Competency Category: CDP Characteristic
The CDP Characteristic category include 31 competencies across 6 series that distinguish the field of career development practice. These competencies are generally distinct to CDPs and embody the main activities that apply to most CDPs.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) draw from a wide variety of traditional and emerging career development theories, models, frameworks and approaches. A strong theoretical foundation enables CDPs to understand a client’s situation and choose relevant approaches and interventions.CDPs also use theoretical models to generate knowledge, stimulate thinking, and provide direction for research on the field of practice.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) apply relevant theories, models, frameworks and approaches to understand, analyze, and meet clients’ career development needs.CDPs also use theories to inform program development, implementation and evaluation. By understanding the benefits of programs or services available to different client groups, the services can be adjusted to increase effectiveness.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) conduct intake interviews as a guided conversation aimed at gathering information from the client to determine the types of programs, services or other interventions required. This preliminary screening of client needs enables CDPs to direct a client to appropriate services or determine the need for a more extensive employability assessment.Intake interviews are usually semi-structured. Career Development Professionals (CDPs) use an interview guide to ensure essential and standardized information is collected, while seeking to probe and expand on the client’s responses. The quality of the data depends upon the CDP’s ability to establish rapport with the client, and adapting an interview style that works for the client. Building on the responses, CDPs recommend next steps to address identified needs.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) meet with clients for a collaborative assessment of the reasons for seeking career services and their employability strengths and needs. Building on the responses, CDPs and clients work collaboratively to identify initial goals and actions to address identified needs.Employability assessments are usually semi-structured. Career Development Professionals (CDPs) generally use an interview guide to ensure essential and standardized information is collected, while seeking to probe and expand on the client’s responses.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) meet with clients regularly to help them to articulate meaningful goals and action plans based on their aspirations, preferences, and employability strengths and needs.CDPs work collaboratively with clients to help make career choices and develop goals and action plans. This helps ensure clients are engaged and making informed decisions.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) work with clients to select the most appropriate interventions to support achievement of client goals and action plans, based on their aspirations, preferences, employability needs and strengths, and opportunities in the labour market.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) coach and assist clients to build a support network consisting of personal and professional contacts. This enables clients to overcome challenges, find practical solutions to issues they are facing, and achieve their career goals.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) manage a caseload of clients to achieve optimal outcomes and maintain progress from intake interview to case closure.Caseload management is used to manage several cases and includes establishing a structured time allocation process, coordinating referrals and follow-up with other providers, documenting type and duration of services delivered, and evaluating outcomes.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) guide the exploration of learning and/or employment possibilities. CDPs identify activities and sources of information to help clients clarify career objectives.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) identify client learning needs and assist clients in the development of skills that will enable them to meet their learning needs.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) help clients prepare for seeking employment by identifying which skills are required and helping them improve on these to aid their job search.
Career Development Professionals (CDPs) recognize that a person’s values and beliefs may be aligned or different to those associated with their cultural background. CDPs reflect on their own values, beliefs and biases and seek to understand those of their clients. CDPs challenge their own assumptions and avoid stereotypes that might negatively impact the well-being of the client and the outcomes of career development interventions.To prepare to work with Indigenous clients, CDPs develop an understanding of the diverse histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples), and reflect on how these may impact their expectations regarding work, education and training. CDPs gather information on barriers and challenges the client may be experiencing and identify relevant resources. Career Development Professionals (CDPs) help clients prepare for seeking employment by identifying which skills are required and helping them improve on these to aid their job search.