Career counseling aims to help you navigate the in's and out's of career decisions, whether you're just starting out, coping with change, or advancing to the top.
A career counselor's job is to consider your career, personal interests, and life goals to help you get the most out of your career path. Career counselors can be especially instrumental if you are just starting your first job or a new career.
So let's dive in to see how career counseling works and if it's right for you.
How career counseling works
Your career path is a lifelong journey, and you'll inevitably need to make a lot of decisions along the way. Career counselors can be there at any step of the way to support you in exploring options for your career, educational, and life decisions.
Start by making an appointment with a career counselor. Search for a counseling program or career resource center with career counselors on staff. They'll ask you questions about yourself to get to know you, then help you explore different career paths and explain how to obtain each one.
What are the benefits of career counseling?
Let's face it: Navigating a job search and the world of work on your own can be overwhelming. These are big life-changing decisions that impact every area of your life - your time, relationships, energy, finances, and much more.
The goal is to find a career you enjoy that fulfills and energizes you. That looks different for everyone. So much depends on your personality, interests, skill set, and talents. That's why a helpful career counselor can be so beneficial. Similar to a life coach, think of a career coach as someone who sits with you, listens, and focuses on your interests and goals.
As much as your best friend or mom might have some great ideas, a career counselor can offer professional advice to find a career in your field that you love or a college that interests you.
How to determine if you need career counseling
Career counseling can benefit almost anyone, so deciding if career counseling is right for you is a personal decision. It can depend on your career goals and where you're at in your career development.
Career counseling might be right for you if you fall into one of these typical situations:
- You're exploring which career is right for you
- You're job searching for the first time
- You're deciding which colleges to attend
- You're graduating soon and are unsure what to do next
- You're looking to make a career change
- You recently got laid off
- You need specific career guidance
- You're figuring out what to major in
You're unsure about your career goals
One of the most common reasons to seek career counseling advice is that you're unsure about your career goals. Developing a career plan is really hard if you don't even know what career you want to pursue.
Taking a step back and having someone help you narrow your options or discover the best ones for you can be very valuable.
Career counselors typically have expertise in career development theory, counseling techniques, career assessments, and career resources that would take forever for you to pursue on your own.
Utilizing an expert allows you the time to apply to the right colleges, job search, and interview without feeling exhausted from all the upfront research and decision-making. In essence, it gives you the time and resources to pursue your passions and goals without the headache of constant research.
You're unsure about your personal/life goals
Maybe you're just unsure about how your personal and life goals fit into your career goals. You know which career, major, or degree you want to pursue, but you're having a tricky time balancing that with regular day-to-day life. Or maybe you're just unsure what your future looks like.
These are more great reasons to seek out a career counselor. They can help you with career exploration and personal goal-setting by conducting personality assessments to help support your career development. They are there to help you make decisions, explore options, and get to know yourself a little better.
If many different careers interest you
Analysis paralysis is where someone overanalyzes or overthinks a situation so much that it prevents them from actually making a decision. This happens to so many of us all the time. Especially in the world we live in, where there are so many more options than ever before.
People with too many careers in mind or who are interested in two very different lines of work (with different degrees tied to each one) might need help deciding which direction to take.
A career counselor will sit with you and help you determine which careers interest you. They will help you complete in-depth career exploration to identify your career options.
If no careers interest you
Maybe you're in a position where you would just love the perfect career to fall from the sky. You have no idea what you want to do, study, or become professionally.
Lots of people find themselves in this boat of not knowing which careers interest them, and career counseling sessions can really help them have a breakthrough by providing career information.
Career counselors typically have degrees in psychology, counseling, or human development and obtain coaching certifications to work in their field. On top of their educational knowledge, they involve using personality and skills assessments to talk things out and help you sift through options.
They will help you find a career that fits all your needs based on your:
- Interests, skills, and values
- Desired work-life balance
- Lifestyle choices
- Salary expectations
- Geographical location
- Physical health and mental well-being
- Level of desired education, from no college to a master's degree or higher
If you're unsure where to start
Out of all the reasons to seek career counseling on this list, this might be the best one. As they say, getting started can be the hardest part. But career counselors exist for this reason.
Finding a career counseling service is the best place to start, and a certified counselor will help you from there.
Research career counseling in your area and start with an evaluation to see if they are a match. Once you find the right person to work with, they will help you start your journey.
They might have you start with a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality assessment. This is a great tool when finding the right career for you.
If you want to put your degree to its best use
A career counselor can be very helpful if you've completed your higher education and have a degree you want to use for a full-time job.
Maybe you have a degree but don't know what your future career looks like. Or you have a current job, but it's entry-level. Or you just want to pursue a different work environment.
A career counselor can help you write a cover letter and go after professional development in your field. They will also give you career guidance when it comes to putting your degree to use, like finding networking opportunities or completing your LinkedIn profile.
Discover how College Rover can help you find the best school for your career ambitions
When it's time to discover the best schools for your career ambitions, College Rover has it all. You'll find easy ways to search for and compare colleges to find the perfect school that fits your career choice.
Filter by location, majors, and degree programs. College Rover's user-friendly tool lets you easily export colleges into a spreadsheet so you can discuss them with your career counselor.
Career-making decisions can be tough, but it's much more manageable with the right people (like career counselors) and resources (like College Rover) on your side.
