If you want to work as a career advisor, you’ll probably need a master’s degree in a human services field, as well as a postgraduate certificate in career advising. A career advisor’s licensing requirements typically include two years of supervised work experience and passing an exam approved an organization such as the National Board for Certified Career Counselors. Volunteer work is often recommended as a good way to begin preparing for a career as a career advisor because it is a helping profession.
Volunteer opportunities such as assisting career advisors in meeting the needs of clients may be available through community nonprofit job search programs or job clubs. For someone who wants to work as a career advisor, independent career coaches can be a good source of volunteer work. Environments where you can network and gain access to resources are ideal for learning about the field and the needs of clients.
For example, career advisors administer a variety of aptitude and other tests to clients to help both the advisor and the client understand which careers are likely to be a good fit. One type of tool used in career exploration and aptitude tests that reveal areas of strong skills is the Meyers Briggs personality test. Another test measures manual dexterity having the person complete timed tasks like drawing straight lines or connecting dots with a pencil on paper or on a computer to form patterns. A career advisor may also administer intelligence tests to clients, with the results assisting both the career advisor and the client in determining which skill area the client is strongest in, such as primarily verbal or primarily numerical.
If you want to work as a career advisor, you should have a genuine interest in assisting people in finding their ideal jobs. The majority of your working hours will be spent advising clients on the best career path for them. Career advisors must be confident in areas such as advising clients on how to retrain and change careers, in addition to understanding personality, intelligence, and aptitude testing. It’s critical to stay up to date on statistics from the US Department of Labor, such as which occupations are expected to grow faster than average, slower than average, or remain stable over the next decade or more. If you want to work as a career advisor, keep in mind that you’ll not only be giving advice to clients, but you’ll also be keeping track of their progress through detailed files and reports.