My Approach: FutureSketching

Developing your career is essentially a creative process.  A sketch does not require a lot of detail and leaves room for ideas to develop and change. So FutureSketching is just that...starting to sketch career ideas. 

Most young adults develop new interests and are exposed to new ideas or areas of work after leaving school. The expectation to have arrived at “the decision” in matric creates a lot of anxiety for both the young adults and their parents. A first qualification should be a springboard, not a life sentence.

FutureSketching is based on the career theories of planned happenstance and career construction, which view uncertainty as something natural and healthy, rather than something that needs to be “fixed”. Career development is an ongoing, lifelong process rather than a once-off decision. This is appropriate for the fast-changing world we are living in where new careers are emerging all the time. 

These are the principles that are fundamental to my approach. They apply to school leavers, students and even mid career clients:

● Choosing a course of study is not the same as choosing a career. In some qualifications they are closely linked, but even within the traditional professional qualifications there are a variety of outcomes.

● A career is constructed over time and not a once-off choice in matric.

● Employability is about much more than getting a job. It consists of a combination of skills and knowledge drawn from one’s studies, skills gained through work and life experience, and developing self-confidence, amongst other things.

● There are far more career options open to you than the obvious outcomes of any given qualification.

● Choosing a study area does not box you for life and send you on a track you cannot get off.

● Understanding skills is key, as skills can be learnt and are developed in many different contexts and transferred to many different roles.

● Interests are not fixed, and new interests can emerge throughout life. Many students I have engaged with developed interests that informed their career choices after they left school.

● The responsibility for all choices in the process is with you. It is important that you take ownership of the process and all decisions.

● My role is to guide, brainstorm, ask probing questions and create an accepting and creative atmosphere so that you can understand where you are in the process and what you need to do to move forward, gather information and make informed choices.

What I don’t do

● A battery of psychometric tests 

● A written report with a list of recommended jobs or qualifications 

● A report on strengths, weaknesses, and aptitudes

● Give guarantees about what course you will get into