ALUMNI FOCUS

Finding your true north

When you speak with MQ Bachelor of Psychology graduate James Pham, you can tell he’s really listening. His natural empathy and desire to understand people have not only been enhanced by his studies and honed as a Telephone Crisis Counsellor at Lifeline, but the skills he has gained from placements at Sport Scholars and Career Advantage, while undertaking a Masters in Organisation Psychology, mean James is well on his way to helping others find their true north.

 

James Pham is one of those people who is easy to talk to and connect with, and there’s a gentleness about him that no doubt makes him particularly suited to the career path he has chosen in psychology. ‘I enjoy real talk more than small talk,’ he explains. ‘You can make a real connection, and you know it’s meaningful to the other person,’ he says, giving an insight into what drew him to the field, and Macquarie University, in the first place.

‘I like talking with people, getting to know them, and wanted to better understand how people work. A high school teacher and now mentor recognised that in me and was key in helping me decide to enrol in psychology at MQ; they said the program was one of the best.’

Surrounding himself with the right people – who have helped him reflect on his direction, and who don’t give him the answers he is seeking but rather allow him to gain a more accurate understanding of the right direction for him – what he calls his true north – has been instrumental in James’s trajectory so far, and inspired him to be the same for other people.

‘You’re the captain of your own ship,’ he explains, ‘it’s up to each of us to reach our goals and persist through difficulties. The people who challenge you and help you reflect are the kind of people I want to be around. Still, you have to come up with your own answers and work out how they apply to you. After all, you’re the expert on your own life.’

A seeker of wisdom through talking with other people, James says one of the greatest learnings from his studies has been that communication and listening skills can be taught and developed. They are also skills that have been refined through his work at Lifeline as a volunteer doing the late-night shift on the phones, and then as a permanent Telephone Crisis Supporter.

‘My decision to be involved at Lifeline was born from a desire to apply my communication and listening skills in a way that would benefit others. My experience has been invaluable. I’ve learned so much through their training, and have experienced a real sense of fulfilment from my work.’

James also tutors in the Department of Psychology at MQ and says, ‘I can’t understate how much I love being a tutor. It’s so much fun interacting with and educating such a great group of students. I consider it my responsibility and pleasure to do my best for each cohort I get involved with.’

Keen to use the practical skills and theories from his undergraduate degree and put them into practice, James enrolled in the Masters of Organisational Psychology at MQ, and is currently balancing three placements, a key part of program. ‘We undertake 1000 hours over the two years, but how you split that up across different organisations is up to you,’ he says, explaining that each placement is overseen by an accredited psychologist.

Having enjoyed being involved with EnactusMQ during his undergraduate degree, an international non-profit organisation that creates social impact through innovation and entrepreneurship, James approached Waterworks in Brookvale, which provides clean water to communities in Uganda.

‘Enactus really ignited my interest in social good and using business to make a better world, and the Master’s program takes that even further. When you come to the realisation that you have skills, it’s your responsibility to use them for the benefit of other people and do good in the world,’ he says.

James is also undertaking placements as a Wellbeing Coach at MQ’s Sport Scholars, which supports Macquarie’s elite athletes in managing their wellbeing and provides individual coaching, and as a Career Coach at Career Advantage, an MQ-run career assessment and feedback service.

A longstanding program that has recently been reinvigorated, James says Supervisor Dr Narelle Hess has been instrumental in spearheading the progress and visibility of Career Advantage. It is available to everyone, from MQ graduates just starting their careers to people who may have worked for a number of years but are questioning if they want to progress up the career ladder, or are considering a change.

‘The general public can be referred to us by psychologists,’ adds James, who says people come to them when they lack a sense of direction or feel lost in terms of their career. ‘Career Advantage is for people who’d like to get a clear understanding of what their next steps are in terms of their career,’ explains James.

‘We start with a rigorous assessment so people can reflect on their strengths, weaknesses and values. We then use that information to help people get a clear understanding of how they can utilise their strengths and weaknesses to either seek a promotion or understand what career they’re interested in, using their values and motivations to inform that knowledge.

‘The program reduces the cognitive load and the self-doubt because of the rigorous assessment and support it provides, and helps you build social support. That’s the benefit of the Careers Advantage program – you have someone on the outside, someone who can help you reflect on your experiences, strengths and skills, affirming what you already know and giving you a different perspective on what you don’t.

‘We use the idea of the compass to help people consolidate how they feel in terms of their career, find their own personal sense of true north, and guide them in that direction. That’s the magic of what we do.’

 

Do you feel unclear on your career direction or are you ready to reach new heights in your career? Career Advantage program is here to help. 

To find out more about MQ’s Career advantage program, call +61 (2) 9850 8000, or email psychology.clinic@mqhealth.org.au (with Career Advantage MQ in the subject line).

This service has been designed for MQ Alumni 12 months or more after graduation and delivered by MQ Master of Organisational Psychology Provisional Psychologists under the supervision of Endorsed Organisational Psychologists.

 

A provisional psychologist, James Pham is currently undertaking a Masters of Organisational Psychology, having graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Psychology in 2019. He currently works as a Telephone Crisis Supporter for Lifeline Australia and is a tutor in the Department of Psychology at Macquarie University.

James is currently on placements as a Wellbeing Coach at Sport Scholars and as a Career Coach at the MQ Career Advantage program, a professional service designed to help MQ alumni and the general public uncover their key career motivations, strengths and blind spots. The program is delivered by MQ Master of Organisational Psychology provisional psychologists under the supervision of Endorsed Organisational Psychologists.