In French and in life a Bon Vivant is someone that lives fully, luxuriously, passionately. Isn’t that what we all want for our clients? It’s just an analogy, to highlight how important it is that we as practitioners, find the right tool to uncover the areas in our client’s life that can be improved by facilitating a self discovery or perhaps a validation of our client’s interests, attitudes and values that will lead them to the path of personal and professional development.
Two years ago I enrolled in a professional development class and discovered the hidden desires of some of my classmates; there was the IT professional that wanted to slough off the aninimity of her career to become a motivational speaker. She was fluent in three languages and no one knew it. Then there was the administrative assistant that was a part time stand up comic. She surely kept us laughing in class; I wonder if she had the courage to make a career out of her part time gig. Our instructor was enamoured with Richard Bolles and his spiritual approach to career development. But, it wasn’t until I began to delve deeper into the career theorists, as part of my CDF training that I found the Career Lifeline and began to use it in career workshops and one on one with clients.
In my day to day work it is important to not only understand my clients hopes and dreams for the future but those hopes and dreams of the past, that were put on hold. Many have sacrificed their aspirations for their family. Many are financing one or more children in college and now they are beginning their degree completion. One of the most effective assessments tools for the non-traditional adult learner is the Career Lifeline, as a narrative approach to tickle to the surface some of the career aspirations that were sidelined for many years.
As an example, one of my clients, had plans to become a teacher, but an unfortunate incident found her incarcerated for four years and typically it is difficult if not impossible to teach with a felony conviction. She has since completed her Bachelor’s degree and is working on her Master’s in Education, with hopes of establishing a GED program in her community. When we completed her Career Lifeline and discovered her abilities in salesmanship, and community leadership. We developed opportunities that would fulfill her love of education and community. Another client began his career in the military and as a civilian police office, but policing on the streets was horrific experience for him and he found himself under employed as a carpenter. After completing a Career Lifeline he discovered that his analytical skills and methodical work habits were suited to a career as a paralegal. He completed his associate's degree in paralegal studies and is now looking for a position in a social services setting to fulfill his desire for social justice and respect for the law.
James Beattie the 18th Century Scottish writer, wrote; "And spare the idle weed, yet lop the flower!" the Bon Vivant in all of us says the opposite,” And spare the flower, yet lop the idle weed.”
