Developing your skills as an adviser
Whether you are a careers adviser, or a teacher supporting students, you'll need to continually reflect on your careers practice to keep improving the value of what you do. We can help with some of this...
Whether you are a careers adviser, or a teacher supporting students, you'll need to continually reflect on your careers practice to keep improving the value of what you do. We can help with some of this...
There are many important skills for careers advisers to master – here's how to develop in three key areas: knowledge, listening and communication.
With 370 higher education providers and around 37,000 courses in the UK, how can advisers keep up-to-date? As these numbers prove, knowing every course requirement is impossible.
Your role is about helping students identify the right sources of information and ensuring they can understand, process and prioritise it in order to reach decisions.
Networking is also essential to ensure you keep up-to-date. Attending events allows you to you have face-to-face contact with admissions staff and network with colleagues from other schools. Making good use of LinkedIn or Facebook is a good idea too.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Beware: until you have high levels of knowledge about courses and careers you may not even realise that you are being directive and judgemental in your guidance. For example, you might be telling a student they are unable to do a particular course when in fact they can.
Andy Gardner – Careers Adviser
Top tip: Make sure whoever attends any conference or training feeds back to all relevant colleagues.
Students will only take on board advice if you have listened to them and demonstrated genuine empathy. This skill doesn't always come naturally, but luckily it can be developed.
Ask a student if you can record a one-to-one session to enable you to reflect on your guidance. Listen to it, and even ask colleagues to listen and feedback, too. Did you exhibit the following characteristics?
Be patient and flexible — it can be frustrating when a student has no idea what they want to do. Don't be tempted to direct them based on your own experience or prejudices.
Be sensitive to cultural or other issues too — for example, some students applying for a university far from home is not feasible.
Try and attend events, seminars or workshops with your students. The questions they ask when there reveals the information that you need to know. They're also great for networking.
Jackie Silverstone, Careers Adviser
Take every opportunity to listen to what your students have to say – even when they are talking to others…
From students and parents to university admissions staff, there is a wide range of people you need to communicate with. Here's some ways to do this to best effect.
Communicating with colleagues, students, and governors:
Nearby or partner schools:
Universities and other advisers: