Post # 10: Career Counseling In Post-secondary Education

I found Brown’s (2012) chapter on career development for post-secondary education to be extremely informative.  I was also able to relate a lot of my own experiences from undergrad to the concepts discussed throughout the chapter.  I only wish that my experiences in undergrad with advising and career services were more positive.  Choosing a major in college is important and the decision should not be taken lightly.  A majority of students go into post-secondary education undecided.  By the time they are in their sophomore year; they have to declare a major.  I understand why colleges do this because if students did not pick a major they may end up staying in college for an extended period of time.  However, this places a lot of pressure on students, and some students may end up choosing a major that does not necessarily mesh with their talents and interests.  I feel the opposite can happen as well.  Some students jump into a major right away and find out later that it was not the right choice.  This is what happened to me.  I did not really have the option to go into college undecided; my parents pretty much told me that I needed to pick a field of study before entering my freshman year.  Needless to say, I changed majors three times throughout college.  I believe that students need more opportunities to explore different options.  Maybe this needs to start in high school so students have a better understanding of different majors and what they entail.

In terms of career counseling and services in post-secondary schools; I feel that it needs to be somewhat revised.  The chapter discusses several programs and interventions that sounded really helpful; but how often are these programs used in post-secondary institutions?  I feel that these programs need to be advertised better on campuses and be made more readily available.  I am speaking from personal experience; but I do not think that academic advisors should play the role of career counselors.  I went to a larger university and I feel that I was just an ID number to my advisor.  I met with her twice a year, she told me what classes to take and that was it. 

Brown makes a good point by saying that some universities make it a requirement that students take a course related to career.  This would be a great idea as long as the course can meet individual needs.  Or maybe it should be a requirement for students to meet with a career counselor at some point while they are enrolled in school.  Career counselors could help individuals with decision making and also discuss what the outlook is for certain jobs and careers.  If all of these concepts were combined; I feel that it would be easier for students to feel more confident in their post-secondary education and it would help them become better decision makers in relation to career.

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development. (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.