Career counselling

Career counselling

Career 

The notion of career has received several definitions over time. It has been seen either as "the rise of a person within the hierarchical structure of an organization" or as "the career path followed by a person through learning, development, experience and work".

When we talk about careers, we have to take into account the individual's contribution to their professional development, the contribution of the organisations in which they work, the professional contexts in which they find themselves, the specific legislation and its application methodology.

In order to understand exactly what the notion of a career means, we must first of all bear in mind that it is a dynamic process over time, centered on two dimensions:

• internal career viewed subjectively at the individual level;

• internal career viewed subjectively at the individual level;

 

Regardless of the definitions under which it is viewed, career must always be associated with positive terms such as progress, development, promotion and advancement.

Career counselling

According to the definition used by the ( Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) OECD, the European Commission and the World Bank, "Career counselling refers to services and activities intended to assist individuals, at any age and at any time in their lives, to make choices in education, training and occupations and to develop their own careers. These services can be organized in schools, universities, training institutions, public employment services, in the workplace, in the voluntary and community sector and in the private sector. Activities can be carried out with individuals or groups, face-to-face or at a distance (such as those offered over the telephone or web-based services on the Internet). These services provide career data (in print, electronic or other formats), assessment and self-assessment tools, counselling interviews, career development education programs (to help individuals develop a good self-image, awareness of opportunities and career management skills), job search programs and transition services."

Career counselling can take place both during and after the completion of studies and during and after active working life.

 

In conclusion, career counselling is the process of assisting individuals, regardless of their age and stage of their active life, to make the best decisions about their own socio-professional path.

 

The role of the career counsellor

 

According to the Romanian Classification of Occupations (COR), a career guidance counsellor is a "specialist in personnel matters and personnel training.

The career counsellor is the specialist whose role is to support and guide the counselee in the process of self-discovery and personal development in order to achieve competitive internal career management. He/she provides the counselee with information about professions and occupations in the field of interest of the counselling applicants, helps them to compare the requirements of these professions with their personal characteristics and level of qualification, analyzing together each alternative and assessing the consequences.

 

What does a career counsellor do?

  • Provides individual or group counselling services, guiding interested people in career choice, further education or training
  • Guides the recipients of counselling services towards self-discovery, skills development, finding their own resources and solutions in line with the wishes and aspirations of the persons being counselled;
  •  In the counselling process the counsellor does NOT impose his/her own opinions or solutions.

 

How does a Career Counselling session work?

 

A counselling session lasts between 30 and 50 minutes and a full counselling process can take place over one or more sessions.

Counselling meetings are confidential, the person being counselled knows from the beginning of the process the conditions under which the meeting(s) will take place. At the beginning of the counselling process, the counsellor's socio-professional interests will be clarified, in particular with regard to training and professional activity and the history of experiences to date.

 

A counselling session must go through four stages:

- problem identification;

- finding possible solutions;

- drawing up an action plan;

- the action itself.

When do we need to seek the services of a Career Counsellor?

 

The need for career counselling can arise at any point in working life and even after retirement age. In general, each of us turns to professionals when we need guidance and lack the necessary knowledge. In the case of Career Counselling we can turn to the specialist in one of the following situations:

  • Difficulties in choosing a high school or college to attend;
  • Difficulties in putting together a CV or Cover Letter;
  • You want to get a job for the first time and do not know what kind of job would suit you;
  • You want to get a job and do not know how to look for a job;
  • You do not know why your applications for different jobs have not been considered;
  • You want to change your job but do not know how to do it;
  • You do not know how to handle a crisis situation at work;
  • You cannot keep a job for more than a few weeks.

 

 

These are just some of the situations in which a career counsellor may be asked to intervene, but the range of services offered by a career counsellor is much more complex. It is important to know that a career counsellor can only respond to requests related to career management issues, and when he/she discovers that a client's problems are much deeper and of a different nature, going beyond his/her area of competence, he/she has the obligation to refer the client to the specialist he/she needs.

 

Updated on 4/5/23, 12:26 PM