effective use of all the means at its disposal. Where do you find potential employers on the Internet? http://www.bestjobs.ro/ www.ejobs.ro/ www.myjob.ro/ www.ofertelocuridemunca.ro/ www.anofm.ro/


www.locuridemunca.ro/ www.job.ro/ www.munca.ro/ http://ec.europa.eu/eures/ So, look for a job by using: 1. Small advertising / Ads with service offerings; 2. Job sites: Enrollment of the CV must be done in as many databases as possible so that it can be found easier by companies looking for employees; 3. Human resource placement and recruitment agencies.


BIBLIOGRAPHY: Aslett, D., Successful Career Guide, Alex 2000 Publishing, 1999 Băban, A. - Educational counseling, Ed. Ardealul, Cluj Napoca 2001 Bócşa, E., Munteanu, R. - Counseling and career guidance Eggert, M. - The Perfect Interview, National Ed., Bucharest, 2000 My Career Guide, Education Center 2000+, 2003 Methodological Guide, Career Guidance, GIANT project, ISE, 2010 Lemeni g., Miclea M., Counseling and Guidance - Career Education Guide, Academy of Sciences of Romania, Cluj Napoca Jigau, M. - Career Advice, Sigma Publishing House, Bucharest, 2001 Jigău, M. - Career counseling. An open and flexible model, Euroguidance, 2005 Tomşa Gh., 1999, School Counseling and Guidance, Publishing House and Life Press Romanian, Bucharest Parkinson Mark - Career Guide, All Beck Publishing House, Bucharest 2002 Păuş, V - Career Management, 2005 Course Notes, Counseling Course, 2000-2001, UAIC, Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education

http://mevoc.net/publik/4Adult_Career_Counselling.pdf http://www.umfcv.ro/ccop-consilierea-in-cariera


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