Individual Professional Development Plan in Human Resources - Admission/Application Essay Example

Individual Professional Development Plan in Human Services BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE YOUR HERE HERE Individual Professional DevelopmentPlan in Human Resources Three Year Development Plan Currently, working on the Bachelor’s degree in human services provides the motivation and dedication to proceed further toward becoming a more beneficial member of society and as a social advocate for individuals in need. In one year’s time, it is expected to be employed still in human resources or move further to expand my skill-set by transferring to a career position in psychology work. To this advantage, the role of psychologist or human resources professional requires only a four year degree or applicable experience. In the next three years, work will be conducted toward achieving a Master’s Degree in marriage and family counseling, with an LMFTA designation as a licensed marriage and family therapist associate. The family counseling advocate is a crucial goal based on personalized value systems and the need for reputable family therapists across the United States. “Dysfunctional households are characterized by a self-perpetuating feedback mechanism” (DeRiviere, 2008, p.584). In low-resource households, women are the most at risk for abuse and will often not educate herself due to a controlling partner and his fear that the partner is attempting to gain independence from their husband (DeRiviere). In high resource family environments where abuse occurs, it is often a quiet struggle for women who are afraid to seek therapy assistance and human services due to reputational issues or financial concerns. This is why three years from now I want to have all of the necessary qualifications to become a licensed family and marriage therapist associate because of the ongoing problems that dysfunctional households cause broader society. In order to make this goal a reality, personal changes and professional changes are required. A great deal of time investment is necessary to gain experience and educational credentials for this role, as well as considerable expenditures and supervisorial hours related to the degree program. This will reduce, significantly, the volume of free and recreational time available to devote to my personal ambitions and family which could, periodically, interrupt the quality of my personal relationships. However, it is worth the investment for my personal future goals, income expectations, and the ability to assist society with its problems as they relate to the home environment. “Peer acceptance and friendships are distinct constructs and contribute to youth development. Such acceptance has been shown to be associated with greater feelings of belonging” (Brown & Lohr, 1987, p.48). This is a significant motivator for achieving the LMFTA Master’s certification in family therapy since so many youths are affected by the dynamics of the peer relationship and the influence of family on sustaining or supporting these values. To further develop my skills in aiding therapy for the child role in the dysfunctional household, further research on the subject in psychology and sociology will need to be conducted along with a considerable volume of post-secondary educational learning. Experience-based supervisory roles related to youth roles in the family are also necessary to gain pre-career experience on what drives the dynamics of household function and peer relationships. Three Year Evaluation After careful consideration, the three year plan does not have much alternative if I hope to become a well-skilled and knowledgeable counselor for family households. To achieve the certification required for this career role, education and experience are the primary avenues to learning and professional development. In these three years, both for personal growth and to meet with academic standards related to final thesis projects, interviews with professional family counselors will be conducted as a means to gain real-time and unbiased information about what drives an effective family counselor. These interviews will be beneficial for understanding what to expect, in detail, as an LMFTA family therapist and become familiar with the political and regulatory structures that guide this profession. I believe these are necessary skill development goals over the next three years to become fully-equipped with all knowledge necessary to achieve greatness and support as a family counselor and in human services generically. Five and Ten Year Plan of Development In five years, I will be wrapping up my Master’s Degree in marriage and family counseling, likely planted in a career that is affiliated with this type of career profession, either in the aforementioned psychology work or human services social work. Because I carry so many humanistic values and am very people-centered, there are some skills that require development in order to be successful at the end of the next five years as it relates to my final career goal. Liimatta (2002, p.1) identifies the importance of maintaining professional distance in human services and counseling: “Over involvement on an emotional level causes counselors to lose their objectivity and they cannot exercise proper judgment with clients”. My humanistic personality values tend to lose some of this professional distance, based on current experience and practice with general society, that could impede the ability to become an objective counselor. It is my goal to attain knowledge courses in political systems and diplomatic theory, along with reduction strategies for codependency that might arise as a family counselor where emotions run high in each session with the therapist. Additionally, more knowledge as it relates to social learning theory is required during the next five years. It is a theory that suggests individuals will observe role models and then learn what behavior is most appropriate by witnessing whether the role model is rewarded or punished. “In order for someone to be a role model, he or she must be credible and attractive in the eyes of others” (Neubert, Carlson, Kacmar, Roberts & Chonko, 2009, p.158). After assessing my current skill-set, I realize that I require more development in relation to coaching and mentoring as individuals seeking my assistance with family crises will be looking for a trusted confidante to provide direction, information, and support. Because social learning theory will dictate the level of relationship and response received from clients, how to effectively model behaviors is required to achieve greatness in the profession and make a legitimate difference. How to balance role modeling through expressed behavior while also maintaining a professional distance is a goal for the next five years through academics, interviews, and emotional intelligence exercises conducted at the personal level. In ten years, I would like to be well-established in my role as marriage and family counselor and licensed in other support areas, especially assisting members of the U.S. military. Problems occurring in the family such as post-traumatic stress disorder, abuse and suicide are common problems, therefore I will need to expand my academic credentials to focus on military support therapy for family improvement and development. The academics leading toward this goal are already in place, however resource generation is a problem that should be rewarded with a well-paying therapist career position so as to advance in future licensing for specialized support services. Conclusion No single facility of learning can develop an individual fully without internalized motivations and plans of action to achieve short- and long-term goals. There is nothing I want more than to become a validated and successful human services support worker and counselor; it will require only advancing knowledge through research, experience, and constant self-examination related to emotional awareness and ambition. Much of my goals over the next year, five years, and ten years relates to self-determination theory that will require drive and the ability to sacrifice short-term recreation and relationships to achieve this goal. With support of instructors, loan officers, family members, social networks, and self-motivational practices, this is an achievable goal with considerable financial and social rewards. References Brown, B. & Lohr, M. (1987). Peer-Group Affiliation and Adolescent Self-Esteem: An Integration of Ego-Identity and Symbolic-Interaction Theories, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol.52, pp.47-55. DeRiviere, Linda. (2008). Do Economists need to Rethink their Approaches to Modeling Intimate Partner Violence?, Journal of Economic Issues, 42(3), pp.583-606. Liimatta, Michael. (2002). Issues of personal boundaries in counseling – Part I. AGRM Director of Education. Retrieved October 12, 2011 at http://www.alcoholicsvictorious.org/faq/distance.html Neubert, M., Carlson, D., Kacmar, K., Roberts, J. & Chonko, L. (2009). The Virtuous Influence of Ethical Leadership Behavior: Evidence from the Field, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 90, pp.157-170. Read More