Guiding Principles of Career Development

With a goal of bringing greater clarity and consistency to our national conversations about career development, CERIC has developed a set of “Guiding Principles of Career Development.” Career professionals are encouraged to use and share this document widely. These Guiding Principles reflect multiple voices at CERIC and are intended as a starting point to inform discussions with clients, employers, funders, policy-makers and families. The Guiding Principles include an exploration of the word “career” and outline the many benefits of career development.

Career Work in Action: Discussions and Activities for Professionals

NEW! A series of six Action Plans based on the Guiding Principles of Career Development are now available. The Action Plans provide any professional who delivers career supports with starter questions, practical interventions and fun exercises to apply with different client groups.

5 ways to bring the Guiding Principles of Career Development to life in 2020

Get Your Copy: Purchase bulk copies (10 or more) at $10/copy through CERIC by contacting sales@ceric.ca or download the pdfs for free.

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What people are saying about the Guiding Principles:

Thank you so very much for the Career Development posters. All of our vocational counsellors have one in their office and we have them up in our two group rooms as well. At our staff meeting next week we are planning to walk through them and discuss their use with clients – not only in groups but also in our individual client services. The language on them is brilliant and so “non-clinical” – “Who do I want to be, what kind of lifestyle am I seeking, how can I make an impact.” I’m sure there will be many, many applications for their use in our agency. Thank you again for this generous gift to us.

Ask 10 people what career development is and you’ll to get 10 different answers. Guiding Principles of Career Development is a welcome and timely mid-Canada Career Month gift from CERIC to the career development community of professionals, to those we serve, and to those upon whom we count for support.

We will be using them with classroom teachers as we provide career education in-service. We would like to see them in all of our career education classes, to increase understanding of the career development process.

Each issue of Careering magazine features a Guiding Principle “in action,” exploring how a career professional is applying a principle in practice.

Brittany Gilbert Principles in action: Shattering the career path myth lowers students’ anxiety about the future
Libby West Principles in action: Environmental supports key to students’ self-directed career success
Ed Hidalgo Principles in action: Elementary career education equips students to navigate complex world of work
Chris Callanan Principles in action: Change is inevitable in career development. fear of it shouldn’t be
Gloria Welton Principles in action: Embracing external influences to help guide career exploration
Lisa Noonan Principles in action: Uncovering interests to find the best career fit
Stephen Landry Principles in action: Understanding, navigating and choosing career options
Paula Wischoff Yerama Principles in action: Framing career development as a lifelong process

How do I use the Guiding Principles in my work? Here’s what career professionals across Canada told us:

I am a career counsellor for grade 9-12 students in four rural schools. The principles guide me as I interview and guide secondary students in my schools.

As a researcher, the Guiding Principles are useful in contextualizing my findings regarding the career decision-making process of Indigenous women.

This helps clients to understand what career development is and its educational and societal benefits.

The Guiding Principles will serve as a topic for discussions among staff who need to infuse career development into all programs.

The principle about lifelong adaptations and not allowing stagnancy is huge for my youth clients who see/are taught the linear path (which we know doesn’t exist).

We use it as a staff PD tool – a conversation starter at meetings; will add to vision statement for our centre.

I use the Guiding Principles to give my clients a visual of their career development and employment journey.

The idea that “supporting and shaping” is done by education and community interaction is a powerful one for my work in k-12 education.

I have it posted in my classroom and office for students’ and parents’ reference.

Your infographic is mandatory reading for all of my clients at the beginning of their coaching programs. Thank you for creating it!

I use these for my clients who are professional dancers facing career transition as well as for myself!

We have your posters in our office and most importantly…include the principles in our career development course we launched in September 2017.

I use the infographic to show clients that career development is a continuous journey.

I have been using the Guiding Principles to explain to my clients the value of a planned career, the ever-changing nature of careers and will use it for my own professional development.