To wonder if it is worth spending £600 for help with career?

[Tinabn]

I've posted in employment issues but am here for traffic. Has any one used career advice firms, did they help and can you recommend any?Dd is in career limbo, thinks she needs to go away from law but has no idea what to do. The career advice she has had in the past has been of the 'oh, you can do anything you want' variety but at the moment she is so battered from a third job loss she needs more help and direction than that. She has been researching career advice firms that can help you identify your strengths etc. I think it's a good idea but it will cost over £600. Is it worth the money?

Do you have a family member or friend she could talk to? Perhaps someone removed from the situation could give a clearer perspective. The HR manager at my Dad's firm gave me invaluable advice on my CV and did some mock interviews with me as a student.

We are all in education, she really wants to know what other careers are out there for her, she also needs official conformation that she has skills to be successful as she is at rock bottom.

I'd not go to a careers advisor- they tend to just 'look for a job for you'.
I'd choose a career coach, which is different- more holistic. Your DD will need to be proactive but coaching is much more than just finding someone another career - it's about getting them to think about what they want and how to get there. And yes, you might pay that sort of money for a few months' coaching .
Look at the Association for Coaching website.

A good recruitment agency might be a decent free alternative, if she can find one or two who specialise in legal skills (but not necessarily only legal vacancies). A good person should be able to tell her the kinds of roles they'd put her forward for. But it does take some confidence to sit and sell yourself a bit, but that's a valuable thing to learn.

The modern job economy is very much based on networks. She should consider attending talks and meet ups in her current field and others she's curious about. Also, any old bosses or teachers she can buy a coffee for for some feedback and guidance? Often all a job change takes is someone recommending her as smart and thoughtful. I know it shouldn't work like that, but it does. Good luck!

From what you have described, the looking for strengths assessment they are talking of will be psychometric tests- MBTI profiling and so on- which in my experience are pretty useless. You still have to then decide how to apply that information and find a career.

Can she still access the university careers service?

I can also recommend coaching. Really helped me reach a conclusion about a big decision I had to make a few years ago.

www.morrisby.com

This website has some respected tests. She may have completed one when younger so ask

Some councils have careers advisers, and I think some charities do too. Is she still young? If you are all in education can you help her look at some books / do some research? I would be careful about life coaches. I'm sure there are some good ones but the couple of people I know who have become life coaches are people who have dropped out of "mainstream" employment, and life coaching is more about helping others "find themselves" - unless that's what she needs!

www.morrisby.com/product/morrisby-pass-career-changers/

Eg
www.islington.gov.uk/advice/employment/youngpeople

directory.islington.gov.uk/kb5/islington/directory/youth.page?youthchannelnew=2

directory.islington.gov.uk/kb5/islington/directory/service.page?id=ZcporBvHU3A

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

A simple and free starter would be the Myers Briggs test.
Here
I have no idea how accurate it is overall, but certainly for recommended jobs it's spot on for me- I'm nearly 50 and in my second, much happier career; it recommends the sector I'm in for me, with several examples and related fields.

The assessment on the national careers website is good- nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/skills-health-check/home

I'd second Morrisby - much less than £600 and very helpful. You do a skills test and it makes suggestions, plus you can speak to an adviser afterwards.

Thanks for the suggestions. Alana 1 she is 24 and has been working for two years on temporary contracts, the last one ended two months early. I think she is looking for career coaching.