Career counseling, also known as career guidance, is counseling designed to help with choosing, changing, or leaving a career and is available at any stage in life. One’s career is often one of the most important aspects of adulthood, and embarking on a new career, whether for the first time, the second time, or any time thereafter, can be a stressful event, especially when economic difficulties such as recession are a factor. A career counselor can help by outlining and discussing one’s potential career options.
In a career counseling session, the counselor will help a person explore skills and strengths, consider education levels and give advice about continuing education, and determine interests and personality type. Counselors may also administer an IQ test or an aptitude test.
“Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right.”
PHIL MCGRAW
Why is career counselling so important?
Once people know where they are headed, they mostly become motivated to work hard to realise their goals.
People consult career counsellors when they face a ‘natural’ crossroads: having to choose a school, university, field of study or one from a number of employment opportunities. A second group consults career counsellors when they begin to doubt whether they have made the appropriate choice in terms of schools, subjects, universities, careers or employers. In all these cases, the future is already upon them: ‘the old’ – what used to work – no longer does.
Workers are being confronted increasingly in the postmodern era with the impact of change on the workplace. They have to face and deal with repeated work-related crossroads and transitions. They hesitate because they are uncertain about the way forward. Career counsellors then enable them to recount their career life story. This allows them to listen to themselves by revisiting instances when they faced a crossroads. And by listening to themselves, they become able to deal with their current crossroads.
Types of Career Counselling?
Career Counselling – Narrative Approach
- This Assessments process includes a one hour initial interview, 2 Hours of assessment time, which includes an interest assessment as well as a career interview assessment, by means of constructing a clients career life through the story and interview processes. Thereafter, feedback is given to the client in a one hour feedback session. The feedback report will be given within 7 days.
Career Counselling – Psychometric Assessment
This Assessment process includes a one hour initial interview with the client. Thereafter, the client completes a battery of assessments which takes about 4 hours to complete. Once the assessment process is over, a psychological report will be given within 14 days. This report will be discussed with the client in a one hour feedback session.
- What do I enjoy doing?
- What kinds of activities are fun and fulfilling for me?
- What am I good at?
- What is my skill set?
- To what degree do I need stability and security?