Informational Interview

Employment centers, also known as one-stop career centers, have become increasingly popular as jobs become more competitive and the process for securing employment becomes more complex. Upon accessing these centers, clients can utilize a wide variety of services, including access to the Internet to search major employment websites, career assessment and testing, resume and cover letter support, online employment application support, and job-readiness training. Career counselors must be familiar with all of these areas to best support their clients.

To complete this assignment, visit a one-stop career center or local career center (or a career center online) and evaluate the services available. As part of the visit, schedule an appointment to meet with a career counselor and conduct an informational interview. Gather information on the following:

• Role of the career counselor
  • Responsibilities carried out on a typical work day
  • Common challenges experienced in providing career services
  • Common misconceptions about career counseling
  • How theory informs work with clients
  • Advantages and disadvantages of online versus in-person counseling
• Types of services available
• Assessment and testing options
• Sources of occupational and educational information available
• Access to services (availability, cost, length, etc.)
• Evaluate the Zeren (2015) article

After gathering the above information, write a 1750- to 2450-word (5- to 7-page) paper, not including the title and references pages, discussing your findings. Conclude with an evaluation of the overall services available and recommendations for improvement.

Use at least three scholarly sources in addition to the course text within the paper. Sources can be used to support your analysis of the visit.