Careers Counselling

This course covers the careers counselling industry and the resources and services available to job seekers, along with the core counselling skills needed to run an effective session. You will learn approaches for counselling students and school leavers with little work experience, as well as adults facing a career change, and how to support job prospecting. Suitable for careers advisors, HR professionals and counsellors.

Train as a Careers Counsellor. Study in your own home with support from our highly experienced tutors. Whilst you learn more about careers counselling, the principles and theories behind careers counselling and how this can be used in a practical way. This course is a great addition to your CV and will improve your job and career prospects. Course Duration: 100 hours of self paced study. COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT The course comprises 10 lessons, as follows: Lesson 1. Introduction: Scope & Nature of the Industry Definitions: career, careers counselling, counselling Broad employment options Services offered in the employment industry Assumptions about career counselling practices Cross cultural careers counselling Lesson 2. Nature of Careers: What is a career, what makes it successful? Introduction Elements of career building and job seeking Factors contributing to career success Realistic expectations Range of options Persistence Case study Lesson 3. Careers Advice Resources Brochures, Publications, Web Sites Employer considerations: qualifications, experience, personality, age, adaptability, productivity, etc. Case study Lesson 4. Career Services Where can people get help (Social Services, Work Experience, Education) Career counselling services Careers and vocational guidance Vocational planning Setting goals Job seeking support Job seeking strategies Other services Lesson 5. Developing Counselling Skills Key areas for career counselling Helping clients focus on reality Helping clients identify opportunities Helping clients consider all elements Overcoming resistance from clients Listening skills Questioning skills Problem solving skills Essential reality checks Improving clients predictive ability Lesson 6. Conducting a Counselling Session Why people come to a career counsellor Strategies to develop trust A career counselling session Individuals who know the job they want Psychometric testing for individuals still choosing a career Types of psychological tests that may be used Referring people elsewhere Lesson 7. Counselling Students and School Leavers (with little work experience) Understanding youth Career counselling for adolescents Assisting indecisive teenagers Career counselling for students Giving advice on study Choosing a course Workshops for students Workshops for university students Resources for counselling students Lesson 8. Counselling Adults (inexperienced or facing career change) Identifying adult needs The training program Advice and support during job hunting Course of action Career changing Easiest paths to career change Challenging path to career change Starting a business Case study Writing a business plan Lesson 9. Job Prospecting Ways of finding work Supporting clients decisions Prospecting for work Tips on getting a job Writing resumes (CV's) Preparing for a job interview Lesson 10. Nurturing and growing a career once it has started Getting a job is only the first step in a career Self management for business people Marketing and pricing Case study Advising clients about career advancement Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading. COURSE AIMS Identification of people and organisations which offer career advice or support and the services they offer. Improved ability to distinguish successful from unsuccessful careers, and to prepare for anticipated changes in the workplace. Skills that will enhance your ability to guide others in the establishment or development of a career. Ability to plan and execute an effective Counselling Session. Understanding and strategies for dealing with the needs of inexperienced young people. Identifying and meeting the needs of inexperienced adults or those facing career change. Understanding of how and where to find employment in the job market. Appreciation of the need to nurture and grow a career and plan for change. WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE Undertake research into the scope and nature of employment services and service providers in your region or locality. Research a career area to identify the kind of work involved, requirements, who offers it, trends etc. Role play a counselling session to practise and evaluate your skills in helping a client with an issue. Conduct research to improve your understanding of what careers counselling entails. Plan a careers counselling session, including the session goal, time frame, and anticipated issues. Discuss career concerns with young people who are leaving or have recently left secondary school. Discuss with adults their experiences of career change. Plan strategies to assist young and adult clients deal with common and important identified issues. Helping Clients Find their Goals Careers counsellors inevitably deal with people who lack a clear focus on what they should do with their working life. They may be an adult who has worked; but lacks direction; or they may be a younger person who has never worked, and is just contemplating a working life. Some people are simply unaware of their options and the careers counsellor's job may be mostly one of raising awareness. For others, their expectations may be unrealistic. Yet others may lack the basic life skills or appropriate attitude to make a start on a careers path. Most need to learn something; whether that learning is a different attitude; a different way to secure work, or specific knowledge that will heighten their attractiveness to employers. Goals Need to be Set Setting goals for learning is the same as setting other goals in your life. If someone doesn't have a goal they will never have any measure for success. Goals, refining goals, keeping on going, troubleshooting any obstacles or hurdles, break it all down into tiny steps, and celebrating the wins summarises what is involved in good learning. The first step is to know a persons strengths, talents and interests, what they are good at and most interested in. This can fuel a desire to reach goals whether through study, or some other way. Making positive choices and changes can affect a life at any time, and could lead you to personal and or career success. Setting a new goal is a positive choice and change. If uncertain what could be achieved with study or work experience, have the client brainstorm on a piece of paper with you. Write out all the things that might be studied, then next to each one ask how achieving that would make a difference Put a mark next to that out of say 10 as to how important that is. This should give a list of things to learn and a priority for each one. Make a list of all other the things to achieve or be changed in the clients life This should now give a direction. “I know of a number of adults who have enrolled in various courses or attended workshops; and until they did this they had not idea what they really wanted to do but felt unfulfilled, until they had to actually address questions what do you really like? What are your goals in life? What do you love to do? It is easy to get caught up in the day to day speed of life and not sit still and devote some time to working out whether your life is really on track and what things you could do or how, to change your path. Remember there is only one chance at life, so grab it now!” Ask Your Client to Consider: What do I want to do, what is/or are my goals in life/ career? How will I achieve this? What studies, experience, resources and people might help me achieve this? When I achieve this how will it make me feel? What changes will I have made? ACS student comment "I have really improved my knowledge in this field. It has also given me the confidence to start my own small business in private Careers Counselling. The presentation allowed the course to become very accessible and practical. Even for those with a lower level in English like me." Charles Mboning, student in Careers Counselling. So .. Why should I do this course? Because you plan to start a new career in Careers Counselling. You are looking to improve your knowledge of careers in your existing job role. You want to set up your own business in Careers Counselling. You want a course written by specialists in their field - ACS tutors are highly experienced and qualified. Enrol Today You can start at any time - enrol today! If you have any questions or want to know more, please get in touch - phone us on (UK) 01384 442752, (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752 or submit your questions to our expert Psychology tutors.