Parents as career counsellors
- John Hogan
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 15
A parent contacted me this week about career counselling for her 15 year old daughter. She was having a bit of a challenge convincing her partner of the value a career counsellor could provide as compared to trying to provide career counselling themselves. Here are some points that might resonate with parents:
1. Professional Expertise and Training
Career counsellors are trained professionals with specialized knowledge about career development, labour market trends, and psychological insights into how young people make decisions. They are equipped with a wide range of tools, resources, knowledge and experience that most parents do not have.
Career counsellors have a deep understanding of how to match a young person’s strengths and interests with the most promising career paths, something that may be hard to achieve without professional training and significant experience.
2. Objectivity and Neutrality
Parents naturally want what’s best for their child. However their involvement can be clouded by emotional attachment or bias. A career counsellor offers an objective perspective, which is important in helping young people make decisions that are best for their individual growth, rather than making choices based on family expectations or pressures.
A career counsellor provides an impartial, third-party perspective that can be valuable for your child to feel heard and supported in exploring options beyond what the family may envision.
3. Personalized, Tailored Advice
Unlike most parents/carers, career counsellors have experience in assessing a young person's personality, skills, aptitudes and ambitions through a variety of methods, such as psychometric tests, counselling and structured guidance. This individualized approach helps a young person explore career paths that parents may not even be aware of. Counsellors can provide a customized approach based on your child’s unique strengths, skills and interests - something that is difficult to achieve without a structured, personalized process.
4. Access to Resources and Networks
Revolution Career Counselling provides carefully chosen independent recommendations from the vast array of higher education, training, career development and transition pathways on offer, the only career counselling service in Australia that provides this service. I also provide advice on valuable resources such as internships, career fairs, industry insights, and connections to professional bodies across all vocational fields. This provides young people with real-world exposure and networking opportunities that would be challenging for parents to discover on their own.
5. Decreased Pressure on Parents and Child
Parents often feel a sense of pressure to guide their child toward the “right” career! Professional career counseling allows the responsibility to be shared with an expert, relieving parents from the potential stress of navigating a complex and often confusing decision-making process. This also allows the young person to have a safe space to explore their interests without worrying about disappointing their parents. So fundamentally having a professional career counsellor guide your son or daughter helps take the pressure off you, while allowing your child the freedom to explore different paths in a neutral, supportive environment.
6. Improved Communication and Relationship
Sometimes a young person may resist advice from their parents, especially as they approach adulthood and seek more independence. A career counsellor can act as a mediator, helping to foster better communication and understanding between parents and children by providing clarity and guidance in the career decision-making process. This can create bridges to open communication between you and your child, helping to address concerns and aligning expectations in a way that works for everyone.
7. Preparation for Long-Term Success
Career counsellors not only focus on immediate decisions but also work with young people to set long-term goals, build relevant skills, and to plan educational and professional paths that will ensure future success. This holistic approach to career development is something that may go beyond what parents can offer on their own.
The goal is to develop a long-term strategy for success, planning not just for the next few years, but for a fulfilling career that aligns with their personality, values, evolving interests and the ever changing job market.
8. Professional Development for Parents
Parents may feel ill-equipped to give career advice, especially if they don't have familiarity with current educational and training opportunities, vocational trends or career planning resources. A career counsellor can help by letting parents know about their child’s interests, strengths and options, helping them to better support their child’s growth and making the most of all opportunities available.
Summary
Career counselling is a professional, specialized service that offers both immediate and long-term benefits for your child’s future success. All the academic research clearly shows that ideally young people should start receiving this help at around 14 years of age. Professional career counselling greatly reduces the stress and anxiety that quickly develops in young people when they have no sense of personal direction. As parents we all want the best for our children, but all the love and good intentions in the world can't take the place of well informed, objective guidance and support.
