By Julia Perryman, UNE Career Counselling Co-ordinator

Why you should consider referring your students to a UNE Career Coach

Even though your students are doing everything they can, sometimes they may forget why they actually started studying and become despondent? What was that end point that they were aiming for? They may be acting like they are wasting their time and yours? The gossip from fellow students about being in the wrong course becomes overwhelming? And the constant media hype about possible career pathways disappearing is starting to overtake their thoughts?  This is when you can refer your students to a UNE Career Coach for career counselling and advice. The UNE Career Coaches can talk your students through a plan, different options and the best way forward with their study to reach their career goals. A Career Coach is not a personal counsellor, rather a professional that focusses on the student and their career aspirations.

The UNE Career Coaches provide a range of services, like helping students consider what they wish to do, their abilities and how to explore different opportunities. We have a mantra – there is always more than one way to get to where you want to be!

So why advise your students to book an appointment to talk to a Careers Coach?

Become unstuck

Have you noticed one of your students looking a little lost? Maybe they are starting to say that they are unsure of their reason to study your unit? They are not participating the way they used to? Their ideas for the future may be overwhelming? You can see your student become apprehensive, and then hear them say, ‘I can’t do that’, ‘I am not clever enough’? This happens when they could be starting to unravel their original career plan or, maybe they didn’t have one in the first place. A UNE Career Coach can talk your students through their studies, looking at options, giving them ideas of what is available, what can happen if they did it differently and also advise – that they can take a breath.

Build Confidence

All students lose confidence at some stage. Its human nature that we may feel this way, and a UNE Career Coach can assist with helping your students build goals and start to draw a roadmap for their future. Step-by-step – there are often many pathways and these can be explored. Nothing is set in concrete and can be changed and manipulated as time goes on – our lives change, therefore, so does a career roadmap. Sometimes, they just need to talk to someone about their plans, other than their academic.

Job Search Skills

Everyone needs a resume, but as a tertiary student, a Resume/CV is the most important marketing tool in a students’ portfolio and there are high expectations from employers. CV/Resumes have changed – and students need up to date graduate job seeking advice. The UNE Careers Toolkit has a CVBuilder that students can work through at their own pace to construct a draft, and then they can submit this draft to a UNE Careers Coach to professionally guide them on developing this document to fulfil the requirements of graduate employers. UNE Career Coaches can also advise and critique on applications and selection criteria.

Interview practice

If a student from your unit may be lucky enough to gain a job interview while they are still studying – encourage them to talk to a UNE Careers Coach about what they need to do to prepare. Interviews are intimidating and very un-natural, so preparation is everything. Best to weed out some of their nerves before they get to the real thing. We also have Interview360 in the UNE Career Toolkit where students can record themselves at interview and receive instant AI feedback – you are also very welcome to try this!

Brainstorm

If you have a student who is at a complete loss as to what course they should be enrolled in, they are indicating that they cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel and start to doubt that they should be at uni at all, then it is time to refer them to a UNE Career Coach. One-on-one personalised service will be provided to your student to discuss their current studies, change in studies, choice of units to suit a career or even just needing to have a break. All of this can be achieved in a career counselling appointment with a UNE Career Coach. Every student/persons needs are different and their future will be unique. We focus on the student and their specifics situation and needs.

So, talking to a Career Coach is an ideal option for all students to discuss their plans. Why not refer them to UNE Employability & Careers and they can make a phone appointment for a chat. They can also email careers@une.edu.au with their questions.

We look forward to working with you!