What is Career Counseling?
Career counseling is a process that helps you learn more about yourself and the world of work so that you can make well-considered decisions about your education and career. It occurs in the context of a collaborative, confidential, therapeutic relationship with a counselor who will apply counseling skills, career development knowledge, and awareness of educational and career information sources to help empower you to overcome barriers to decision-making.
Career Counseling Does Not Involve:
- Being told what goals you should pursue or what major or career is best for you.
- Academic advising. Be sure to work with your academic advisor in the Academic Advising & Transfer Center, TRIO Programs, Disability Support Services, or Occupational Support Program, or with a faculty advisor in your chosen academic program.
- Course scheduling. Admissions & Student Services can help!
- Resume development or job search services. Check out Student Employment Services!
What to Expect
- Your first meeting with us will be an initial screening appointment. This is a brief, individual appointment with a counselor to assess your needs and goals, and to plan next steps based on that information. You may receive referrals to online resources for self-guided, career-related assessment and exploration, group-based services, individual career counseling, and/or a variety of other campus and community resources.
- For career counseling, your next appointment will focus more in-depth on your goals and expectations, and explore your career-decision making readiness, as well as influencing factors such as academic, family, and employment history.
- Follow-up appointments are typically scheduled every two weeks or less frequently, depending upon appointment availability and your pace. Preparation may include between-appointment tasks such as completing assessments of your values, skills, personality preferences, and interests, and learning more about careers through written materials, videos, interviews, and/or job shadowing.
- Career counseling often involves:
- Talking about your thoughts and feelings about your academic and career choices
- Discussing assessment results to enhance your self-understanding
- Learning how to access and consider reliable information about careers of interest
- Engaging in a guided process to help you reach a decision about your academic pathway, major, and/or career goal, considering the factors that are important to you.
Make an Appointment
To schedule an initial screening appointment with a counselor, call or visit our office, (616) 234-4130, 368 SCC or schedule online: