Careers Adviser

Job Description:

Careers advisers help people figure out what work or education pathway they would like to take.

Job Category:

Education

What you will do:

You may work in schools, colleges and universities. You could be employed by a careers company that place advisers in different settings, or directly by an educational institution or charity. You could also work online or in a call centre, or as a consultant in the private sector.

Your day-to-day duties may include:

talking to people about their abilities, interests and achievements
exploring learning and work opportunities
helping people make decisions and plans of action
giving support to overcome barriers
keeping to rules on equal opportunities
developing relationships with employers, colleges, universities and training providers
keeping up to date with occupational and labour market information
giving talks, updating records and meeting targets

Skills:

You’ll need:

knowledge of psychology
knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

As well as:

counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
sensitivity and understanding
customer service skills
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to work well with others (teamwork)
the ability to understand people’s reactions

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You can qualify by taking a higher education qualification in careers guidance. You could also get in by gaining experience in an organisation that offers advice and guidance and then taking professional qualifications whilst working.

Working Hours and Environment:

You’ll usually work 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday. You may need to work occasional evenings and your job could include a lot of local travel.

In a call centre you may have to work weekends and late shifts.

Career Path & Progression:

You could specialise, for example in working with adults or people with special needs.

With experience, you could become a manager. You could also become self-employed and work as a consultant, researcher or writer.

Another option could be to move into industry and provide career management advice for employees of large companies.