When people are looking for “career advice” they may actually be looking for a few different things. One is career direction, that is – thinking about where you want to go in your career next.

It is tempting to want someone to tell you what to do, but really, only you can do that. After all, you have to live with the choices! That’s why I call myself a career practitioner, career counsellor and career coach, rather than a career advisor.

Career advice of this kind is actually what we call a Career Discovery – a process that lets you uncover a lot about yourself, identify possibilities in the outside world and then align the two together so that you can begin to take actions to move forward.

 Sometimes in seeking career advice, people are asking “what should I do?”, assuming that advice about an industry or in-demand job or sector is the only bit of information that they need. But, actually, you need to know who you are in a career sense, before choosing a “hot” or in demand career. If it doesn’t suit you, your values, personality and strengths (among many other things) you may be in a popular career that you don’t enjoy and up against competition from others who are more suited.  So, it makes sense to do the career and self-discovery work too.

Some people seek career advice from a colleague or referred person in their network. It is sometimes referred to as an informational interview where you might meet over coffee,  and can be useful to gain a perspective, find out a bit about someone else’s path or journey and build a valuable contact in an industry of interest.  

What is not recommended, is to ask that person for advice on what you should do in your future career.  That is a big question to put on someone else, especially when they are not qualified or experienced in doing so.  They may give you their opinion (since you asked!) but it won’t be based on you and your key drivers, as they’ve only just met you.  It is just off the top of the head career advice, which is not necessarily what you want to rely upon for making life decisions.

Some people seek career advice concerning making a move in their job and career. They may seek to meet with someone who has already made that shift and ask them for advice. This is wise, but of course it still makes sense to remember that you are likely two very different people.  If is worthwhile considering the source of advice, rather than relying on another person’s perspective, no matter how successful they are in their field.

Career advice is often also tactics and ways of moving forward in your career, such as preparing for an interview, how to negotiate a salary and how to develop your network. These areas of career development are vital. It’s again important to consider the source of the advice, any biases that may exist and also personalisation – making sure that the advice is appropriate for you. 

An example of common career advice dispensed is to “follow your passion.”  Many a speaker at college graduations has encouraged graduates to find and follow your passion. In recent times this advice has been criticised.  However it isn’t bad career advice, it is simply incomplete advice – there are many other factors to consider!

Which is why when you are looking at seeking out career advice, it is helpful to consider what exactly you are seeking and why. Consider the source and why an independent professional can be your best option.

At Career Wisdom, we look at career advice more as a partnering with you to help you find the solutions and answers to your career dilemmas and questions, rather than telling you who you should be, or what you should do.   

Contact us below to find out more.