Career Orientation: a qualitative study of the best practices in the Swiss context

The latest economic crisis, globalization, and fast-changing of post-industrial society have severely impacted educational transitions. This 21st century world of work complexity is considered a risk factor for adolescents and young adults. Due to this scenario, the theory and practice of career counseling have undergone profound changes. This research proposes qualitative interviews with five Swiss leading and experienced counselors and work professionals aiming to study career counseling models and career orientation best practices. The study uses the consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology, recently used in qualitative research on counseling interventions in different contexts. From the analysis, four domains emerge: Tacking care of the client, Distress, Collaboration, and Future need. The results highlight the importance of supporting young people in career construction already from primary school, intervening within education systems, and involving them. Starting from findings of qualitative interviews, implications regarding the counseling model and research, and future directions are discussed.