- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- knowledge of psychology
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- sensitivity and understanding
- customer service skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- knowledge of English language
- to be flexible and open to change
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- talking to people about their abilities, interests and achievements
- exploring learning and work opportunities
- helping people make decisions and plans of action
- giving support to overcome barriers
- keeping to rules on equal opportunities
- developing relationships with employers, colleges, universities and training providers
- keeping up to date with occupational and labour market information
- giving talks, updating records and meeting targets
You could work in a contact centre, at a university, at a college, at a school, at an outreach centre or from home.
You could specialise and work with adults or people with special needs.
With experience, you could become a manager. You could also become self-employed and work as a consultant, researcher or writer.
Another option could be to move into industry and provide career management advice for employees of large companies.
You can find out more about becoming a careers adviser from the Career Development Institute.
