Essay about Course Project

I have been In my current career field since approximately 1986. At that time, I was employed by a local county In Utah. The Job entailed helping juveniles who were being transitioned from their residential level of care to a higher level of care and vice versa. This was a standard government job that had a 9 to 5 work schedule with traditional benefits, I often think back to if I stayed there I would have retired by now.

At the time, I was attending undergraduate school at the university of Utah. I had actually obtained this Job through the university. I continued to work in these types of low paying positions until my current move to Colorado Springs in 2002. The first job here was at an agency that was also a traditional type with traditional benefits and schedule. It did not pay too well and it was very demanding on me emotionally. After understanding how the agency was being paid by referral agency’s I got an idea.

This idea was that could contract for the service from particular agencies and an independent contractor. I could underbid the other agencies as well as receive almost 3 times as much pay. However, this would not Include benefits or have Income taxes removed. After I discussed this with my wife I decided to pursue this type of employment. I had already established my reputation In the community as a successful counselor. My specialty was working with teenagers who were struggling Witt their parent’s and/or “at rise teenagers. I was able to obtain my in counseling as well.

It seemed all was well for about 8 years. Problem Statement Masters degree In 2008, the economy went down and I lost a lot of my referrals as agency’s started to ND services to meet their overdrawn budgets. I lost our house and had to rent. A colleague and I decided to combine contracts with some referral agencies and began to collaborate. We created a private practice as well. This has been very successful until recently when I was informed that some referral agencies were beginning to scrutinize the referral process to reduce services and meet budget demands.

Again, referrals were reduced dramatically. I am at a decision making point whether to remain in this type of business or seek employment as a traditional worker for a government agency. I am 48 years old now. I am considering a career change. I am at a point in my life where I am thinking about retirement and having a Job that will be stable financially and provide necessary medical benefits as I am getting older and my health is starting to deteriorate. What is the general nature of the problem?

My decision problem is deciding whether to quit my current employment as a private practice therapist and take a Job that will include traditional hours and benefits that my current employment does not have while continuing to be a therapist. What event triggered the situation? I was informed by a money manager accountant that I may not be receiving payment for a large piece of my billing for a particular month of service I provided. The reason given was that the referral agency had not paid the money manager. Are we imposing any constraints on the situation?

I would not be able to change my employment until I am hired by a “traditional” employer. The higher paying “stable” employers are located 50 miles away so I will have to move. What are the underlying elements of the problem? Financial stability – I would like to have an employer that can meet a stability acquirement of being a position that will not be likely to end due too budget cut. Benefits – I would like to be in a position with medical benefits, retirement, and profit sharing. Continue to provide therapy- I would like to continue to be a therapist as I enjoy my career and feel I can still provide healing. Ђ Having to move 50+ miles away. Changing a comfort zone of being independent-This will probably be the most difficult of this position change. I can make or change my schedule at a moments notice. This allows me to be available for my family. Involving my family in the verbal decision and the impact on them. I cannot make this change without confiding in my family as the outcome will have an impact on their lives as well. Are there dependencies on other decisions? I have an established rapport in this community and have gained a large referral base because to this.

This will help me to obtain a position in my career titled have current clients who will not be receiving a continuation of my intervention. My clients have become used to my service which is unique to me. I have a great attachment to being an independent contractor with all of the self-sufficient privileges. Objectives Statement I would like to make a decision on the direction of my long term career. This should be self-fulfilling and satisfying in a position that satisfies my career goals and financial goals.

This should allow for personal growth, financial growth and the ability to provide a therapeutic service to clients that promotes long term success in their specific therapeutic needs. I want to be in a position that will be working towards retirement. I also want a position that will also provide health benefits. Fundamental Objectives fundamental objectives are to obtain a position that will be stable financially and be bled to provide benefits for medical and retirement. My meaner objectives are objectives that will help me obtain my fundamental objectives.

I will determine which options that I have and what my overall cost financially and for my overall career will Alternatives After researching what my objectives are and determining my meaner objectives, I have found that I have three alternatives: Remain at my current agency where I have no benefits but I have independence in my schedule and direction of therapeutic service I provide to my clients. I am my own boss and am responsible for he hours I need to meet my personal financial demands. I will be able to remain in my current location.

I could move from within the city to a residence where there is more demand for my therapeutic service. My wife would not need to eventually change her Job if I stay with this position. Seek a position with a government agency where I can continue to be a therapist and provide a consistent intervention to meet client’s therapeutic needs. This will have medical benefits and a plan for retirement. I would have a supervisor who will determine my financial growth. This session will require a movement approximately 50 miles away. I have a brother and sister who would be residing closer to me if I move.

My wife could potentially keep her employment but transfer. She could potentially earn a position that would be better financially. She may have to change her current career if she cannot transfer. Seek a position with an agency that is not a government agency but I will need to cater the intervention to the specific clientele and adhere to the agency’s specific intervention.. I would have a supervisor who will determine my financial growth. This position will provide medical benefits a retirement plan and potential for profit sharing. This would also require me to move approximately 50 miles away.

I have decided that I would not like t compete with my current agency. This position will impact my wife similarly to the second alternative position. Selection As part of this process of selection I asked myself the following questions: Will I become bored with the position? I will be at this Job everyday and must come to the realization that I must be able to keep interested to avoid becoming bored. It the session one I will look forward to everyday? I currently enjoy my current Job. I feel at times at I TN t is not a Job but more to a rewarding elite to providing healing to others in need. ЂCan I see myself at this Job at a retirement age? I want to be able to visualize walking out the door with a great feeling rather than a feeling that is cynical. Am I taking this position because I have to or want to? I do not want to make a decision that If I don’t need to I won’t. I have made decisions in the past that I regretted because I should have been focused on other priorities. Descriptions of Alternatives- My change decision have three alternatives that I need to determine what I must decide. They involve the actual decision making process and consequence.

Alternative A- I make no changes and stay in current role, current pay and benefits. This has some risk but less that the other alternatives because I am aware of what I currently have. Alternative B- I will work in my role until I have the capital to move slowly. This alternative adds practicality to my decision. I currently cannot afford to move. I have estimated that it would cost approximately $5000 to eve from my location to Denver which is where I would need to move. This has more risk that alternative A but less than alternative C. Alternative C- If I move now which entails more risk financially.

I could obtain a better position. I could reside closer to family siblings. I could potentially earn a higher salary. I could earn benefits. This would also give me weekends off and be home after pm every day. Consequences I ranked the alternative according to the potential risks. Alternative A had the least risk ( appendix A). Then I scored the financial cost (5 points), the lowest potential rate of redo (2 points), looking forward everyday (2 points), potential for retirement (2 points) and is the position want or a need (2 points) (Appendix B).

If I were to use the additional factors, I could conclude to choose Alternative B. I could do this and if the economy was to improve and there was not a need for change other than a want for retirement. I have also determined that I could also potentially increase my referral base and meeting my temperamental objective. Conclusion The theory of rational choice making assumes that the relative favorite between two options does not depend on the presence of other options (Taverns and Simonton 1993).

I have made decisions in the past without using a rational tool or additional meaner that can help without using emotions that were impulsive. In other words, rational choices satisfy the independence of irrelevant alternatives (IA) assumption Luck 1959). There are times that we are driven by emotions to make a decision that will have a impact that can affect our lives but have irrelevant consequences especially if we deduce that a fundamental objective is not connected in a long term decision.

I feel that both career and mental health counseling skills are necessary to assist with the emotions of fear, anxiety, depression and self-doubt, as well as with career formation change, decision making, and implementation of a career change (Niles ; Harris-Bowlines, 2009). Elf we do not address these areas specifically as well urine this process of making a choice such as mine there could be additional long term consequences. As I have stated in previous sections, I will remain at my current position.