1/One of the key aspects of my work as a careers academic is to assess practice-mainly one-to-one interviews. This is a form of informal “research”- I watch and listen to large numbers of interviews every term and while I’m assessing the student, I’m also listening to clients...

2/ a key theme that recurs in interviews is that whilst many clients have support from a network (e.g. family and friends) and useful (if often anecdotal) knowledge as a result of this, it doesnt necessarily translate into practical help

3/ By which I mean that clients won’t necessarily be getting the kind of feedback that enables them either to negotiate entry to their area of interest or to encourage more flexible thinking. This isn’t necessarily surprising but...

4/... coupled with the commonly “narrow” thinking that (especially younger) clients have about options, which often reflects the ideas/experiences of those in their close networks, really underlined the importance of regular conversations/education focused on...

5/5 thinking about the future and what it might mean for them and also ensuring that they have the knowledge and understanding to begin to enact their ideas. This is why guidance needs to maintain a focus on both “who you are and what you wish to be” and how you might get there