Do you have a typical client?
Not exactly.
We designed career counselling to cater to people with burnout as psychometrics don’t help when you’re angry.
Most of our clients to date, have been working executives, experiencing the early to late stages of burnout and consequently are sufficiently motivated to seek out help. We see three distinct distributions.
(age of 39 to 40-years) – Mid (career) life point or the mode of the Singapore workforce,
(age of 29 to 33-years) – Quarter (career) life point,
(age of 23 to 26-years) – Quarter (career) life point sooner.
Since mid 2013, we encountered a spike in people experiencing a quarter (career) life crisis sooner , so we adapted our program to cater to them as well.
Employment studies conducted in the US from 2012 suggest that the younger age band of people represent a rapidly increasing group who will soon dominate the workforce there. A feature of this group seems to be that they are better motivated to seek out help sooner than any other group.
In Singapore, our demographics are different as compared to the US however, the effects of globalization may see an increase in people of this younger age band, seeking out and getting help faster.
Apart form Singaporeans, we see people of other nationalities as a career crisis is a facet of career stage development.
Can you accommodate me and how long are the sessions?
Yes, we try to fit your schedule.
Sessions can be scheduled between 10am to 10pm, Saturday through Wednesday. Weekends tend to get booked up quickly, so do plan ahead and let us know if you are unable to attend a session so we can release the time slot for others.
Ideally, we suggest scheduling a session right after having a good night’s rest to maximize idea generation though that is not always possible.
Is career counselling confidential?
Yes. All discussions stay between the career counsellors and the client. Expressed ideas or session notes are written on whiteboard sheets that are taken down after each session. Clients are free to voice record the session, if they wish. The exploratory and analysis & goal setting phases are conducted in our office and always with a trained observer present, who is bound by the same confidentiality agreement that the career counsellor has with the client. In the monitoring phase, we meet the client in an informal setting, sometimes over a cup of coffee or a meal and discuss their progress.
Couldn’t I just ask friends or my family for career advice?
Yes, of course you can. We encourage you do provided you’ve not encountered burnout.
If it is a matter of switching from one company to another, friends and family can be helpful in helping you to consider the pros and the cons of both companies. However, if you have encountered burnout, there is an additional anger dynamic that affects your decision making which they may not be trained to handle. Also, anyone offering advice who has a relationship with you may accidentally project their thoughts and aspirations onto you.
If you follow their advice, you may end up with their idea of what they may do but not be what you actually want to do. If you disregard their advice, they may themselves get frustrated with you. The career counsellor presents you with a less subjective viewpoint, catered just to you.