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Career guidance advisor

Also called career coach, careers advisor, careers officer

Career guidance advisors provide guidance and advice to adults and students on making educational, training and occupational choices and assist people in managing their careers, through career planning and career exploration. They help identify options for future careers, assist beneficiaries in the development of their curriculum and help people reflect on their ambitions, interests and qualifications. Career guidance advisors may provide advice on various career planning issues and make suggestions for lifelong learning if necessary, including study recommendations. They may also assist the individual in the search for a job or provide guidance and advice to prepare a candidate for recognition of prior learning.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects57 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Business and administration professionalsWhat does it pay?Above averageFrom about €2,000 (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Business and administration professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree8 in 10 have a degree.Business and administration professionalsWill AI change it?ModeratelyLevel 4 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Personnel and careers professionals · ILO

What you'd do

Personnel and careers professionals · ILO
  • Advising on and performing personnel functions relating to employee recruitment, placement, training, promotion, compensation, and employee-management relations or other areas of personnel policy
  • Studying and analysing jobs performed in an establishment by various means, including interviews with workers, supervisors and management, and writing detailed position, job or occupation descriptions from information obtained
  • Preparing occupational information or working on occupational classification systems
  • Advising and working on the foregoing and other aspects of job and occupational analysis in such fields as personnel administration, workforce research and planning, training or occupational information and vocational guidance
  • Studying and advising individuals on employment opportunities, career choices and further education or training that may be desirable
Facilitate job market accessEvaluate clients' progressAssess candidatesMaintain professional administrationApply quality standards to the interaction with candidates+ 14 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as business and administration professionals in the EU
6.65m9.73m13.35m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
2,909,000 new jobs 3,080,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Business and administration professionals57
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of personnel and careers professionals, 8 a surplus.
Personnel and careers professionals · EURES

What does it pay?

Above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €2,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in social work and counselling is the usual route.

Highest qualification of business and administration professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 81%Vocational 11%General secondary 6%Basic schooling 2%
Field that teaches it
Social work and counselling
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field
Health and welfare graduates in a matching job
81% in the EU

946 institutions in the EU offer health and welfare bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Moderately

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.45 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Studying and analysing jobs performed in an establishment by various means, including interviews with workers, supervisors and management, and writing detailed position, job or occupation descriptions from information obtained0.53
Preparing occupational information or working on occupational classification systems0.51
Studying and advising individuals on employment opportunities, career choices and further education or training that may be desirable0.43
Advising on and performing personnel functions relating to employee recruitment, placement, training, promotion, compensation, and employee-management relations or other areas of personnel policy0.39
Advising and working on the foregoing and other aspects of job and occupational analysis in such fields as personnel administration, workforce research and planning, training or occupational information and vocational guidance0.39

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for personnel and careers professionals. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).