You're considering a career in Career Development. What should you know before making the leap?

Career development is a lifelong journey, and as a professional in this field, you're tasked with empowering others to navigate this path effectively. It requires a blend of interpersonal skills, such as empathy and communication, along with a strong understanding of labor market trends and educational pathways. Staying current with industry shifts and continuing education is crucial for success. Moreover, the role is incredibly rewarding as you witness individuals achieve their professional goals, but it also comes with the challenge of adapting to the unique needs of each client in a constantly evolving job market.

You don’t have to have changed your job five times to work in career development – but it helps. As someone who has changed careers multiple times, gone back to school to change directions, and coaches people with their career aspirations, I get a lot of credibility for having gone through the experience myself. But changing careers doesn’t necessarily make you a great career coach. What makes someone a great coach is curiosity, the ability to listen and understand well, and to make clear what your role in that process is.

Apart from the formal certifications, a career development coach needs many interpersonal skills. You need to be a good communicator who can express and explain convincingly and logically. The ability to empathise, guide and coach your students is predominant. The motivation has to be selfless, and you must constantly upskill and upgrade your knowledge base to give the proper guidance and build credibility. The guidance has to be well-researched and objective while understanding each student's needs and circumstances. Above everything else, the ability to listen patiently is critical.

This is a tricky question as skills and qualifications are two different things. There are lots of certifications and training programs out there - and many are quite compelling at equipping you with concepts, vocabulary, and activities that can make you a great coach or career development professional. Are they required? No. But it provides a strong foundation and a reason to be taken seriously (note - A reason, not THE reason). The only additional skill I would add to this list is curiosity.

Most people I’ve met who work in the career development space assume that their job is to tell someone what to do based on an assessment or other criteria that maybe biased. In my opinion, the best career development professionals are the ones who don’t tell their clients that they have to do something specific – they ask good questions, they make insightful observations, and then they let their clients come to the realization of what they want and/or need to do. Telling people what they need to do assumes that you know best – which destroys the individual’s sense of agency and their ability to come to a conclusion on their own.

:= Explore your career values, interests, skills, and personality to gauge alignment with career development. := Learn about various roles, settings, sectors, and specialties in the field, understanding requirements and expectations. := Connect with career development professionals, seek advice, and gather feedback to make informed decisions.

:= Explore NCDA for membership, certification, publications, events, and valuable resources. :=Access the Career Development Network Journal for free peer-reviewed articles and best practices. :=Engage with the Career Development Alliance for expert training, coaching, consulting, and resources in the field.

Accordingly to my experience self learning is important than any certification.Certification update you with tools, tips and approach for the career development practice but to pitch the right program and university, One should research on a daily basis like universities programs, Summer camp, new online programs, global news on everything which is relevant for careers, competition understanding etc. One should follow few YouTube channels, documentaries and social media pages to understand the content before calling your self counsellor.

This line of work is 75% customer service and expectation setting with 25% skill. The stakeholders are your primary customer base and while they may be colleagues, it’s no different than any other CS role. While the customer is not always right, their views are absolutely valid. You need to understand human responses to change, have strong EQ, resiliency, patience, and finally not take it personally. Consider helping a child with their math homework and how challenging it can be when they’re resistant to listening and putting in effort when there is something more appealing available. Adults are not that different; you need to tap into what excites and motivates them, how they learn, and develop strategic plans to help them be inspired.

This profession demands strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and the ability to understand individuals' career aspirations and challenges. A solid foundation in counseling, psychology, or human resources can be beneficial, along with relevant certifications or credentials in career coaching or counseling. It's also essential to stay updated on industry trends, labor market dynamics, and emerging technologies that impact career development. Building a network of mentors and professionals in the field can provide valuable insights and opportunities for growth.

Before choosing a career in Career Development, consider a few things. Firstly, you should really want to help others with their careers. It's important to be good at talking and listening, so you can understand people's needs. Keep up with what's happening in the job market and different careers. Being patient and caring is important, as you'll work with people who have different situations. Also, keep learning so you can stay helpful. And remember, always keep things private and follow the rules for being fair and honest.