5 Reasons to Hire a Career Counselor
When you consider how many waking hours you spend at work, hiring a career counselor is a sound investment in you and your future. A skilled career counselor uses tools and techniques to help you move toward a more fulfilling career.
When should you hire an expert? Here are five common situations where career counseling benefits the job seeker.
You’re looking to make a big career transition. When you’re looking to make a more monumental career pivot, a career counselor can help you highlight your prior work experiences in a way that aligns with your new industry. Your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile will all benefit from a professional review. You will learn how to showcase your transferable skills and look for opportunities to build upon your experience to be better qualified for your next career move.
You’ve been job searching on your own, and you’re losing hope. When you’ve been going at it on your own for a while without the desired outcome—that new job—the job search can feel defeating. A career counselor can instill hope, bolster your self-esteem, and help you learn new skills and strategies for your job search. With guidance, you will gain new insights about your strengths, skills, abilities, and inherent worth.
You could use some help with accountability. Looking for a job is a ton of work! Even the most motivated person can feel overwhelmed by the job search process. Getting organized can help you feel less overwhelmed. A career counselor is a neutral person who will help you map out a timeline, meet milestones, and set concrete goals. They are a metaphorical trail guide and will help you stay on course with your bigger picture goals.
You could use some help with self-discovery. If you don’t yet have a definitive career goal or set industry in mind, you might need a fresh perspective to help you overcome decision fatigue. A career counselor is an expert on jobs plus they have extensive training in counseling techniques. They can introduce tools to help you in the self-exploration process and narrow in on a career direction that aligns with your values, interests, and needs.
You’re trying to move past a difficult work situation. Adverse work incidents are destabilizing. Maybe you’re struggling with imposter syndrome or maybe you’re rebuilding your career after getting fired or laid off. Work-induced stress can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, or even PTSD. Working with an experienced career counselor can help you heal and build a meaningful and fulfilling career.
A career counselor is an expert on jobs and the labor market, professional development, and the job search; plus, they have extensive training in counseling techniques.
This list is not exhaustive. You might want to enlist the help of a career counselor for any number of scenarios. Even a few strategy and planning sessions with a career counselor can help you break through internal and external barriers that are holding you back from a satisfying career.
