An Interview with Jamie Terran, Career Coach
This week, I had the privilege of interviewing Jamie Terran, a career coach in NYC. She explained what a career coach does and gave advice on career planning for high school students. No, it’s not too early!
What do you do as a Career Coach?
I help people at all levels of their career identify their next professional steps and create an actionable plan to achieve them. Whether they are looking for a promotion in their current field, need additional education to reach their goal, or are going through a career change, we look for anything that may be missing in their background, find ways to fill the gaps, and set them up for success.
What is the difference between a Career Coach and a Guidance Counselor?
A Guidance Counselor is typically a professional who works in a school setting. They are certified to work with students at a particular stage in their lives. They often work with many students at a time. A high school Guidance Counselor is likely specialized in helping students get into college. A Career Coach has flexibility to work with clients at whatever level they feel most comfortable. They often work with small groups or 1-on-1 with clients. Career Coaches have a focus on a student’s professional future, in the context of where they currently are. Both Guidance Counselors and Career Coaches work with people to help them reach their goals and use their skills to ensure their students success.
What amount of Career Planning is necessary for a High School Student?
Career Planning for a High Schooler should be focused on gaining experience and exposure to as many fields as possible. If a student believes they want to have a career that requires a particular undergraduate degree, the student should ensure the college they choose offers that degree. However, I always encourage students to keep an open mind through high school and into college to whatever opportunities may present themselves.
If you were meeting with a High School student for the first time and they felt they had no idea what job they wanted in the future, where would you tell them to start?
First I would tell them to take a deep breath. This can be overwhelming for people of all ages. Then, we would open a google document and make three lists.
A list of things they enjoy
A list of “professional” experiences they have had (internships, club/team leadership positions, jobs)
Favorite/memorable projects in school
After completing these lists, look for overlap in the things you enjoy. For example, if you’re the captain of your dance team, worked in retail and love helping customers, and enjoy group projects, you may want to think about careers that give a lot of interaction with other people: Sales, Human Resources or Clinical Research. On the other hand, if you play singles tennis, volunteer at the library, and feel most proud of your results on standardized tests, you may be someone who would pursue a career that often requires independent work: writing, IT or Accounting for a few examples.
That sounds like a lot of work. How much time should students be devoting to their future career in high school?
I know it sounds like a lot. The truth is, these lists can be started and worked on over time, and they should be! After you finish reading this article, create your document. Whenever you feel inspired to add to it, go right ahead. If you have some time to dedicate to get started, set aside 30 minutes or so, but no need to have it take over your life.
What should a high school student do if they are looking for a job right now?
If a high school student came to me looking for advice on finding a job, I would ask them what they were looking for in that job. Is it meant to be primarily for income? Is it meant to provide experience? Are they looking to explore a field they think they are interested in? Are they looking to fill their time?
Of course to apply for jobs you will need a resume (download my free resume guide here) so you will need to write that.
Most importantly, I would remind them to always look and ask to learn. Think about how they can use the skills they have to contribute, and remember that no task is too small to be meaningful.
How can a student prepare for a job or college interview?
Preparing for an interview should focus on knowing yourself and the place you're applying and ideally why you want to be at that place. Identify three-to-five stories you know well that you can reference for questions that start “tell me about a time when…” These stories should be about projects you have worked on where you worked through a problem to find success. They can be from academic or social experiences. Be sure to research the company or school you are applying to. At minimum, read their About Us page and the company’s mission statement. Try to find something within the Mission that you genuinely relate to. Don’t try to give them the answer you think they want. Always, always be honest in your answers. Before you go to the interview, better yet, before you apply for the job, make sure you wouldn’t mind if your future boss saw your social media profiles.
What is one thing a student can do today to help themselves in the future?
Aside from the Three Lists, start thinking about how you can build a network. Is there anyone you have met in your life that you wish you stayed in touch with? Do you have a way to reach out? In that same document, start tracking people you meet, how you met them, and their contact information. Reach out periodically, even if it's just to wish them Happy Holidays or share where you’re going to college. Building genuine relationships now will open doors in the future for internships and mentorship as you progress in your career.
One last question: What advice would you give your high school self?
Consider every opportunity you’re offered. Keep an open mind and expose yourself to as many things as possible. Try to step out of your comfort zone when you can. Make time to volunteer your time for organizations you believe in and to do things just for fun. Ask for help from the adults around you.
Most importantly, remember that no one exam or interview can hurt your future, but a single opportunity can open the door for success and happiness.
Jamie Terran
is a career coach based in New York City and does virtual coaching too. In her words: I created this business to help those who don't intuitively know what they want professionally or need help reaching their goals. Learn more about Jamie and get help writing your resume at jamieterran.com