Group counselling is provided by conducting group counselling workshops. The aim of these workshops is to prepare students and graduates for working life and to provide effective academic support, through the interaction of participants and the benefits of participating in a group. These are closed group meetings, lasting 2–3 hours, in which final-year students and graduates from all AUTh Departments participate. Each group is mixed in terms of gender, age, academic department, and occupational status. However, care is taken to ensure that AUTh final-year students or graduates are given priority.
With the support of qualified CSO career advisors, participants in group workshops are given the opportunity to be informed, have their questions answered, and be guided accordingly on matters concerning their career. The group counselling workshops are tailored to the needs of the service recipients, that is, the students and graduates of the University, they are conducted in Greek and they are held each academic semester on topics relating to:
Enhancing self-awareness, decision-making & career planning
The aim of the workshop is to help participants build self-awareness, and deploy their personal strengths, values, skills, and incentives in planning their career path. Through experiential self-awareness exercises, group discussion and targeted tools, participants will explore their educational and career options, their incentives, enhance their confidence and resilience, identify potential challenges and obstacles, and develop greater clarity in making professional decisions. Lastly, the workshop aims to establish a personal and realistic career path and plan concrete next steps.
Job Search Strategies & LinkedIn
The aim of the workshop is to familiarize participants with appropriate methods and techniques to effectively organize their job search and time available. Advice is provided during the workshop on methods they can apply in order to find employment opportunities and reach out to potential employers in Greece and abroad. Participants learn about effective job search techniques through job openings as well as by accessing the “hidden job market”. Information is also provided about professional bodies, associations, organizations, and programmes, where participants can turn to when looking for work. Another section of the workshop focuses on building a strong LinkedIn profile as a process of professional networking and profile visibility, as well as on ways to look for a job through this digital platform.
Writing a CV and a cover letter
The aim of the workshop is to provide participants with detailed information about the proper drafting of a CV and a cover letter. The career advisors of the Office shall then review the CVs and cover letters prepared by the workshop participants.
Job interview
The workshop mainly explores issues relating to the stages, the difficulties, and the secrets of a successful interview. Those who attend the workshop shall also participate in a “mock” interview, which shall be evaluated and feedback shall be given by the whole group under the supervision of the workshop coordinator.
Study skills and exam preparation
The purpose of the workshop is to help students develop more effective study “habits” in order to ensure a smoother and better academic progress.
Time Management Skills
This workshop addresses the difficulties encountered in prioritizing and organizing obligations of everyday life and work effectively. Very often it feels like “we don’t have enough time”, or we are saying “Why is this taking us so long?”. The aim is to discuss how students/graduates manage their time, what challenges them, what “works” for them, and lastly, to present techniques for more efficient prioritization of duties/tasks.
Managing Exam Stress/Procrastination
What is stress and what is the relationship between stress and procrastination? Why is stress necessary and where can it be useful? What happens when stress overwhelms or even paralyzes us? What are the sources of anxiety/stress in everyday life? The aim of the workshop is to provide students with useful tools for managing stress and exam stress, as well as ways of dealing with procrastination.
Developing anxiety management skills
Rest/Recovery is a key part of stress management. Proper rest is particularly important; it is the way of replenishing one’s energy reserves and it is often quite neglected. Physical, mental, and emotional fatigue require rest. The aim of the workshop is to suggest appropriate techniques on how to deal with a challenge more effectively, as well as what to do after managing it.