Insights into unemployment: Motivations for career counselling

Abstract

 A better understanding of unemployed motivations for seeking career counselling can inform how to motivate other individuals to seek and benefit from career services. This study analysed the motivations for career counselling of 159 unemployed individuals (121, 76.1% women), with a mean age of 42.13 years (SD = 10.434). The results of a content analysis led to the identification of eight most prominent categories related to participants' motivations for seeking career counselling: obtaining employment, acquiring knowledge, developing self-awareness, receiving psychological support, exploring new opportunities, considering professional change, pursuing personal fulfilment, and expressing interest in the project. These motivations vary according to individuals’ age, gender, nationality, education, and length of unemployment. This highlights the importance of career counsellors considering unemployed socio-demographic characteristics and unique needs for career counselling.