Career Counseling

Career Counseling is not regulated, so the training and qualifications of people offering career services varies considerably.  Counselors with a master's degree or less, or even those who have learned about career counseling "on the job" without any formal training, offer career services, in addition to licensed psychologists. Some of these counselors have considerable experience focusing only on career counseling, and may have greater knowledge than a lot of licensed psychologists. However, it is important to know the training of your career counselor, and to know what you can and cannot expect, based on the counselor's training and experience.

Career Counseling includes assessment of skills and personality variables relevant to specific jobs, identification of personal goals and motivation for personal development, and clarification of lifestyle preferences and values. The psychotherapy/counseling model works well in helping a person to identify and resolve these issues. The psychological testing available through a licensed psychologist provides additional information to assist in decision making. Some career counseling involves tutoring in resume development, and assistance in planning a job search.  These services may be provided by counselors without psychological training.

Not all psychologists provide career counseling services. Usually, psychologists do not provide job search or job referral services as part of the career counseling process. Psychologists provide counseling to help you make career decisions, to weigh all the variables involved in making significant life changes, and to learn how to assess yourself and your choices realistically. Psychologists can also help you cope with the stress created by job uncertainty and fear of failure.