Bits of time for bits of joy
College and career counselling involves so much variety, and we absolutely love that. No two days are ever the same. But the endless plate-spinning can sometimes make our days feel quite fractured, with snatched bits of time here and there that aren’t long enough for any deep work. So, how do we make the most of these ‘offcuts’ of time, between appointments,... Read More
How to: engaging parents in career guidance activity
When parents are active participants in their childrens’ career education, it makes a huge difference in outcomes. Yet engaging parents remains a universal challenge for careers professionals. Familiar faces take up opportunities and attend events, whereas the elusive ones… remain elusive. Many counsellors have never studied or worked in marketing. Yet they often find themselves acting like marketers, running mini-campaigns for the school’s... Read More
30 minutes to change a life
No-one ever has enough time. You don’t, your students certainly don’t. It can be impossible for counsellors to get curriculum time for the work you want to do, and you want to make the most of every precious second with each student. Despite the time pressures we all face, if we want to be present with the student in front of us... Read More
Thinking laterally about careers
You know that there is more to careers in medicine than being a doctor or a surgeon. And that there is more to computer science careers than lonely roles coding for 12 hours a day. But we’ve found that students still need help understanding the breadth of roles available in every career area. Often they only recognise the stereotypes and can rule... Read More
Tips for creating your first work wardrobe
How can students look and feel confident? Whether it’s an internship, placement or seasonal job, work experience helps students to learn new skills and boost those all-important university applications. We asked Step One counsellor Emma Gotz, who is also a certified Style Coach (how is that for a career idea?!), for her top tips on making an impression for the right reasons.... Read More
Career Guidance in the time of COVID-19
Are we nearly there yet? The pandemic is digging its heels in, and restrictions look set to continue in one form or another for the new academic year. So, to help us look forward, now seems a good time to connect with our colleagues, and learn from them, as well. We asked our network of counsellors, who are working independently and in... Read More
Thinking creatively about careers
Learning about careers can be daunting when students first start out. How can we help them broaden their perspective whilst avoiding overwhelm? One way in is to write out a list of the career areas a student is most interested in and look at them altogether. This can give them clues that would otherwise be hidden. Can they see anything that links... Read More