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Careers adviser/personal adviser: Job description and activities

Job description

A careers adviser provides information, advice and guidance to help people make realistic choices about education, training and work. Careers advisers work with a range of clients aged 14 to adult.

In England the usual entry point for careers advisers is as a personal adviser (PA) with a Connexions or careers company local authority partnership. PAs work specifically with young people aged 13-19 or those with learning difficulties or disabilities up to the age of 25. They offer guidance on a variety of issues including education, careers, relationships, health, housing and money.

For information specific to Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales see also Careers adviser (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland).

Typical work activities

The work of a personal adviser (PA) will vary according to how their employing Connexions or careers company local authority partnership is structured. Most will have a mixed caseload of education and community work. Some will have a caseload with a specific emphasis, e.g. working with young people who are not in education, employment or training. Intensive PAs work in an in-depth way with a smaller number of clients.

Tasks typically involve:

• interviewing clients one to one or in small groups;
• identifying their needs using the CAPIR referral and assessment tool;
• providing information, advice and guidance about a range of issues, such as careers, education, employment and training, housing, money, health, drugs and bullying; either directly or in partnership with specialist agencies;
• assisting young people to draw up action plans for employment, education and training and supporting them to achieve these goals;
• running small group sessions or larger presentations on all aspects of careers work and topics related to personal development;
• liaising and negotiating with other organisations on behalf of young people;
• working with families and carers so that they can give support;
• using IT for administrative tasks, such as recording interactions with and tracking clients;
• using computer-aided guidance packages, skills assessment tools, psychometric tests and personal inventories;
• planning and organising careers fairs and conventions;
• keeping up to date with labour market information, legislation, and professional and academic developments by visiting employers, training providers and training events run by educational and professional bodies;
• managing a caseload of clients.

AGCAS

Written by Wendy Reed, AGCAS

Last updated:

February 2008

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