Where to find a career counsellor

Dr Peter Carey, the national president of the Career Development Association of Australia says career counsellors work in a variety of situations and come from a range of professional backgrounds. Consequently, fees charged can vary.

Most private practitioners charge a sessional rate that is a fee for a consultation for a specified length of time. Some use a sliding scale to offer lower fees to people on lower incomes.

Fees can be negotiated by the client but, as a general guide, Dr Carey says a private practitioner will charge around $120 an hour.

For a six-session package, the amount of time often required for a school leaver, a six-week package rate of around $600 is often applied.

To find a career counsellor, go to Career Development Association of Australia website and click on “Find a practioner” at the top of the home page.

Recruiting company

Julie Majer, from Majer Recruitment says recruiting companies can help some individuals discover where their talents lie or place them into positions where they can build on their skills.

“A recruitment consultant can determine the strengths and weaknesses (of a candidate) through a series of tests and interviews and the end result is usually a job which is fitted to the individual incorporating factors such as corporate culture, job role, salary and staff,” she said.

Recruitment agencies can help students prepare their CV, get ready for interviews and show them where they can get more information which might help them develop their careers.

Further training

Marcel Creed, the chief executive officer of Sarina Russo Schools Australia says for those not going to university, study options may include upgrading a relevant diploma course to get into a preferred course, vocational education and training courses, diploma-level vocational courses or an apprenticeship.

Job network providers can also steer candidates into full-time work.

The Courier-Mail, November 2007