Careers counselling
Uncertain about your future? Making choices about your major, career, or further study is an important part of your experience at university. When you consider your future options, you may feel quite uncertain or confused.
Careers counselling can help you to clarify your ideas, provide support in decision making and offer a new perspective. However, it will not provide a quick fix solution to your career issues. Careers counselling is part of a process that requires ongoing investment of your time to provide the best outcomes.
Career issues are diverse and often have more than one answer. While careers counselling can be a forum for information gathering, it is also important that you find out as much as possible before your appointment to receive the full benefit.
Careers Consultants are not experts about every occupation, nor can they discern which career path is right for you. They will, however, help you to clarify your career plans, and can assist if you feel stuck about the whole career planning process.
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Careers Counselling Service & AccessKate Abraham, Careers Consultant, outlines the purpose of Careers Counselling for students as part of the career planning process, as well as how to make best use of an appointment.
Click the 'play' button to listen via Quicktime. Duration 4 min 41 sec. Alternatively download the interview (MP3, 4.4 MB) Interview conducted by Penny Warner, Manager Careers & Student Development Programs. Audio transcript (pdf | 13 KB) |
Make an appointment
Appointments for careers counselling run for 30 minutes, and may be booked in person at the Enquiries Desk or by phoning +61 3 8344 6686. If necessary, a follow-up appointment can be made. Careers counselling is a high-demand service, and waiting periods of at least a week are usual. (See service eligibility)
Drop-in Careers Counselling Service
Do you have a careers question that does not require a full 30 min. appointment?
During semester C&E will hold careers counselling sessions on a drop-in basis.
Drop-in sessions may assist you if:
- Your enquiry is urgent;
- There are no more set consultations for the week;
- You have a question you believe requires a short discussion
Drop-in careers counselling sessions cannot be booked and are on a first-come, first serve basis. If it is determined you need further assistance, the careers consultant will recommend a scheduled appointment.
For information on session times, please contact the Enquiries Desk on 8344 0100 or visit us in the Careers Resource Centre.
top of pageWhat happens in a career counselling appointment
Appointments are an opportunity to:
- Discuss career options of interest and employers who offer jobs in those fields
- Identify your interests and strengths or interpret the results of career assessment programs
- Understand and utilize successful job search strategies
- Find resources to research graduate study and professional school programs
- Work on interviewing and other job search skills
- Develop a personal plan of action
Preparation for an appointment
The Careers Resource Centre (CRC) can assist you in exploring your options. It has a wide range of resources in many formats such as flyers, books, DVDs and videos as well as the internet kiosk.
To make the most of your appointment, you are required to undertake some of the activities contained in the following checklist prior to careers counselling.
What can I do with my degree?
- Career Options folders contain careers and occupational information
- Employment outcome information is in the What Can I Do With My Degree? folders. Also check out Graduate Opportunities and Graduate Destination Survey publications.
- myfuture is an interactive website for identifying your strengths, work style preferences and types of occupations which interest you.
- Adult Directions (30 minutes) and Career Builder Plus (45 minutes) on the internet kiosk PCs help you assess how your interests and skills translate into career options. Allow time to complete these activities before your appointment.
- You can research occupations associated with your skills, interests, attributes and values on myfuture or through the Job Guide.
Job-seeking strategies
- Consult the free Careers & Employment publication Wise Up for Work to help you plan your career, look for work, write job applications and prepare for interviews.
- Careers Online advertises graduate, vacation, international, industry experience, part-time, casual and temporary employment.
- Review graduate job advertisements in newspapers such as Saturday’s The Age and The Australian.
- Check out internet sites such as Seek Campus and Graduate Opportunities which particularly target employment for students and graduates.
- Attend KickStart Skills 4 Work seminars.
Further study and course queries
- Find out what courses are relevant to particular careers using myfuture, Job Guide, and OZJAC (Australian Job and Course Explorer) which is on the internet kiosk PCs.
- Use the handbooks and course directories in the CRC.
Speak to a faculty student adviser for advice regarding subjects, points for credit within your course structure, pre-requisites for honours or additional study and transfer procedures.