Description

Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) provide assistance and information to job seeker clients on all aspects of employment search and career planning. They also provide advice and information to employer clients regarding employment issues and human resources. They are employed by public and private employment agencies, rehabilitation centres, hospitals, human resource departments of establishments, consulting firms, correctional facilities and by federal and provincial governments. Supervisors of career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) are included in this unit group.

Job Titles

• Career counsellor (except education)
• Career development counsellor
• Career development practitioner
• Outplacement counsellor
• Rehabilitation counsellor
• Relocation consultant
• Vocational rehabilitation counsellor

Main Duties

• Interview clients to obtain employment history, educational background and career goals
• Identify barriers to employment and assist clients with such matters as job readiness skills, job search strategies, writing résumés and preparing for job interviews
• Assess need for assistance such as rehabilitation, financial aid or further training and refer clients to the appropriate services
• Provide established workers with information and strategies for maintaining a job or moving within an organization, dealing with job dissatisfaction, making mid-career changes and adjusting to workplace transitions
• Collect labour market information for clients regarding job openings, entry and skill requirements and other occupational information
• Advise employers on human resource and other employment-related issues
• Provide consulting services to community groups and agencies, businesses, industry and other organizations involved in providing community-based career planning support or resources
• May administer and interpret tests designed to determine the interests, aptitudes and abilities of clients
• May provide advocacy and adjudication services related to employment legislation or contractual agreements
• May arrange for, or conduct physical, mental, academic, vocational, and other evaluations to obtain information for assessing clients’ needs and to developing employment and rehabilitation plans.

Workplaces

• Consulting firms
• Correctional facilities
• Employment service organizations
• Federal and provincial governments
• Human resource departments of establishments

Skills

• Social Perceptiveness
• Coordinating
• Critical Thinking
• Evaluation
• Instructing

Abilities

• Fluency of Ideas
• Problem Identification
• Speech Clarity
• Verbal Ability
• Written Comprehension

Personal Attributes

• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Concern for Others
• Service Orientation
• Social Orientation

Similar Occupations

• Human resources and recruitment officers (12101)
• Educational counsellors (41320)
• Job coach for persons with disabilities (in 42203.00 Instructors of persons with disabilities)
• Employment insurance officer (in 12104.02 Government benefits services officers)

Source: OaSIS