National Careers Week 2026: ever thought about a career in careers?

This National Careers Week we’ve been busy sparking career conversations, and helping young people to own their future by exploring their options.

But have you ever thought about a career in careers?

Our very own Megan Jezzard, a Careers Adviser in schools and colleges across the Northwest, gives us an insight into her role, what she loves about her job, and what she enjoys about working for a charity.

My role as a careers adviser

If you enjoy working with people and like the idea of having variety in your working week, being a careers adviser could be a really good career path for you.

I work with secondary school/sixth form students, in a range of different schools and settings. In a working week, I will meet students for one-to-one careers guidance meetings and run group sessions, but also prepare and plan careers related resources for schools. I also get to plan events like mock interviews and careers fairs.

Careers events give you the chance to network with local employers, universities and post-16 training providers, so it’s really varied.

What I did before becoming a careers adviser  

My first ever job was as a Christmas temp at a shop called Monsoon. Before that, I volunteered in a charity shop and care home to help build my employability skills.

My other job roles have included working in retail, hospitality, working in a university within the student support department and have also worked in recruitment. I’ve always worked in roles that support people, as this has always been something that I am passionate about! I feel that gaining work experience is really important as it helps you develop your skills.

What I like most about my job as a careers adviser

I really enjoy helping guide young people to their dream job and supporting them to identify their skills and strengths.

The qualifications you need to be a careers adviser

To be a careers adviser, you need to complete a Level 6 qualification in careers information, advice and guidance. You can, however, start with a Level 4 and build up. Career Connect provided all of my training, so I could complete the qualification alongside the role.

I really enjoyed the units on careers guidance theory and learning about the labour market in the Northwest. There are lots of other training opportunities at Career Connect too!

Soft skills that you need as a careers adviser

I feel the most important skills you need are good communication and adaptability.

Working for a charity

I’ve always been passionate about helping people, and having a job that helps make society a fairer place. Working for a charity means that you’re around like-minded people, and it’s a really positive atmosphere to work in.

Empowering young women on their career paths – International Women’s Day

At Career Connect it’s really positive to see so many women in senior roles. I started working at Career Connect when I was 22 years old – nearly 10 years ago – so to see women in senior positions then was really aspirational – and now we have Sheila Clark as our CEO.

When I am working with young women in schools, I advise them not to put any limits on themselves – you may gravitate towards one career path for a variety of reasons, but make sure you understand what else is out there, so you can always make an informed decision.

Our schools team also runs a challenging stereotypes workshop, where female professionals attend a school in their own clothes, and students can ask yes/no questions about their jobs. They then change into their workwear, and reveal their role and career journey.

We’ve had women representing industries such as construction, town planning architecture, and engineering. These sessions great because the element of surprise is often a learning moment in itself!

Learn more about the wider range of career services and activities we deliver in schools on our dedicated pages

Explore careers jobs at Career Connect