College Career Counseling
College Career Counseling
Career counseling for higher education often encounters various obstacles that counselors need to be prepared for. Some of the obstacles include; determining whether or not to pursue a Masters degree or Ph.D. program, balancing work and school life, balancing a family, and determining what specific jobs they should apply for. In higher education, the students can have very different situations. If a student comes to a career counselor needing help balancing their new baby, part-time work and completing their degree, the counselor will handle that differently than a student who has never had a job but is about to graduate college and start their career journey. These situations are very different and need different things. One of the greatest needs for college students is how can they convert their degree into a successful career. Some students are resourceful and get internships in job fields that interest them to gain experience. However, not all students are resourceful and many students need extra help. For the students that need more assistance, a career counselor could teach them how to research ideas or goals for themselves. Instead of answering all their questions right away, the counselor can say something like “How about you research this and then we can discuss it more.” This can teach the college student to become more resourceful, which will carry over into having stronger skills for a future employer.
One article mentions that for most college students they are still developing and maturing (Luke & Diambra, 2017). This age group is often searching for a sense of identity, which is something a career counselor could also assist them with (Luke & Diambra, 2017). Students can benefit from having someone to help them make major life decisions (Niles & Harris- Bowlsbey, 2017). In my own college experience, I needed some guidance and help from a career counselor to help me determine what I should pursue after college. They helped open my eyes to careers I had never heard of or thought about.
Luke, C.; Diambra, J. Identity Integration Via Career Development Issues: Counseling College Sophomores From Moros to Sophos. Education. Fall2017, Vol. 138 Issue 1, p75-82. 8p
Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. E. (2017). Career development interventions (5th ed.). London, England: Pearson
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