What Career Counselors CAN'T Do for You (That You Really Wish They Would)

While career counselors (and coaches) can provide valuable support as you navigate your career, there are certain things that they cannot do for you. Despite the fact that they can offer invaluable assistance and guidance, some examples of what they cannot do include:

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1. Career counselors cannot make decisions for you. At the end of the day, the choices you make about your career are up to you. A career counselor can provide advice and guidance, but you have to make choices and take responsibility for your own choices and actions. It certainly helps to have a sounding board for your ideas and the decisions you need to make, but your decisions must be made from a place that reflects your values, interests, and what you want out of life. No one has that unique blueprint that you do, and so no one could ever make decisions for you no matter who they were.

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2. Career counselors cannot guarantee your success in your dream career. A good rule of thumb is don't listen to anyone that claims to be able to guarantee much of anything. No one can guarantee that you will be successful , and a career counselor is no exception. They can help you develop a plan and set goals, but they cannot guarantee that you will achieve those goals. Success is ultimately up to you and how hard you are willing to work for it.

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3. Career counselors cannot fix your problems for you. If you are facing challenges in your career, you have to take action and do the work to overcome your challenges so you can move forward in your career. One benefit of working with a career counselor is they can help create more clarity over what your real, underlying challenges are - what lies underneath the problems you see you have but can never seem to completely solve. But the commitment to take the necessary steps to solve your problems is always going to be up to you.

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Career counselors can be a great source of support and advice, but they can't take care of everything. You must accept responsibility for your decisions and deeds, and you must be prepared to put in the necessary effort to reach your objectives.

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