Higher education careers adviser : Entry requirements

This area of work is open to all graduates. Careers advisers in higher education come from a wide variety of backgrounds in both degree subject and work experience.

For some posts, specific qualifications or background may be an advantage, especially if the post has specific responsibility for students and graduates in a certain area. However, for most posts, a degree in any subject is acceptable. Relevant pre-entry experience and appropriate skills and qualities are generally more important than the class of degree gained.

Entry without a degree or with an HND/foundation degree only is very unlikely.

A pre-entry postgraduate qualification in guidance is desirable and increasingly required by employers. Many entrants hold the Qualification in Careers Guidance (QCG). However, this is not a mandatory qualification for advisers working in higher education (HE), and a substantial number of current advisers do not possess it. Some employers accept other guidance or professional qualifications, including National Vocational Qualifications at level four (NVQ4) in Advice and Guidance. It may also be possible to enter as a trainee and complete relevant training and qualifications while employed.

A guidance qualification is useful and pre-entry experience essential. Try to gain some experience in interviewing, listening and advising people in a mentoring or coaching capacity, if possible. This can be through work or other activities such as sports groups or volunteering.

The most common background is careers guidance in another sector, especially with prospective HE students or adults. Other common backgrounds include teaching, industry or commerce, and involvement in recruitment, selection or training.

Candidates need to show evidence of the following:

• excellent written, oral communication and interpersonal skills for work with individuals and groups and for liaison with employers and academic staff;
• strong presentation skills;
• organisational skills and good time management;
• IT literacy and the ability to use word processing, presentation and record-keeping software as well as email and the internet;
• the ability to cope with a variety of tasks under pressure;
• an awareness of issues in higher education and graduate employment;
• patience and resilience - it can be a challenge to deal with intelligent clients who expect a high level of expertise but who may not necessarily have well-developed or realistic ideas about their future;
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• a high level of persuasiveness and negotiating ability to deal with academic staff.

This profession also requires confidence and personality in order to establish credibility with academic staff and managers from the business world and to stand up and talk in front of large groups. It may be an asset to hold a current driving licence. In small services, careers advisers may take responsibility for information work, employer liaison activities and administration as well as guidance.

Competition is usually high for posts, although levels vary depending on the prestige and location of the institution and the salary offered. There is generally less competition for part-time roles. There are an increasing number of fixed-term posts through funding of new initiatives.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.