Professional Standards
for College & University Career Services

II. PROGRAM COMPONENTS

The key program components of the career services function are designed, clearly defined, and implemented in alignment with:

the career development needs and the academic and occupational interests of students and other students;
current research, theories, and knowledge of career development and learning;
contemporary career services practices;
economic trends, opportunities, and/or constraints;
institutional priorities; and
resources.

Career services works collaboratively with academic divisions, departments, individual faculty members, student services, employers, and other relevant constituencies of the institution to enhance students’ career development. Career services promotes career development for students as integral to the mission of the institution.

Career services staff provide information on programs and services through institutional print and electronic publications, campus media, presentations, outreach, and orientation programs.

Career services provides information on career and employment topics and the ethical obligations of students, employers, and others involved in the employment process.

Career Advising/Counseling

The institution provides career advising/counseling to assist students at any stage of their college experience while enrolled in the institution.

Career services assists students with career issues relevant to the individual, e.g., dual careers, sexual orientation, disabilities, and so forth.

Career services helps students obtain and research occupational, educational, and employment information.

Career services helps students establish short-term and long-term career goals.

Career services helps students explore career options through internships, shadowing experiences, summer and part-time jobs, cooperative education and/or other career-related activities.

Career services helps students make career choices based on accurate self-knowledge and information about the world of work. Career services offers career advising/counseling in order to link students’ career decision making with access to employers and employment information by:

encouraging students to take advantage of career services as early as possible in their academic programs;
providing career advising/counseling through scheduled appointments with individuals, group programs, career planning courses, outreach opportunities, special events, information technology, and/or any other available resources;
referring students to other counseling and resource agencies if assistance is needed beyond the scope of career advising/counseling;
helping students explore careers through part-time employment and experiential education programs; and
maintaining appropriate records for future work with the students.

Career Information

Career services makes current and comprehensive career information accessible to students as they explore and make career decisions.

Career services provides resources to help students assess and relate their interests, competencies, needs, expectations, education, experience, personal background, and desired lifestyle to the employment market

Career services provides information on current and projected employment opportunities and on employers to ensure that candidates have the widest possible choices of employment.

Career services provides information on graduate and professional academic programs and other continuing education programs.

Career services uses information technology to give students and staff access to the Internet and other computer resources.

Career information is conveniently available in a variety of media appropriate for different learning styles and special needs.

Career information resources are accessible and organized with an appropriate system that is userfriendly, flexible, and adaptable to change.

Career information facilities are staffed with persons who have the appropriate counseling, advising, and information technology competencies to assist students in accessing and using career information.

Career information includes the following categories:

self-assessment and career planning;
occupational and job market information;
graduate/professional schools;
employment/job search;
job, experiential education, and internship listings; and
employer information.

Employment Services

Career services assists students in:

exploring a full range of career and work possibilities that match their career goals;
preparing job-search competencies and tools to present themselves effectively as candidates for employment;
obtaining information on employment opportunities and prospective employers;
connecting with employers through campus interviews, job listings, referrals, direct application, networking, job-search events, publications, and/or information technology; and
developing and maintaining relationships with employers that provide career development and employment opportunities for students.

Experiential Education

The institution provides experiential education programs that include student employment and/or cooperative education, work-based learning, apprenticeships, internships, volunteer jobs, service learning, and shadowing experiences.

Career services provides or works closely with other departments that provide experiential education opportunities.

Experiential education programs help students obtain career-related experiences with organizations that provide adequate supervision and opportunities for students to reflect upon their learning and career development.

Graduate School Planning Services