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As a career professional, you help clients find direction and move toward the next step in their careers – often in challenging circumstances. As much as possible, you tailor your approach according to your understanding of the client’s needs – for example, by looking at their goals, experience, skills, strengths and obstacles. But what if a client seems to be more sensitive than the average client? If your client is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), do you need to take a different approach?
About 30% of the general population are highly sensitive, having a trait known as Sensory Processing Sensitivity. This means they tend to be highly perceptive and empathetic, and they can become overstimulated and emotionally drained more quickly than less sensitive people.
Whether or not you’re aware if it, you’ve probably already helped many highly sensitive clients. (As a side note, you may be an HSP too. Many are drawn to work in helping professions, making career development an attractive choice.)
Previous career-related articles about helping the Highly Sensitive Person have been published by NCDA’s Career Convergence, (Greene, 2023 and Fuller, 2023). In this article, my aim is to continue the conversation in order to help career professionals better understand this trait and uncover some of the keys to working effectively with highly sensitive clients.
What is sensitivity?
All day long, we take in, process and interpret information. We use our senses to not only survive but also appreciate all the world has to offer. While each person is sensitive to some extent, HSPs are more intensely aware of subtleties in the environment, noticing details others overlook and processing the information more deeply as well. HSPs are also more highly attuned to other people’s emotions.
Not every client who appears highly sensitive will welcome having a focus placed on their sensitivity. Some may have been labelled as “too sensitive” in the past and wish to distance themselves from the description. However, many clients will be open to exploring the concept, and the personal growth that ensues can be empowering, leading to increased confidence and self-awareness.
For anyone wishing to assess their level of sensitivity, a reliable self-test is available, together with detailed information about HSPs via the links below.
Helping HSP clients to thrive
The world of work often seems purposely designed for the less sensitive, and your HSP clients have likely already experienced a feeling of “not fitting in” at work. Similarly, some aspects of the job search process involve additional challenges for the HSP. But it’s not all bad news, because as already mentioned, HSPs also have many strengths. Hopefully, through this article, you’ll see that sensitivity is not a weakness or a flaw; it’s simply a trait.
Career change
Planned or unplanned, moving on from a job comes with upheaval and stress. If your client is an HSP, you may notice they take time to consider their situation thoroughly, weighing all the pros and cons. On the surface, they may seem slower than others to adjust, or hesitant to take action. Careful thought and consideration have advantages though, and the outcome of this cautious approach may be a well-thought-out plan, or a clear understanding of the circumstances that will help the client succeed.
A career change is a major life transition that can be overwhelming for many people. Keenly aware of the nuances, the HSP has a greater likelihood of becoming overstimulated and overwhelmed during the process. Dealing with the new and unfamiliar landscape can put the HSP’s nervous system on high alert. The change process may feel chaotic, punctuated with sensory and emotional inputs. Attending workshops, webinars and job fairs, reaching out to connections, keeping track of activities and juggling life’s responsibilities – all these contribute to overstimulation and fatigue. The HSP needs time and space to decompress and will benefit from a balanced approach that includes an emphasis on self-care.
Emotions
Some HSPs are emotionally expressive, but not all HSPs wear their hearts on their sleeves. Emotions can show up through tears, and can also show up as withdrawal, such as the client who misses appointments or workshops, or doesn’t respond to calls or texts. The research shows that HSPs benefit even more than others do from positive interactions, such as support and encouragement. Your patience and understanding will go a long way in helping the client move ahead.
“Emotions can show up through tears, and can also show up as withdrawal, such as the client who misses appointments or workshops, or doesn’t respond to calls or texts.”
In the rollercoaster of the job search, the HSP will be highly aware of their own emotions. But they are also attuned to the emotions of others. If they are part of a job search program, they’ll be tuned in to the emotional landscape of the group. Being quietly observant and empathetic, they can often have a positive influence in the group.
Networking
Networking is an essential element in the job search, but brings its own set of challenges. An HSP attending a networking event is typically quick to pick up on the physical setup, sights and sounds, as the buzz of conversations, bright lighting and aromas from the snack table compete for their attention.
At the same time, they are aware of the energy and feelings of those in the room. While HSPs often have excellent social skills, they usually prefer in-depth, authentic conversations over small talk. Networking activities can therefore be quite draining and they will crave quiet time alone after attending an event.
The new role
The career transition doesn’t end when the client steps into their new role. As mentioned, the world of work tends to favour the less sensitive. A busy, noisy environment with frequent interruptions can be very stressful for the HSP; likewise, an insensitive corporate culture can be a deal-breaker.
Having a hard time adjusting to a new workplace is not necessarily a sign of a bad fit. The client may benefit from help advocating for modifications to their work environment. Better still is the proactive approach. Encourage the client to thoroughly research potential employers and help them to negotiate key factors in the work environment before accepting the job offer.
Summary
Just like less sensitive clients, HSPs benefit from support, encouragement and resources. Your awareness of this trait will enable you to tailor your approach. Although they are a minority in the population, they have attributes that are essential in the workplace. You can help them identify their strengths and their needs, and bring their best attributes to the forefront, to achieve their career goals.
