From Senior to Public Relations to Assistant Buyer
Claire's journey illustrates how combining interests, values, and skills can lead to fulfilling and creative career outcomes. This case study explores the process that helped her gain clarity, confidence, and ultimately a satisfying role that reflects who she is.
Client Background
- Name: Claire
- Age: 22
- Education: B.A. in Business Administration, Minor in Conservation Studies
Experience
- Research internship (Washington D.C.)
- Marketing internship + part-time role (San Francisco)
- Sorority treasurer, YWCA event coordinator
- 3 years tutoring high school students
Challenge
Claire felt “clueless” about her future career. She explored management consulting but discovered it leaned too heavily on analytical work. She wanted a career that allowed:
- Creative expression
- Life/work balance
- Purpose and variety
“Most careers don’t use my creative side,” Claire shared.
Assessment Tools Used
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SkillScan Drive | Identified transferable skills from Claire’s school and work experiences |
| Discovering Your Interests | Conservation, Business, Creativity, Leadership |
| Holland Code | Enterprising, Artistic, Social |
| Values Exercise | Leadership, Creativity, Influence |
Explore these tools in the Learning Center
Career Profile Summary
| Holland Themes | Drive Transferable Skills | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprising | Organizing, Leading Teams | Led group projects, managed sorority budget, coordinated YWCA events |
| Artistic | Creating Images | Designed displays, scrapbooks, and event decor |
| Social | Communication, Persuasion | Tutoring, marketing proposals, environmental promotion |
Core Values in Action
- Leadership: Budget management, team coordination
- Creativity: Design and display projects
- Influence: Tutoring and promoting sustainability
Counseling Process
Claire’s assessment results guided our career brainstorming. Together, we used her SkillScan Drive Career Options Report to identify potential best-fit options and provided additional resources to explore them, e.g., O*Net, Career Services Library, etc.
Career Ideas Explored
- Event and conference management
- Marketing, brand management
- Advertising
- Public relations
- Marketing rotational training programs
Outcome
- Focused on Public Relations
- Sent 20 targeted applications
- Secured 2 interviews
- Accepted a full-time PR role in Silicon Valley
Postscript: Career Evolution
Two years later, Claire sought more creativity and challenge. She transitioned into an Assistant Buyer role at a leading retail company—blending:
- Creative display and product design
- Special event coordination
- Collaboration with vendors and teams
“I never imagined my love for cooking would help me find such a perfect role.”
Key Takeaways for Career Counselors
- SkillScan Drive identified her greatest strengths to enhance personal clarity and confidence.
- Validated her skill preferences through real-life examples.
- Blended interests, values, and skills to generate career ideas and provide criteria for evaluating career options.