Volume_4_Issue_2_Digest

TPC D igest 25 Seth Hayden, NCC, is the Program Director of Career Advising, Counseling and Programming at Florida State University. Kathy Ledwith, NCC, is the Assistant Director for Career Counseling, Advising and Programming at Florida State University. Shengli Dong is an Assistant Professor at Florida State University. Mary Buzzetta, NCC is a doctoral student at Florida State University. Correspondence can be addressed to Seth Hayden, 100 S. Woodward Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32308, scwhayden@fsu.edu . S tudent veterans often encounter unique challenges related to career develop- ment. The significant number of student veterans entering postsecondary environments requires counselors who address the career development of this population to decide on appropriate areas of focus when developing interventions. This study utilized a career- needs assessment survey to determine the needs of student veterans in a university setting. The sample of student veterans was obtained from a large southeastern university. Student veterans indicated a desire to focus on the following topics within career inter- vention: transitioning military experience to civilian work, developing skills in résumé- building and networking, and negotiating job offers. Student veterans indicated a prefer- ence for participating in a group counseling intervention focusing on the aforementioned concerns. Results of the needs survey can be used in the development of a career-related intervention. Cognitive Information Processing pro- vides a framework in which to address the career-development needs of this population. This theoretical approach focuses on domains of knowledge (self and options), decision making, and executive processing (negative thinking). Cognitive Information Processing, which has been examined in relation to veter- ans’ career development, is utilized in the cre- ation of a group counseling format incorpo- rating the responses of the needs assessment. The group counseling format involves four sessions and focuses on transitioning military experience to civilian work as well as other Assessing the Career-Development Needs of Student Veterans: A Proposal for Career Interventions – DIGEST Seth Hayden Kathy Ledwith Shengli Dong Mary Buzzetta