Career Assessment Programs
A career assessment program is required for all persons who wish to be Candidates for the Unitarian Universalist ministry at approved counseling centers accredited by the Ministry Development Council (MDC).It is highly recommended that an Aspirant complete the career assessment as early in the process as possible.
Participants in career assessment programs will be asked to provide relevant personal, medical and biographical information and take a series of standardized tests. Individual programs take approximately two days; group programs are held over the course of three days. Not all centers offer group programs, however. In either an individual or group program, you can expect a minimum of four hours of career counseling plus a one hour consultation with a psychologist. Both options cover the same basic materials, thought in a slightly different format. Aspirants are free to choose whichever format they think will be most appropriate to their needs.
Most centers also offer the option of a couple's interview and welcome the participation of a spouse or partner. While not required, this option offers an important opportunity for a spousal pair to examine together what one partner's pursuit of a ministry career portends for both partners.
Whether through a group program, individual program, or couples program, we
hope you will benefit from the opportunity for extensive evaluation of personal
strengths, motivation, areas of needed growth, and potential for success in the
ministry by staff members who are experienced in working with Aspirants,
Candidates and the clergy. The career assessment program is more than
evaluative—it is educative and developmental.
Some people feel caught off-guard by the amount of preparation required, (typically a day's work) and the degree of self-disclosure expected in these programs. Others feel caught off-guard by the lead time required. For example, the counseling center may need several months' lead time, plus an additional month to produce its written summary report. The RSCC needs the career assessment report in its hands two months in advance of your interview. We encourage you to talk with the personnel at the career center, your RSCC contact person, or the Ministerial Credentialing Director to gain a thorough understanding of what is involved.
The results of the assessment will be confidential. A written report will be released to the Ministerial Credentialing Office and the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) and mailed to the RSCC office only upon your written release. If you have questions about your unreleased report, you may request a confidential consultation with the Ministerial Credentialing Director. If you think the report is inaccurate in any respect, we urge you to follow up with the counselor who led your program and wrote your report before you sign the written release. Typically the counselors are willing to make only factual corrections. If you have released the report, the Ministerial Credentialing Director may call the counselors for clarification or additional consultation. It is important to note that the MDC centers adhere to the highest standards of professional practice when dealing with issues of confidentiality.
We recommend you make use of the career center reports by sharing the results with advisors, mentors, friends, supervisors, and anyone else who is in a position to give you additional feedback about the suitability of your vocational goals. It is in your best interest to check out possible areas of concern or "growing edges" by engaging in honest conversation with people who know you in a variety of ways.
Fees are likely to vary from center to center. It is your responsibility to make appointments and pay all fees. Please be very careful that you thoroughly understand the center's cancellation policy. In most cases, if you cancel after the deadline, you will be responsible for paying for the program anyway.
We realize the fees for career assessment programs are high but feel the value of the experience outweighs the expense. They are an opportunity for self-examination which will help you recognize your potential for ministry and the unique gifts you have to share. It will also help you make decisions involved in your preparation for, and fulfillment of, the responsibilities of ministry. It is not inappropriate for you to approach your church and/or your minister for financial assistance in meeting career center fees. You may be eligible for a $1000.00 program assistance grant from the UUA to help offset the costs of the career assessment and questions regarding eligibility should be directed to your RSCC administrator.
For more information contact mco @ uua.org.
Last updated on Wednesday, July 11, 2007.
