It’s an understatement to say the landscape of work has changed. Jobs with familiar titles now have new requirements (think teacher). Where and when work is completed may have shifted permanently (think remotely, flexible hours). Some industries are booming, seeing tremendous growth (think online sales), while others have suffered (think hospitality). Some will rebound and some will stabilize with the adaptations already made. The need for some will diminish and brand new opportunities will arise.
The image that jumps to mind is that of “slime” — a substance that can act as a solid or a liquid; it can be stretched, shaped, and “oozed” between your fingers when squeezed. With no foreseeable end to the uncertainties underway, people are realizing that they need to readily adapt to career changes is not going away any time soon. And as a career coach, you need the tools to help your clients.
At the most basic level, evaluating opportunities is about people considering what is required from the workplace and the workplace assessing what it needs from the people that work there. Providing your clients with more efficient ways to find work opportunities that are a good match with their skills and abilities is essential. Whether the opportunity is long-term or ends up being only short-term, it’s critical for job-seekers to quickly sift through thousands of openings and identify which would be the best match. Even if they have to do it more than once.
The Right Tools At The Right Time
Highlands Certified Consultants (HCCs) have exactly what people need right now — tools to assist them rapidly sift through their career options. World events may be impossible to control, but millions of people could benefit from knowing their natural abilities to help them flex and adapt to this volatile work environment. HCCs can help their clients identify their natural abilities and learn how to match those abilities with opportunities.
HCCs begin with an assessment to help clients understand their natural abilities. They provide a foundation of objective information, including the language, that allows someone to quickly spot good matches in potential work opportunities. By the same token, clients are able to quickly weed out the jobs that would not be a good fit.
The Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) is unmatched in its precision and thoroughness in measuring a person’s natural abilities. With the HAB as a starting point, HCCs have reliable, objective data to drive their coaching sessions. And since the data isn’t self-reported, HCCs avoid the pitfalls of many other assessments. (People tend to either under-or overestimate their own strengths and weaknesses, making self-reporting less than ideal).
Power In Numbers
What’s more, HCCs can provide this timely assistance in a cost-effective way. Many of those same people who are looking for work also have the flexibility with their schedules right now to invest in their futures. In an effort to keep costs down, HCCs can offer assistance in a virtual group format.
By working with small groups rather than individuals, HCCs have the ability to reduce the per-person cost of services. Quality does not need to be sacrificed, either. Working with small groups carries the advantage of people being able to learn from each other; and, if anyone in the group requires follow-up work, it is scheduled individually.
Regardless of whether the coaching takes place remotely or in person, the HAB carries the distinct benefit of the debrief. While many other assessments include a written report, very few bring the advantage of interacting with an experienced professional who explains and personalizes the results. The value of the debrief session is powerful and carries well through virtual formats. And, clients are also provided with tools they can continue to use on their own.