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Career Development and Spirituality

Kathy Engelstad

All humans have an inherent need to know whom they really are and what they are here to do. This is the call of spirit. It is the career counselor’s job to aid that call – to provide the tools and assistance to further self-understanding.

When I talk about “spirituality” in the context of career development, I am referring to the awareness and use of that inner spark in creating a career that provides joy, enthusiasm and satisfaction. A person who is working with spiritual energy, using his or her unique abilities and passions, is truly alive. We all know how different we feel when we are doing something we love. Time flies by and we abound in energy. We are like a fire that has been ignited and burns brightly.

How do we ignite spirit? How do we reach that place within our clients? It begins by getting to know the person, and helping the client to get to know himself. It begins by letting the client talk, and really listening. I know from my own experience, that when I worked with my first clients, I didn’t want to waste their time. I thought that it was my responsibility to provide useful information. After all, the client was paying me by the hour. The problem with that approach, I came to find out, is that most of the information does not come from me. It comes from the client. It resides in that inner spark. My job is to help the client access that spark and put it into use. If that place is not accessed, the client will ultimately feel like there is something missing in the experience.

There are many books on the market that talk about finding our life’s purpose, and claim to have the perfect tool. Some of these are more useful than others, but they all require self-examination. If we are to find out who we are, we must begin the search within ourselves. One thing to remember, however, is that being human is to be very complex. The majority of the answers will still come from within. Having our clients busy themselves with externals can actually lengthen the task. A phrase that I apply to myself when I find myself looking for the answers “out there” is, “I am that which I seek.” I must become aware of who I am, and use this knowledge to make decisions. This is the art of spiritual awareness.