Anyone been to a career counselor?

I’ve been to one that was funded by the company that laid me off… and I have to say that, like anything, you’ll get out of it what you put in.

It didn’t get me to any jobs… my network did that for me… but it did help me with generating a personal marketing plan that helped me define what I like to do, what skills and experience I bring to the table, what I’d like my next career step to be and what qualified target companies should be. I kinda knew that stuff already…but there’s some validity and momentum that is gained in writing that stuff down. I ended up sending that personal marketing plan summary to anyone that I would talk to that wanted to help me find a job and asked, “so what do you want to do?”

Beyond that, the counselor was helpful with contacts when I found a company that was hiring might be a good fit and thus the contact allowed me to network my way in…

.. but ultimately the best way to get a resume to stand out and increase your chances for a job is to have someone on the inside single you out as a capable and valid candidate.

Hope that helps…

If they’re so good at picking careers, how come they became career counselors?

I’d bet a life coach could help too.

Yes. I took a bunch of tests that told me I’d make a great plummer or minister.
Helpful? Nooo….

@loser; what a combo.
We had a pastor once and our kids said the only two jobs he looked like he could do were pastor or mob boss.

I’ve been to the ones at my university several times, and they were very helpful! I would say they can help you a lot more if you already know what you want to do and you’re trying to figure out how to get there, than if you’re going to them to figure out what kind of career you want. I don’t think very many people ever had a eureka moment that changed their whole life by filling out a questionnaire.

Well, my mother is a career/life coach, but I am not sure if I qualify as “going to see her”, as I saw her pretty much every day for the first 18 years of my life
She gave me one of those career tests to see what I should do. It told me to join the army. I don’t think that I will take that advice, I think that I am too soft both physically and mentally to be in the army. In terms of assessing my personality, the test did rather well, but not so much on the career section.

I’ve been. It helps you organize yourself and keep on top of your search. They can help you fix your resume and do other things that may help your search. They tend to offer moral support, as well. It was worth it, I think.

I read a book that helps you choose a career according to your interests and skills. It basically said that I was well-suited toward being a music/art/creative-type college professor, which I kinda don’t have an interest in doing.

I’d love to talk to an actual person who could help me figure these things out. But I can’t pay for it.

@drdoombot; was it What Color is Your Parachute?

No. It had some boring title, like “The Best Job for Your Personality” or something equally banal.