Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

The Work

• Providing one-to-one guidance to individuals in relation to their educational and career development.

• Identifying individual needs using a variety of techniques including guidance interviews, psychometric assessment and other career evaluation tools.

• Planning, developing and delivering group guidance sessions on all aspects of careers development and work related topics.

• Using information technology for a wide range of administrative and informational tasks.

• Establishing links with employers, relevant agencies, professional bodies and further/post-graduate education and training institutions to keep up to date professional and academic developments.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.
• Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
• Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
• Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
• Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
• Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.

Further Information

• Careers Adviser - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Careers Adviser - from: GradIreland

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Linguistic

The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Open to graduates of any discipline. Qualifications will vary depending on institution. Some may require a specific qualification in counselling and adult guidance while others will accept relevant experience or related qualifications such as HR or recruitment experience.

For those seeking membership of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors a recognised qualification in guidance is required.

Training & Development pathways

FET Centre Traineeship & PLC courses: Training & Development 'Train the Trainer', Youth & Community work, Social work, Counselling, Probation work, HR & personnel work NFQ level 5-6 Search FET Courses

Apprenticeships Recruitment Executive at NFQ level 8 Search apprenticeships

CAO Higher Education entry: Arts, Social sciences, Teaching, Psychology, Youth and Community work, Social work Personnel & HR at NFQ level 6-8 Search CAO courses 

Professional Development 

Posgraduate Options: Advanced Business & Executive Coaching, Personal & Management Coaching, Psychology-Applied Psychology - Positive Coaching Psychology, and allied Guidance programmes listed below at NFQ level 9

Career Guidance & Counselling NFQ Level 7 [special purpose] & post grad NFQ level 9

Dublin City University (DCU) MSc in Guidance Counselling 2 year part time (contact DCU directly regarding entry criteria) 

University of Limerick (UL) MA Guidance Counselling & Lifespan Development 2 year part time (contact UL directly regarding entry criteria)

Post Graduate Diploma (Arts) in Adult Guidance Counselling 2 year part time - FURTHER EDUCATION ONLY - (contact MU directly regarding entry criteria)

Recognizing Foreign Guidance Qualifications

NARIC Ireland provides advice on the academic recognition of foreign qualifications by comparing them, where possible and appropriate, to a major award type and level on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). A comparability statement for each qualification listed is available for download on the NARIC website. 

Professional Associations & CPD

Institute of Guidance Counsellors 

AHECS Association of Higher Education Careers Services 

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €57k - €75k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
IOT Salary Scale/ IUA

Last Updated: August, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was below average over the five-year period, with little growth since 2020. It should be noted that career guidance professionals working in the second level system are most likely captured in the secondary teaching occupations. Employment permits issued in 2022 were all intra-company transfers and related to roles outside of the education sector.

• Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services

  • Millennium House 30 Junction Road Sheffield S11 8XB
  • 0044 1142515750
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Public Appointments Service

  • Chapter House, 26/30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 C7W6
  • (01) 858 7400 or Local: 1890 44 9999
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Institute of Guidance Counsellors

  • The Basement, 17 Herbert Street, Dublin 2
  • (01) 676 1975
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• DFHERIS Department of Further Higher Education Research Innovation & Science

  • Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, 52 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 DR67
  • (01) 889 6400
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here