Using Character strengths in career-guidance

Character strengths are the key subject of inquiry and intervention in Positive Psychology, the science of Happiness (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). Beside knowing their interests, skills and talents in exploring compatible professions, focusing on identifying and using character strengths in career guidance and career decision-making brings a great advantage to youth. A recent study showed that Courage and Transcendence strengths were significantly associated with career decision-making self-efficacy in adolescents.

 The approach: high-school students take the VIA survey, gain knowledge about the 24 character strengths and discover their signature strengths. They are encouraged and guided to find daily opportunities to use their strengths in different settings.

In my practice in individual counselling, students engaged in this approach experienced a greater sense of empowerment, meaning and trust in the process of choosing a career path, demonstrated courage in exploring new and more intrinsically motivated career paths other than those suggested by the peer group or family and performed better in simulated admission/job interviews. Overall the students understood that knowing and using their character strengths give them a unique chance of choosing a career that integrate into a satisfying and fulfilling life path.

Context:

• School: high-school students of the theoretical College “Ion Minulescu” Slatina

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https://consiliereliceuionminulescu.wordpress.com

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