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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Employment, training and careers
    3. Careers
    4. Plan your career

    Careers guidance interview

    A careers' guidance interview is an impartial, one-to-one meeting between yourself and a professionally qualified careers' adviser. A guidance interview can last about 45 minutes. A careers guidance interview is not like a job interview - there are no right or wrong answers.

    Where the interview will take place

    If you are a student, your interview will most likely take place in your school or college either in person, or via video call. If you are an adult it can be conducted remotely via video call, or in person in a local careers office.

    What will be discussed

    During a guidance interview the careers' adviser will help you to:

    • identify your personal qualities and skills
    • identify the skills you would like to develop
    • come up with ideas for study and work
    • explore specific career areas open to you
    • explore current and future job opportunities
    • understand the process of job search, writing a CV and going for interviews
    • explore your interests, likes and dislikes, family influences, personal barriers and work experience
    • think about how study, work experience, and home-life can all contribute to your employability

    The careers adviser will give you:

    • accurate and up-to-date information
    • the opportunity, if suitable, to complete a personality-based assessment which helps individuals to know themselves better
    • alternative sources of information and help if required
    • an action plan to help you move forward

    How to prepare for your interview

    Think about:

    • your current situation – what planning you have already done, if any
    • what you would like to change
    • qualifications or additional qualifications and experience required for the career you are interested in
    • how much control you feel you have in making choices
    • the ideas you already have but don't know how to move forward with or perhaps you have no ideas at all

    Benefits of a guidance interview

    • increased motivation and self-confidence
    • greater self-awareness
    • identification of more achievable ambitions
    • improved decision making skills
    • increased awareness of opportunities

    How to arrange a careers interview

    There are many ways to contact a careers adviser and set up a careers interview:

    If you are still at school you may ask your careers' teacher to arrange an interview for you with a careers' adviser.

    • Careers Service

    Interview satisfaction survey

    If you have had a careers guidance interview, the Careers Service would value your feedback. Fill in the online survey below to help it improve its service. 

    •  Careers Service Feedback Questionnaires 

     

    More useful links

    • Skills to succeed
    • Careers events
    • Where to find a job
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    Plan your career

    • Applying for jobs
    • Assured Skills Academies
    • Careers events
    • Careers guidance application for adults
    • Careers guidance application for Young People
    • Careers guidance interview
    • Careers online support
    • Choosing or changing career
    • How the Careers Service can help you
    • Looking for work
    • SKILL UP
    • Skills in demand
    • Starting your own business and becoming self-employed
    • What type of work would suit you

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