Career Interview Example

Chelsea Marcus
Introduction to Clinical and School Psychology
4/20/14
Career Interview
For this assignment, I decided to speak with Connie Chung, my guidance counselor from high school. Today, she continues to work at West Orange High School, providing academic support to select teenagers of the student body. Mrs. Chung received her BA in psychology from Rutgers University and then got her Masters in social work from the University of Maryland. Initially, Ms. Chung was interested in becoming a psychologist but realized that she liked working with kids and ultimately decided to change carer paths in college.
Part of what propelled her to pursue becoming a guidance counselor was that she felt she had the requisite skill set necessary to be successful. She is very outgoing and empathetic. She was the oldest of three sisters providing advise and guidance was something she was familiar and comfortable with. After exploring various career paths, she concluded that becoming a guidance counselor would be something that she would find tremendously gratifying. She loves to engage others and to find ways to help. As a guidance counselor, she has the opportunity to do both. It wasn’t a job she thought she would have as a child but after years of work, she can conclusively say that it’s better than anything she could have possibly imagined for herself.

My interview with Ms. Chung was of moderate duration, lasting for about half an hour. While it occurred over the phone, it felt somewhat personal. Ms. Chung certainly has a knack for connecting with those she engages. Questions largely pertained to her career but some of her life and personal story shined through in her answers. It was a very revealing and thought provoking experience for m...

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...etic about what I discussed with her. I felt like she made an effort to listen and understand. I would say Ms. Chung qualifies as a Level 4 on the empathy scale shown in class. She was great at allowing me to externalize my qualms and asked appropriate questions let me know she was working to understand my issues.
At the end of our interview, I asked Ms. Chung where she wants her career to head down the line. She said that she does not imagine leaving the educational setting. She loves working with kids and helping them through this very transitory period of life. She loves what she does and derives a lot of joy from her work. This is what she wants for all her students. She advised me to “find what makes me happy and go for it” You shouldn’t worry too much about others expectations, or prestige. Rather, you should be self reflective and see what works for you.