Working in Guidance

The Work of a Career Guidance Practitioner

As a career guidance practitioner you will train in the theory and practice of career guidance, develop and extend your interpersonal skills, and have the opportunity to work with a variety of people as they learn how to make decisions about learning and work, and build their careers.

The Institute of Career Guidance uses the term 'career guidance practitioner' to describe those engaged in the provision of career guidance as their main professional activity. This is the preferred term used by the ICG, but other organisations, employers or publications may use different terms or titles to describe the same function (for example 'careers adviser', 'personal adviser' etc).

What is Career Guidance?

Career guidance is about helping people realise their full potential. Career guidance is the term used to describe the support and assistance given, and the techniques used, to enable people to assess their abilities, search for learning and work opportunities, and implement decisions affecting their careers.

What does Career Guidance work involve?

Career guidance practitioners help people to make their own decisions according to what is most suitable for their life and circumstances. As a career guidance practitioner you will assist clients to:

Understand themselves, including assessing their own achievements, abilities and interests;

Investigate learning and work opportunities;

Evaluate the options open to them and decide upon the action needed;

Implement their plans for learning and work.

While the actual work of career guidance practitioners may vary depending on their specific role, career guidance can also involve researching occupations and the labour market and liaising with employers, training providers and other organisations.

Psychometric tests may be administered as part of the guidance process, and career guidance practitioners frequently assist their clients in using computer software and careers information and other resources as part of the information gathering process.

Skills and Personal Qualities

Career guidance practitioners need:

To have a real interest in people;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to; establish a rapport with clients; liaise effectively with staff in other agencies, including educational institutions; have credibility with employers.
Be able to work effectively in large or small group situations;
To be able to work on their own initiative and as part of a team;
To be flexible and able to adapt readily to change;
To be well organised and able to balance a varied schedule of client contacts, meetings, and liaison with other organisations such as training providers and employers;
Administrative skills including report writing and record keeping;
IT skills, including the ability to use word processing, databases, spreadsheets, email and the internet;
To be fully committed to promoting equality of opportunity and combating discrimination, including the ability to recognise and deal with their own prejudices.

Regulation of the Profession

Ethical principles are implicit in the practice of career guidance. The Institute of Career Guidance has a Code of Ethical Practice that demonstrates the standards of competence, integrity and rigour demanded of members.

The principles of career guidance outlined in the code are:

Individual ownership

Confidentiality

Equality of opportunity

Impartiality

Transparency

Accessibility

The Institute of Career Guidance also has a Register of Guidance Practitioners that full members can apply to join. Applicants have to demonstrate recent relevant career guidance experience and show that they are undertaking guidance-focused continuous professional development.

Jobs and Remuneration

Career guidance offers practitioners a wide variety of opportunities and rewards. There is no single nationally recognised pattern of remuneration and short-term contracts are increasingly common.