Continuing to develop yourself throughout life; this is becoming increasingly important in order to keep up with the constantly changing labor market and our modern society. Flexible contract forms and relocation of work through digitalization and robotization are the order of the day. Continuing to develop yourself ensures that you continue to add value to society and enjoy working.

Reflecting on your own development opportunities is sometimes easier said than done. Perhaps you are consumed by the delusion of the day or you are not sure where the opportunities lie. Did you know that career guidance is an effective way to choose the course for your career?

What´s in it for me?

A career counseling program provides insight and confidence to make choices and take steps toward change. Research shows that employees who have completed a career counseling program have better self-insight, experience more self-confidence and have a better idea of their career prospects(Kruythoff, 2019).

But why should an employer facilitate career counseling? After all, chances are that the employee will look for another job. Yet, research shows that career counseling has positive effects for employers as well; positive and common results that an employer notices are improvements in communication and the employee's overall functioning and self-direction. Also, an employee who has had career counseling often has an improved self-image(Kruythoff, 2019). In short, an employee has more control over his or her career, functions better and knows how to optimally shape his or her position.

What is career counseling?

In career counseling, we take a personal look at who you are, where you are and what you want. Through conversations, tests and assignments we will identify what drives you, what values are important to you and where your talents lie. During the process you will examine where you stand in your personal and professional development and what choices you can make in the further course of your career. These insights are then translated into appropriate and labor market-relevant career directions and concrete career possibilities for the short and/or long term.

Career counseling can have different outcomes. For example, during the program one of our candidates made the choice to leave his current employer. During the program we paid attention to a career plan: what goal do you want to achieve and what actions will bring you closer to that goal? After the final interview, he walked out the door with a large rolled-up sheet containing a concrete five-year roadmap. His dream was to be self-employed as a business consultant within five years. Steps to achieve this included conversations with his network, gathering interim assignments to gain experience and attending training. Three months later we were in touch again: his first interim assignment was already over!

But a rigorous change may not always be necessary. Sometimes a career counseling program provides insights to come to the conclusion that one's job is the best fit. In this way, picking up other work or seeking more support from colleagues or a supervisor (job crafting) can provide greater job satisfaction or engagement.

Whatever the outcome, career counseling offers confidence and a grip on your career and provides tools to actively shape it.

Curious about your development opportunities?

We would be happy to tell you more about career counseling and what it can do for you. Feel free to contact us for an informal and exploratory discussion or take a look at the website under 'careerguidance'.