The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented economic disruption and unemployment worldwide, and it may be challenging for career counselors to determine how best to provide effective career counseling to unemployed people in the post-COVID-19 world. In an article published in the Journal of Employment Counseling, experts suggest applying a holistic model of career counseling that addresses the multifaceted needs of long-term unemployed people.
The model was developed to address similar problems occurring in Greece in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
The authors note that career counselors should work on multiple levels--with individuals, with employers, with policy makers, and within the wider social context--to provide effective career counseling.
"The full impact of the pandemic crisis on the world of work is yet to be seen. Nonetheless, it is certain that career counselling will have to address the sharp rise of unemployment, and a holistic approach is essential," said lead author Nikos Drosos, PhD, an Assistant Professor at the European University Cyprus. "As we saw in the recent financial crisis in Greece, working just with clients is not enough, and we have to make multilevel and multifaceted interventions."