Okay, I'll admit that this is my favorite entry. :)
Career counselors/coaches help individuals with a wide variety of job/career related functions. Some of the issues a counselor might address include:
- Clarification of life/career goals.
- Administration of tests, written exercises and inventories to assess abilities, interests, skills, personality traits and other factors relevant to the selection of career/entrepreneurial options.
- Exercises to help sort through work/life balance issues.
- Assistance in the development of resumes, cover letters and other marketing materials for the job search.
- Support for people experiencing job stress, job loss or other career transition issues.
Professional career counselors are typically trained in a graduate level counselor preparation program with a specialty in career counseling. (Most earn masters level degrees in counseling or career development). Depending upon their state regulations, they may need to be licensed by state counselor licensure boards or certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Career coaching is a relatively new field, and as such, the educational/licensing requirements for career coaches are less well-defined. People calling themselves coaches have a broad variety of backgrounds and experiences. There are numerous coach training programs, ranging from weekend training classes to year long programs.
Options for Flexibility:
Many career counselors/coaches are in private practice and work with clients either in person, over the telephone or via the web. Others are employed by outplacement firms, college career planning offices, corporations or government agencies.
Because client appointments are scheduled in advance (and the occurrence of true emergency consults is relatively low) this career allows for ample personal flexibility.
Resources for Further Exploration:
Association of Career Professionals International
American Counseling Association
Comments