The Minnesota Ability Estimation Questionnaire

What sorts of tools do we use here at the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic?

The question above has been posed numerous times, and this brief article will be an overview of one such tool.

The Minnesota Ability Estimation Questionnaire (MAEQ) is a questionnaire in which an individual estimates their ability level compared to the population.  These estimations are made on a 6-point scale, and each number on the scale represents a percentage of the population.

Questions are posed as such:  “How much ability do you have to: ________”

Bottom 10%	Bottom 33%	Middle 33%	Top 33%	Top 10%	Top 1%
2	3	4	5	6	7

For each question, the individual is asked to circle one of the responses.  If I were to circle “5” that would mean I estimate myself to be in the top 33% of the population for that ability.

The abilities the individual rates range greatly and cover topics including math, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and more.  While the topics cover a wide variety of abilities, no performance or task completion is required.  The Minnesota Ability Estimation Questionnaire is only rating objects based on your belief.

Overall, the MAEQ is composed of 45 questions.  Each of these questions is formatted in the manner detailed above.   

These estimations are used in a portion of the counseling at the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic to investigate how your estimations compare with your actual scores.

*The Minnesota Ability Estimation Questionnaire is a survey in which you estimate your ability against the population. 

Solution-Focused Therapy

How can therapy help an individual reach a goal?

Different techniques utilized in therapy can lead to different outcomes.  Likewise, different therapies can focus on utilizing different techniques. 

Solution-Focused therapy, as it sounds, attempts to work with the person to find a solution instead of focusing on the issues that may have initially prompted an individual to seek therapy.

When a counselor and client work together using Solution-Focused therapy, the aim of the therapy session(s) is to imagine an ideal future and determine steps to achieve that goal. 

In this portion of the counseling, the client and counselor look back at past experiences and work together to find which aspects of the client’s current life s/he would like to change or improve and which aspects the client would like to remain as constant or similar as possible.   

In order to identify the steps toward an ideal future, the client and counselor must first investigate the client’s current abilities, skills, and resources the client has or may have access to.  Identification of these may help the counselor and client arrive at what sort of steps need to be taken first.

This type of therapy may be found in several settings, including career and personal counseling.

Solution-Focused therapy works toward creating a realistic plan to help the client get to where s/he would like to be by investigating previous experiences to determine ideals. 

Happy Holidays!

All of us here at the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Career Counseling and Personal Counseling

How intertwined are career and personal counseling?

Some counselors and researchers have argued that these types of counseling should be completely separate and the required training and agencies should be separate.

However, others believe differently.  John Krumboltz, a researcher and professor at Stanford University, argues that career and personal counseling are related, and it is important for counselors to recognize this.

While some clients present issues that can be strictly related to the career or personal realm, many issues are related to both.  Without recognizing that problems can influence both the career and personal realm, there is the potential for a client to not receive the best quality of counseling. 

One of the main points of discussion within the article is that problems related to careers often have an emotional aspect, which has an effect on an individual’s personal life as well.  Krumboltz discusses that the emotional effects of career problems can have an impact comparable to stressful personal events.

Many counselors today recognize that an individual’s life cannot be separated neatly into a career and a personal life, and this is beneficial to both parties.  The counselors are able to better understand the client, and the client is able to express the entire picture and receive better counseling.

Within the process of counseling, the intake session* is often a time counselors ask questions pertaining to an individual’s personal life.  These questions are asked to get a better understanding of the whole situation.

While personal and career counseling are titled differently, it is important to recognize that career decisions and problems have an impact on an individual’s personal life and vice versa. 

*Intake session – The first session of counseling in which a large amount of background information is gathered in addition to information relevant to the current issue(s).

Krumboltz, J. D. (1993). Integrating career and personal counseling. The Career Development      Quarterly, 42(2), 143-148.

Exercise and Depression

How can an individual face and relieve the difficulties brought on by depression?

In a recent article, I detailed various methods to help cope with unemployment.  The loss of a job or being in a state of career transition can lead to experiencing depression or depression-like symptoms.  These can include, but are not limited to, feelings of sadness, insomnia or loss of energy.  One highly researched way to reduce symptoms of depression is through exercise.

The body of research that exists that all types of exercise has the potential to be beneficial and capable of reducing the effects of depression.  Exercise can include more typical exercises, such as walking and jogging, as well as activities that are not referred to as exercise as frequently like window washing. 

While no exact formula has been determined for optimally reducing negative effects, it is often recommended that three to four sessions a week for approximately a half hour can have positive effects.

Some research even suggests that exercising may help to even prevent some forms of mental difficulties, but there may be other factors affecting the results.

It is very important to note that while exercise is important for physical and mental health, it is not a replacement for therapy.  If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, please be sure to seek the appropriate services.

www.mentalhealth.umn.edu  

Ströhle, A. (2009). Physical activity, exercise, depression and anxiety disorders. Journal of neural transmission, 116(6), 777-784.

Mentoring Millennials

How can those who belong to previous generations satisfy the desire for feedback Millennials crave?

In a recent post found here, I discussed a few differences in attitudes between Millennials (people born after 1981) and those of previous generations.  With the acknowledgement of these differences and the rapid growth of Millennials entering professional positions, some workplaces have begun to implement strategies to satiate the need for building relationships and giving feedback more frequently.

Jeanne Meister and Karie Millyard, writers for the Harvard Business Review, discuss three types of mentoring programs specifically targeted at Millennials.

·         Reverse Mentoring – This is a program in which the Millennials mentor older employees on topics they may not be as familiar with.  This could include training about the importance or how to utilize social media.  This method of mentoring exposes Millennials to different people of the company they may not otherwise have the chance to interact with.  Additionally, it serves to build relationships throughout the company.

·          
Anonymous Mentoring – Some companies have begun to use a method of mentoring in which the mentor and the mentee are matched through the use of different tests concerning psychological style as well as vocational background, and communicate through an online communication system.  This method of mentoring can be extremely beneficial, because of the anonymity and the amount of detail that can be shared between both parties.  Both mentors and mentees have reported positive outcomes, including getting feedback in a timely manner, and feeling that the mentor has a good amount of knowledge and advice.

·          
Microfeedback – A company in Canada, Camilion Solutions,  recently set up an assessment system in which feedback could be provided by multiple employees, but was limited to only 140 characters.  This Twitter-esque tool allows for quick feedback and careful choice of words to help other employees .

While programs such as these are on the cusp of utilization, it seems that more and more methods will continue to be brought in to provide feedback to employees in a more timely and frequent manner.  The article mentions that these programs have been perceived positively by both millennials and older generations.

Different programs have been developed to appease the appetite of younger workers, who desire more frequent feedback and interaction.  These programs differ greatly, but the implementation of them is greatly beneficial to those employed.

Meister, J. C., & Willyerd, K. (2010). Mentoring millennials. Harvard business review, 88(5), 68-72.

Encore Careers

How has obtaining a career during retirement age changed?

Many used to consider the second half of their life a time strictly for retirement, but with economic problems and a desire to remain working, the popularity of creating careers for those aged 50+ has risen.  

These careers are often referred to as “encore,” “twilight” or “bridge” careers, and many of those not involved with an encore career right now, place doing so as a high priority for the future.  The addition of this occupational situation into an individual’s life not only can bring more income, but can be very rewarding as well.

 

This gain in popularity has resulted in an emergence of programs working toward making opportunities and spreading information.  One such resource for Minnesotans can be found here. 

The information relayed by the resources may relate to the creation of new programs or projects as well as information regarding how to be involved.  The larger the range of people these types of programs are able to reach, the more beneficial they can potentially be. 

 

Additionally, new educational programs are being put together by those within the educational system.  These educational programs are often completed more quickly and are relatively inexpensive.  The focus is to get those seeking a career to a career. 

·         The ability to acquire work in a new field has become more accessible in recent years.  These careers are known as encore careers, and the creation of programs, both information and educational can help those who strive to find one.  

Goggin, J. (2009). Encore Careers for the Twenty-First Century Aging-Friendly     Community. Generations, 33(2), 95-97.