Oh, boy, where do I begin?  She was just ill qualified to do the job.  Does not career counseling require some basic understanding what psychology is or how to deal with people to begin with?  A lot of time in the Career Orientation Workshop is spent on personality profiles, figuring out who you are, what you like, what kind people you like to deal with.  That is all psychology.  She was absolutely and totally clueless.  She was parroting the manual to us, thank you very much!  I am totally dumbfounded when it comes to that stupid woman.

She was from a small city.  It is not a sin, but she just enjoyed the security and never knew real challenges in her life.  It was boring, so she said.  She worked there in retail.  She quit because customers drove her insane.  That is a good sign.  Maybe working with people was not her forte.  Then she moves into a big city and works in a corporate world for four years.  She hates every single day of it.  All the wanted was an image of prestige, a power suit or something like that.  Never happened.  Then she goes to a career counsellor and thinks, “Oh, I would like to do the same”.  Why spend time and effort in choosing a unique or maybe suitable path, if she can “just do the same”.  Just like a monkey.  If you cannot think, observe and imitate.  Maybe I am not really fair to monkeys.

Anyway.  What I observed during her “facilitation” sessions.  She never listened; I guess she was not interested.  She was complacent, bored out of her mind.  Oh, well, there is a “Blue Caring” personality (right! a lot of people pick Blue, but truly they are not, remember that there are one 12% of really Blue people).  She seemed to enjoy “I am the boss here” scenario, but what she failed to notice that most participants were more educated and more qualified than her.  She was neither blue, nor caring, she was not interested and not capable of helping.  But employed.

One day we discussed the barriers that people usually have to achieve goals.  Inertia was one of them.  Her vocabulary did not seem to be limited, but when it came to explanations, it became hilarious.  When she was struggling with a definition (it is really hard to define something if you do not really understand the thing you are trying to define).  I tried to help her, saying that inertia in physics was “this and that”.  Not just an explanation, but an example as well. 

She snapped at me “We are not in the physics class!”

Of course, we were not.  I, with my Masters in Engineering, have to listen to a Canadian from a small town with some questionable “diploma in God knows what” who cannot define “inertia”, but teaches it.  How do you like it so far?

If it did happen to me now, I would have gone all the way to check her qualifications, I would have looked at her diploma, the curriculum, her marks and I would have asked her to define terms on the spot without looking anywhere.  Inertia included.

That is how I feel.  And you know why?  Because after all the work I have done on defining my personality profile I asked that stupid woman a question and what she replied:  “I DO NOT KNOW YOU”.  What the hell then are you doing in JVS counseling me?

 Thanks for writing. It sounds like you are having a difficult time. At this time, the WISE program does not seem to be a helpful next step for you.

 I hope you get the right support to help you through this difficult time.

 Regards,

 Counsellor # 1

Employment Counsellor

WISE Program-JVS Toronto

10 King Street East, Suite 300

Toronto, ON M5C 1C3

  My comment: Of course, if you have a difficult time, it is better to remove yourself and go somewhere else!

From: me
Sent: June 18, 2007 2:38 PM
To: Counellor # 1
Subject: Appointment

DearCounsellor # 1:

I need to make an appointment with you, if you have time this week it would be great.

I need your help in finding specific employment, so our meeting would be strictly professional (no emotions, crying or yelling on my part).  I did what I did partly because I simply broke down.  Not only machines break down, but people, too.  But unlike machines, people who break down and cannot handle it are expected or asked to behave by other people who can behave and handle it at the time.   It is a paradox.  I got professional help every step of my way and now I am handling my life much better.

I completed the “Career Exploration” manual on my own and I have an Action Plan.  Meaning, I know how I can start making money, but I need to make a transition from being employable to be employed.  I will you give the specifics later.  Let me assure you that it is all-appropriate and all within your job specifications.  I did not read your job specifications, but I think i have a very good understanding what they are.

Thank you in advance,

 Svetlana

 Hi Svetlana,

I replied to your e-mail on June 5, saying that the WISE program doesn’t seem to be a suitable next step for you at this time.  I didn’t hear back from you on this issue for two weeks. Your file is now closed in WISE.

Although your file is closed, we can arrange a time to meet once and discuss the action plan you said you have developed as well as your next steps. I can offer you any comments I may have on your action plan.

 If you would like to continue your participation in WISE, your file will have to be re-opened. To do that, we need to get more information regarding your health, professional support system, and treatment for managing the crisis you have been experiencing recently. This information is needed to understand how your current state of health would affect your future employment, and to determine if an employment preparation program would be an appropriate option for you at this time. This will also include signing a consent form to allow us to consult other professionals supervising your health. Based on this information, a decision can be made about re-opening your file.

I won’t be able to meet with you this week. I can see you on Monday June 25 at any of these  times:  10:00,11:30,  or 2:00. Please let me know if you decide to take any of these appointments.

 Regards,

 Employment Counsellor # 1

My comment: You see, it is obvious, as soon as “the Helpers” realize that you need special attention, the first thing to do is to get rid of the problem.  That is how they problem solve.  I am still wondering how many people are really helped by JVS.  I wish I could see the statistics of how many women found new careers and fulfilled their dreams.  Because JVS staff is certainly ill equipped to help.  Moreover, they don’t care.

On June 19, 2007, I wrote:

Dear Counsellor # 1:

I would like to take the appointment on Monday, June 25, at 14:00, please.

I did not realize that I had to respond to your previous message so I did not.  I just took it for its face value – no.  No means no, you did not want to meet with me at that time.  I thought it was fair.  I asked the simple question bearing very little suspense of what the answer could be.  Only two possibilities, yes or no, hence the simplicity.  No was a valid answer for me.  Anyway, that was my impression.

I did seek professional help all the way of the process. I am honest (remember, honesty is my core value). To tell you the truth you were the first in line.  “Career exploration” was the beginning, and then when I needed to see a crisis counselor I did (please do not forget that you gave me all the contacts).  And I am grateful.

If you need information about me, I will give it to you, but this time I might ask to see the Rules and Regulations of JVS as well.  You are an employee who follows the rules of the organization and you are in the position of power.  On the other hand, I am a customer who comes not knowing your rules and I have to simply trust that you know what you do and you have all the qualifications and you actually follow the rules.  It is unfair.  It became very obvious now that I have to prove it to you that I am entitled to your help and you do not have to prove anything to me.  When I came to JVS, all I wanted was a direction to go and I what I got was an Exploration Journey.  I learned so much it feels that I am back at University again.  Which feels great, I was scared and helpless, now I can handle fear and I stand up for myself.  Wasn’t it that the idea?  Feel the fear and do it anyway?  I did my homework; I read the book that was recommended.

If you need proof, I will give it to you, but do not expect me to trust something that I simply do not know.  I am entitled to find out and I ask.  Nicely.  I am not in a business of suing people, I simply get what I want by using resources == systems.  And I follow the rules.  You can trust me on that.

 Well, there is a rule that I bended again! 
I over explained.  Because I like you and I thought it will be easier for you to understand. I might be wrong.  I am human, I make mistakes, I have emotions.  But believe me I like people and people like me.  I have the proof.  I understand people.  Do you?

Take care,

Svetlana Ivanova

This is a letter to my career counsellor – she was much better than the other “facilitator”.  Of course, she was not prepared to deal with anybody of my Dimensions.  But she gave me some time, she tried to undestarnd me, at least I am still under the impression that she made an effort.  Whatever happened, happened and there is nothing I can do about it.  It was a learning experience for me.  Absolutely and totally invaluable.  I don’t write like that anymore, but it was necessary to do it at that stage.

From: me

Sent: June 4, 2007 12:25 AM

To: Employment Counsellor # 1

Subject: My Story

Dear Counsellor # 1:

I am sorry I could not keep our appointment on May 22, but I was kept in a hospital.  Since I was nicely asked to remove myself from JVS program so as to make everyone else comfortable and capable of pursuing his or her dreams, I was admitted to hospital.  Twice.  Both times admission was my responsibility.  Totally.  I made people very uncomfortable there too, not for the pleasure of it, but for getting results.  Remember… there is no right or wrong, there is no good or bad, there are differences of (opinion, preferences, ways to get what you want, even though in the end we all want the same thing).

You met me and you know me enough to guess that I can frustrate people.  How?  By simply asking professionals to do their jobs or by asking them help me.  Their way or my way, it does not matter.  My challenge is to get results.  I get them all the time: they are sometimes simply hilarious or ridiculous, but often painful for others and especially me.  The doctors & nurses (trained medic professionals) tried to cure me from my condition.  They failed.  My case is not in the manuals and instructions yet.  I hope it will never make it to the mysterious rules of the mysterious System.

Please stop trying to cure me from being Blue, Green, Gold and Orange.  Especially from becoming or discovering Orange.  I feel that I have so much Orange in me, it hurts.  This Orange is very vibrant and very pushy colour – it exudes from every pore.

Remember, Counsellor # 1, I told you I must be brown because most nuts are?  When I actually mixed Blue and Orange paints, I’ve got… well, a new colour and its name starts with B….

Well, anyway, this is my story.  Would you like to hear it?  Well, it’s up to you.  Remember the rules, simple questions, no chewed food, power of vocabulary and so forth. 

Shall we repeat it?  Would you like to hear my story (simple question (Yes or No)).

If yes, let me know.

If no, I would like to take this opportunity to say

Thank you, Counsellor # 1, very much for being who you are and thank you for your courage and honesty. Honesty is what I admire in people.

Thank you, Counsellor # 1

Honestly

====================================================================

Of course, she did not want to hear the story.  That is the problem with our society.  We always think that we know what the outcome will be.  Why do anything, if we already “know” what will happen?

The point is “we don’t know until we try”.  I did try.  JVS kicked me out.  I was treated by psychiatrists.  I was “helped”  by police.  I was helped by many people who “knew” what I needed.  And that is how I learned my lesson.  Now I know who I am and what I want, what I can do and what I will do.  Testing is not about sanity.  Testing is about figuring out the life, the universe and everything.  Children do it all the time, that is how they learn.  We tend to believe what we are told instead of trying for ourselves.  I did my testing.

Can you do the same?  No, really?  Discovery is painful, but it is worth it.

After I put it all together – personality dimensions, work values, personal strengths, the results of the skills scan, and the knowledge-based skills, I got my PROFILE done.

So, the rest was easy.  JVS asked me about my DREAM JOB and I said that I want to have an orphanage for children that were rejected by everybody else.  Because I wanted to prove the fact that a lot depends on the upbringing and I would be a noble thing to do.  Besides the fact, of course, that I simply love being with children.

So, here are the suggestions from JVS and other members of the group to as what I have to do in order to get what I wanted.

My Dream Job:

1. To run an orphanage for the rejects.  Orphanage manager, owner, curriculum designer.
2. To open my Dance Studio (that came to my mind only two short years later! LOL)

Suggestions from Other Members of the Group:

1. Independent Daycare
2. Social Worker
3. Camp Counsellor
4. Fundraiser for Charities working for Children
5. Kindergarten ECE
6. Advocate and Speaker
7. Children’s Aid (Advocate)
8. Juvenile Correction Officer
9. Child Psychiatrist
10. Foster Parent Coordinator
11. Policy and Curriculum Designer (for Children)
12. Life Skills Coach
13. Children’s Health
14. Non-profit Program Manager

I dedicate this story and all of my other stories to the people who are powerless when it comes to dealing with Systems.  In short, I dedicate my writing to the absolute majority of the population.  Not only in Canada.  Everywhere.

First, I was Blue

When I was born (in my country of Origin) “delivery personnel” picked me up and said to my mother “It’s a boy” in a dismissive manner.  Usually, it is either a boy or a girl.  Wait, you already know this if you are old enough to read this.  However, you may not know, that in my country of Origin it was not customary to actually show a child to a mother.  Why bother?  She will have the rest of her life to look at her offspring.   Just because I was misdiagnosed so early in life, the “delivery personnel” bended the rules a little bit, five minutes after I was born, first of all I was no longer referred to as a boy…and second of all, I was actually showed to my mother.

            – To be continued

 Before I was diagnosed with mentality, I joined This program.  It specializes in helping women who are no longer indecently young yet still do not know how find meaningful employment or at least sustainable careers.  Me, me and me.  Middle aged, overeducated, unemployed with no idea how to make a transition from this to what?  I qualified, career exploration was right up my valley, and so I joined This Program.  Simple.  Little that I knew that it would take me to places I did not know existed.  That is my story.

I studied for too many years, so I consider myself being a good student.  Revision.  I know I am a good student.  On Day 1, I was given the Manual (the Binder), which had the answer.  In order to get it, I had to complete the steps.  Step by step, day-by-day I followed The Manual religiously.  Step by step, day by day. Some people said that I took it too literally, but it was meant to be taken literally.  To prove me wrong, join This program and try to do the program figuratively.  We will compare results later.  You might end up with a story that is far more interesting than mine. 

In my opinion, I did everything right, however, on Day 7, I was kicked out of the program.  Why?  Because I did what I was told to do.  I overcame my fear.  I made a transition from Pain to Power.  It was, however, perceived, that I was too intense, too scary, too powerful.  I had too many problems.  I was no longer welcome to the group, but I still had the right to see my Counsellor.

On Day 8, I came to Emergency of This Hospital to help me relax (from all the stress or stressors ) and I was locked for 72 hours on the grounds that I could be a menace to a society and myself.  I was not, but that the professionals would rather follow the rules of the System, embrace the Power of Assumption, but not listen to their minds and hearts.

            – To be continued

Over 7 million copies in print. The best-selling job-hunting book in the world!  In twelve languages worldwide.  Bought by 20,000 people a month.

Please note how many numbers are in the text.  I will bet you anything that this book appeals mostly to Gold People who need a manual for everything, even for using a washroom.

I have bought this book and read it a couple of times.  I was trying to find out how can I find a job where I won’t be miserable.  This book was my start.  But it did not do much good.  When I came to the point when I had realized that I did not even remember anymore what I liked, I was weeping.

What did I know about Parachutes?

For sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain.

If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you.

It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.