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"You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

Amy recently started a job as a career counselor at a large recruiting firm. She was determined to make Ted Turner’s quote her mantra entering the field. But then she was assigned a frustrating client named Jason.

He came from a background full of administrative and technical work, but he couldn't quite decide what path he wanted to pursue.  

Amy met with Jason daily, trying to determine the best career opportunities for him. She tasked him to review materials to help him identify his ideal job. And every day, Jason came back just as stumped and hopeless. 

She fumbled through her days, distracted by Jason's lack of motivation. Amy was finally considering giving up on him. How could she help him find a career if he lacked the drive to discover his own potential?

As a career counselor, you’ve likely had your own share of “Jasons.” It is easy to get bogged down by this far-too common scenario. However, after years of working as a career counselor, I've learned you can only advise clients to a certain point—but you never quit. 

Here are three concepts I wish I would've known when I started out as a career counselor:  

What You Know to be Right Can Change 

The task of career management requires you to adapt to changes. Being aware of the necessity of change requires inner reflection and assessments of different techniques and advice, which may be uncomfortable for some. Often times, you get stuck in a routine and can't shake out of it. This can happen when you aren't sure of the difference you are making or how to target certain clients.  

For example, I thought students would be interested in discovering what they wanted out of their careers. I found they often don't look at the big-picture and I've struggled to counsel them at times because of it. This can be quite frustrating when you see tremendous potential in a client, but they don't see it in themselves. The results require you to reflect and determine if you accept that just who they are or if you’re willing to consider that your approach might be off.   

To better assess your effectiveness as a career counselor, create a brief survey that analyzes your job-search advice and what results it produces. Using e-mail to distribute your survey allows you to use plugins like WooCommerce or Boomerang to schedule follow-up emails or set reminders to check in with anyone who hasn't responded.  

Create a chart that allows clients to grade different tactics you used during the process. You can also use a simple scale of one to five to have clients rate statements such as “I feel competent in my new career” and “I am likely to use a career counselor again.”  

Send the follow-up survey at least two weeks after your final counseling session. This will allow clients enough time to implement your ideas and produce adequate feedback.  

It is important to follow up with job seekers because it allows you to gauge the success of your technique and adjust as necessary. Don't get stuck in doing what you always did, just because it is familiar territory.   

Sometimes Advice Only 'Sounds' Good

At some point in your career, you will find yourself overwhelmed by the daunting task of deciding what feedback to accept or deny. Using discernment is absolutely necessary as a career counselor. Doing so will allow you to disengage negative comments or events.

You shouldn't take offense if you offer job seekers advice and they don't follow through. Remember, you can only guide them so far. At some point they must take control of their career objectives. You are a coach, not a magician. On the contrary, you must also relish in your successes. Focus on the great things you accomplish and strive to use them on more than one occasion.  

A strategic follow-up is wise, and if you've conducted the email survey, you already know what is working and what is not. The next step is to create a plan that allows you to self-reflect on the highs and lows of your client placements.  

Internalize and apply constructive feedback, and remain calm if something feels more critical than it should. Dig in for a deeper understanding if something isn't clear. Remember, you are trying to troubleshoot your techniques so it is vital that any misunderstandings are clarified.  

Finally, compartmentalize the points to review and decide your next steps. Think about how you can do better to achieve your desired results or consider ways to push yourself into the next level.  

Learning by Failure Is Still Learning 

Sometimes you will fail as a career counselor. To grow and succeed, you must learn to accept failure. Michael Jordan said it best: "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."  

The best approach is first accepting the situation for what it is. Then focus on your goals and how you can learn from the experience. It is best to not take it personally if it doesn't work out. You cannot always be held responsible for what the results are because there are so many variables. Consistently remind yourself you are not going to learn from your mistakes if you take it personally and shut down.  

Failure is necessary to learn how to overcome obstacles, but also to know what 'not' to do. The field of career counseling varies, and what works for one client may not work for another. If this happens to you, it is best to examine what went wrong and how to counteract it. In this case, it shows you what to look for next time and how to handle certain situations.  

Working as a career counselor can be very rewarding. It is important to remember that what you know to be right can change, sometimes advice only sounds good, and learning by failure is still learning.