Invitation and Workshop Concept I was invited to the workshop by Zsuzsi Szász, a collaborator at the HR Business Center, who on her own initiative organized two workshops on career guidance in Odorheiu Secuiesc in the spring of 2026. For one of them, she reached out to Matterz—meaning me, Kata Olah—while the other was hosted by Csilla Farkas.

Preparations and Defining the Target Group I had preliminary discussions with Zsuzsi and knew that the participants would be high school students—mostly a mixed group composed of young people who are already consciously looking into options for further studies and are interested in entering the job market. Outreach to the youth was carried out by Zsuzsi, and together we agreed to try to pay attention to the boy-girl ratio and the similarity of their motivations—specifically, to determine whether most of them are in an exploratory phase or if they already know their direction very well and require precise information. These two simple criteria help in designing a program tailored to their needs. The workshop took place in the HR Business Center room, in an indoor setting.

First Steps: Introduction and Matterz's Mission I usually start the workshop with an introduction where I present not only myself, but also Matterz's directions and philosophy. I talk about how I myself have changed careers multiple times, and that my current work keeps me engaged precisely because it can be so diverse thanks to the different people and projects I work with. I shared that Matterz was launched in 2019 to embrace and support brave, sustainable decisions and opportunities. Since then, we have been involved in grant/project consulting, e-learning modules, workshops, and career development.

Warming Up and the Pillars of Fully Focused Decisions The young participants introduced themselves through a game, during which we also got to learn everyone's names. Luckily, most of them already knew each other, though not all, so there were plenty of fresh perspectives and attitudes among the group. Next, we summarized those seemingly mundane yet tremendously important pillars that define clear, healthy, and fully focused decision-making, which are part of daily routines—such as nutrition, sleep, conversations with friends/family, hydration, etc. Then, each participant individually evaluated where they stand regarding these habits.

Systems Thinking in Careers: The STF Model Following the reflection stage, the STF model was introduced—looking at what it means to view a career as a system. I presented the model's diagram and the factors that play a role in choices and development regarding professions, pathways, and careers. Afterwards, we tried to identify for each person which factors currently contribute most to their indecision.

Career Guidance Testing: The SDS® Model Before lunch, participants filled out the SDS® 4 test, an assessment and counseling tool suitable for career guidance—the third revised version of the Self-Directed Search®, which is based on John Holland's RIASEC model. The individual reports generated by the platform were emailed to everyone after lunch, and a few were evaluated on the spot as examples. I emphasized the importance of taking these results further to discuss them with parents, friends, and people whose opinions matter in their career choices. A report includes each person's individual code based on the RIASEC model and recommends professions based on the test-taker's interests and self-assessment of their abilities, while also indicating the required education levels associated with those professions.

Flow, Chance, and Internal Motivation Space was given to the concepts of Flow and Chance/Chaos, during which we discussed the influence of individual motivation alongside chance or luck—a factor that is very often undervalued. Put simply, it is part of our system that novelty—whether it comes as a crisis or a huge positive—can completely reshape our fixed pathways. Ultimately, however, keeping on track depends on the continuous self-evaluations we make, through which I discover, redefine, and name my own motivation: namely, what are the things that can bring me closer to my goal?

Closing and Reflections We generally close workshops with an open discussion and a "mandatory" feedback round, where we share what each person is taking home, what had a significant impact on them, and what was less impactful. There was also time for an open Q&A session, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how concrete their questions were regarding their own futures.

Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts After the nearly 7-hour workshop, it came obvious to me once again that yes, many young people are left alone with their questions about the future; many don't know who to ask, and those who do have someone to ask don't always get answers... There are also many whose direction is beginning to clear up, but who lack self-confidence and a roadmap of the concrete steps they need to take.

Why Is Career Counseling Crucial Today? The relevance of career orientation and development is paramount, and the uncertainty brought on by AI (Artificial Intelligence) alongside our own economic and educational landscape only increases it. This topic is now part of almost every conversation, and the key truly lies right there: the conversation—open, honest discussions grounded in personal experience.

I am very glad to have met the young participants, Zsuzsi, and the professional work environment at the HR Business Center. A new idea has taken root in my mind: perhaps I should consider outdoor workshops as well; we'll see...