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Career Corner

Mark Weber

Finding the Right Career Counselor - What to Look for (and Avoid)

By Mark Weber, HLS Assistant Dean for Career Services

 

If you’ve been mulling over a job search, career change, or perhaps even starting a business, an experienced career counselor may be a worthwhile investment. Keep in mind that—as with planning the perfect trip or buying a new car—it often takes time and effort to get what you want at a price you can afford. When it comes to building a rewarding career, you are the consumer and need to do your research before making major decisions—including your selection of a career counselor.   

What is a Career Counselor?
Career professionals come with many different titles—counselor, coach, and consultant are among the most common.  Career counselors are not recruiters or job placement specialists.  They do not get paid to get you a job or to place you in a position.  They are paid to provide advice.  A legal career counselor’s ultimate objective is to help you attain your career and employment goals.  As an experienced practitioner, you may think you don’t need help with decision-making skills. In this case, finding someone who specializes in stress management or career transition may be a better fit.  But regardless of your particular concerns, a good career counselor should be able to help you identify and explore career options, narrow down your choices, focus and target your job search, and generally guide you through the often-challenging job search process.

The Value of a Career Counselor
When it comes to making big life changes, family members, friends, and co-workers are usually the least helpful guides. Why? Unless they’re objective, energetic, optimistic, and highly successful themselves, they tend to worry that you might be making a mistake. Moreover, the people closest to you generally like you just the way you are. Sure, they may have their complaints, but they tend to be skeptical about any major changes.  A career counselor, on the other hand, is someone who is:

  • Totally objective

  • Experienced at helping others manage their careers

  • Experienced at hiring and, yes, even firing

  • Highly intuitive

  • Skilled at matching people with the right jobs

  • Knowledgeable about companies and their human resources departments 

  • Well-informed about how recruiters work

  • Experienced with career change

Choosing a Career Counselor
Choosing a career counselor to help clarify your goals is similar to choosing any other professional consultant. When choosing a counselor, it’s important to find someone whose skills match your needs and with whom you feel comfortable.  Make sure the counselor you pick is a good listener, as well as someone who is knowledgeable about the job market.  Gather as much information as you can, and then trust your instincts.

Here are a few guidelines for making your selection: 

Review a counselor's overall experience and education.  Determine if the counselors you’re considering have substantial legal counseling experience or a background in human resources if you're looking primarily for assistance with your job search.  Were they ever practicing lawyers?  Have they worked with lawyers before?  Do they have a thorough understanding of the legal profession?  How familiar are they with the legal or other relevant job markets in your geographic area of interest?

Consider a counselor's approach.  A competent counselor will ask you open-ended questions—questions that require more than just a yes or no answer—and will respond to you based on what you say. Areas of inquiry will include your skills, your interests and values, your preferences, and your experiences.  You’ll also want to ensure that any counselor you hire is able to provide a detailed evaluation of both your resume and any other important application documents and to help you with the sort of "research and development" that leads to an understanding of where you should focus your efforts. Finally, the right counselor will help you determine what steps you need to take to achieve your goal, given your specific combination of skills, background, experience, interests, compensation requirements, geographic and employer preferences, and other constraints.   

Compare counseling credentials. You may feel more comfortable with a counselor who is certified in career counseling (though this in itself is no guarantee that a counselor will meet your needs).  When making your decision, you should also pay attention to recommendations from other attorneys, the counselor’s reputation in the legal and counseling community, and his or her training and years of experience.   

Decide what kind of style you're most comfortable with.  Do you prefer someone with a highly structured approach who uses career interest tests, activities, exercises, or homework? Or are you more comfortable with a less formal process, with someone whose style relies more on discussion and suggestions?  Or perhaps you’d like a style that combines several approaches? Whatever your preference, remember: Your counselor should want to tailor his or her services to your particular needs.  

Be prepared to work.  Career professionals can help you be more effective and productive, but they do not do the work for you. The counselor helps with structure and a game plan but in the end you do the work. And when all goes well, you’re also the one to reap the rewards: a job and career path well suited to your goals and temperament.

(For more information on career counselors, coaches and consultants, go to the National Counseling & Development Association Web site. For a nationwide list of career counselors go to the alumni section of the OCS website.

Mark Weber, Assistant Dean for Career Services at Harvard Law School, arrived at HLS in 2000. A 1986 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, he served as that school’s Assistant Dean for Career Services and editor of its alumni magazine before assuming his current job. Previously, he practiced law in Chicago for six years, focusing on corporate, tax, and bankruptcy matters, and spent two years as a CPA at a Big Four public accounting firm.  He now serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Law Placement.