Higher Education Career Counselors & Specialists
NCDA follows a constituency model to better represent and serve the diverse needs of our members. These groupings are designed to help you in your networking, to facilitate greater connection with colleagues who may share similar interests and work settings, and to enhance communication between the membership and the NCDA Board.
In this section of the website, you will have the opportunity to hear from the trustee for the constituency group that most closely represents your work setting or interest affiliation. Similarly, when attending the NCDA Global Conference, you can meet with fellow participants in your constituency groups. This section may post results of these conference gatherings or additional resources your trustee wishes to share.
The categories of links listed here serve as a connection to a select few valuable resources. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, and will grow/change in the future. Contact your Constituency Trustee for more information and watch your emails from this group.
I could not be more pleased to serve as the NCDA Trustee for Higher Education Career Counselors and Specialists, representing the voices, experiences, and professional needs of career practitioners working in colleges and universities across the country and around the globe. As Trustee, my goal is to ensure that higher education career counselors and specialists are meaningfully represented within NCDA through active listening, responsive leadership, and strategic collaboration. My goal is to help practitioners feel connected, supported, and empowered while advancing student success. If you have ideas for programming, publications, discussion items, or you need support, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Lisa Severy, Trustee for Higher Education Career Counselors & Specialists
lisasevery@yahoo.com
Click on any title below to view the linked website, PDF or video resource.
Be sure to also look at NCDA's resources on Social Justice.
Career Information Resources
Career Information Center Resource Database
Search Florida State University Tech Center's virtual "filing cabinet" of career information resources. Also browse a list of "essential resources for career counseling."
"Connection Between Career and Mental Health" Video
This series of video playlists offers prominent scholar-practitioners sharing some reasons for the connection between career and mental health.
Holistic Strategies for Nurturing Undergraduate International Students' Success in U.S. Higher Education
Dr. Yusen Zhai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Studies at the University of Alabama Birmingham and in April 2023 he talked on “Holistic Strategies for Nurturing Undergraduate International Students' Success in U.S. Higher Education.” Watch Dr. Zhai's presentation on the NCDA YouTube channel. Also, see Dr. Zhai's powerpoint presentation here.
Hope Action Theory
Dr. Spencer Niles presented to this constituency group on December 8, 2021 about the Hope Action Theory. The two-time past NCDA president and professor of counselor education at the College of William and Mary shared his presentation powerpoint: Hope Action Theory In Practice
How I Compare – Law School Admissions Resource Platform
How I Compare is a completely free online resource and community for students interested in going to Law School. The online platform helps students navigate the admissions process by using a Real Time algorithm to generate a unique list of Law Schools where students have a high likelihood of being accepted (based on both their academic and personal profile). How I Compare also helps students access research and data from Law Schools across the country, identify scholarship opportunities, and even offers a 100% Free LSAT Prep Course.
Internet Sites for Career Planning
Because there are so many resources on the Internet, identifying the best or most useful ones can take many hours of online research. NCDA has undertaken the task to collect, organize, curate, and publish online, a listing of free, current, and credible resources that are available on the Internet and are useful to career counselors, coaches, and specialists as they work with clients.
Rubin Resources for NCDA Members
Rubin is the premier provider of employability skills training for grades 6-12, post-secondary programs and beyond. We teach students to communicate professionally so they can pursue their dreams. Many of the nation’s largest school systems (ex: Miami-Dade, Fairfax County, Raleigh and Philadelphia) trust Rubin to provide dynamic, digital tools for “all the skills we wish students had these days.” NCDA members are invited to access a free sample of Rubin resources, such as a library of Career Exploration videos, ready-made lessons for professional communication, and an email etiquette training tool. Visit the Members Only section, log in and click on the Resources tab to access Rubin materials.
Vocational Information Center
This site provides an extensive listing for students and guidance counselors including resources to self assessments, career planning, career development and college planning.
Career Assessment Instruments
A Comprehensive Guide to Career Assessment
NCDA is excited to offer the re-imagined 7th edition of our influential guide to career assessment. Re-conceptualized and renamed to A Comprehensive Guide to Career Assessment, the current Guide contains important information career counselors, educators and practitioners will find invaluable in learning about career assessment and selecting assessments specific to client needs. The Guide is a resource that connects to multiple service sectors and embraces global perspectives of career assessment. Available as a foundational print book as well as a subscription service to the comprehensive chapters and new reviews, shop the NCDA Career Resource Store for the product that best fits your needs.
Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)
The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is the pre-eminent force for promoting standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs.
As an organizational member of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), NCDA members have access to a variety of CAS standards for free, such as Career Service Standards, when using NCDA’s unique code. NCDA members may click here for full details - be sure to use the NCDA code shown in the bottom right for this free service from CAS. (You must be an NCDA member and login to gain access.)
CAS is an NCDA partner.
Design Your Career
Design Your Career (DYC) is a free resource to support career problem-solving and decision-making. Based on Cognitive Information Processing Career Theory and art therapy-informed approaches, DYC provides multiple creative approaches to career decision-making, along with supports (e.g., videos, lesson plans, slides) for counselors, practitioners (coaches & specialists), and educators.
Professional Development Opportunities
Career Practitioner Conversations with NCDA
Listen now! NCDA’s new podcast is available for streaming online and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Facilitating Career Development (FCD - formerly CDF)
Obtain information on this NCDA training for practitioners who provide career assistance.
The NCDA Hub
NCDA’s new on-demand learning platform features a variety of courses and opportunities to earn continuing education (CE) credits.
NCDA Annual Conference
Learn more about this premiere conference for career development professionals.
NCDA's Professional Development
This page on continuing education provides detailed information specific to NCDA.
Publications
Analyzing Current and Future Workforce Issues: Student Perspectives on Career Development (Vol. 1, 2025)
"Born out of a graduate course at the University of Minnesota, [this] publication is more than just a collection of student projects. It is proof that when graduates students are challenged to think critically, to write for a professional audience, and to contribute as peers, they rise to the occasion. Their chapters explore pressing issues, from diversity and equity in the workplace to alternative career pathways, and apply theory to practice with fresh eyes and bold ideas." (p. v)
Analyzing Current and Future Workforce Issues: Student Perspectives on Career Development (Vol. 2, 2026)
Counselor educator Michael Stebleton remains "steadfast in (his) claim that the future of work will continue to shift significantly" (2026, p. v). The second volume of this student publication continues the objectives, with a new set of student contributors. Stebleton acknowledges the assistance of Alex Evenson with the design and organization of the second volume.
"Born out of a graduate course at the University of Minnesota, [this] publication is more than just a collection of student projects. It is proof that when graduates students are challenged to think critically, to write for a professional audience, and to contribute as peers, they rise to the occasion. Their chapters explore pressing issues, from diversity and equity in the workplace to alternative career pathways, and apply theory to practice with fresh eyes and bold ideas." (2025, p. v)
Career Coaching: Fundamentals, Applications, and Future Directions
This monograph is an overview of the practice of career coaching. It covers a brief history of career coaching and a comparison to career counseling. Techniques, ethics, theories and models, and assessments are shared to increase knowledge and proficiency in delivering career coaching services to diverse clientele. Themes for the future of career coaching related to workforce demands are included, as well as a fully stocked appendix for use by coaches in practice. Available in the NCDA Career Resource Store as either a print or ebook (PDF). (Maietta, 2022)
Career Convergence
Read articles covering best practices, how-to details, career tips, and book reviews in NCDA's web magazine.
Career Development Quarterly
NCDA's official journal with articles covering career counseling, work and leisure, career education, coaching, and management.
Career Developments
A quarterly publication of NCDA for members, this print magazine is a themed publication offering articles that balance a broad vision with practical applications. Each issue offers a focused article on a select theme, a feature article on a prominent NCDA event, specific content for four departments (including School Counselors, Professional Counselors, Graduate Students, and Career Development Facilitators), and four regular columns.
A Comprehensive Guide to Career Assessment
The re-imagined 7th edition of our influential guide to career assessment has been published as both a print book and an online subscription. Re-conceptualized and renamed the Guide contains important information career counselors, educators, practitioners, researchers and students will find invaluable in learning about career assessment and selecting assessments specific to client needs. The Guide is a resource that connects to multiple service sectors and embraces global perspectives of career assessment. Read more about the unique dual resource and shop the NCDA Career Resource Store.
Designing and Implementing Career Interventions: A Handbook for Effective Practice
The second edition of this NCDA monograph is for senior managers, managers, practitioners, administrative staff, collaborating partners and stakeholders interested in the cost-effective design and delivery of career interventions for adolescents and adults who need assistance in making occupational, educational, training, and employment decisions. An eight-step model for implementing career interventions is presented, along with evaluation and accountability strategies. (Sampson & Lenz, 2023)
Gaining Cultural Competence in Career Counseling, 2nd Edition
In recent years, journals and other publications have attended to issues for diverse populations but a single resource is more useful to educators, practitioners and students who want to be more informed about diversity, equity, social justice and career counseling. Gaining Cultural Competence in Career Counseling, 2nd edition, goes into depth on each of these issues, as well as career theories, assessment, and ethics. The first four chapters focus on the foundational skills for effective counseling across cultures. The next five chapters integrate multicultural competences with specific career and social justice counseling competences. The significantly updated second edition includes a a new chapter on working with children and adolescents. Each chapter includes new exercises and questions for reflection, and case scenarios supplement the content.
International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance
Focuses on work and leisure, career development, career guidance and education.
Journal of Career Assessment
Covers all methods developed to assess and evaluate individuals and environments in the field of career counseling and development.
Journal of Career Development
Spans topics such as career education, adult career development, career development of special needs populations, and career and leisure.
Journal of College Student Development
Focuses on the study of college students relevant to the field of student affairs.
Journal of Counseling Psychology
Provides empirical research in career development and vocational psychology.
The Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling
The entire back catalogue (2000-2024) is available free of charge. The Journal is published by NICEC, a learned society based in the UK. It provides multi-disciplinary perspectives on all aspects of career development for a readership of both academics and practitioners. The Journal has gradually been becoming more international in outlook, and welcomes both readers and authors from North America. The Journal is available on an open access basis from www.nicecjournal.co.uk
Journal of Vocational Behavior
Contains empirical and theoretical articles that are intended to expand knowledge of vocational behavior and career development across the life span.
The Mental Health and Career Development Nexus: A Framework for the Role and Function of Career Practitioners
This new monograph explores the intersection of mental health and career development. Each chapter includes an overview of the diagnostic category, symptoms, prevalence rates, and the impact on career development. Career practitioners, educators and students will benefit from the evidence-based interventions as well as the case examples with discussion questions. Through this holistic and culturally responsive approach, clients can be empowered to pursue meaningful career opportunities despite mental health challenges. (2026) Editors: Jennifer R. Curry and Jodi H. Manton
My Life with a Theory: John L. Holland's Autobiography and Theory of Careers
In 1959, John L. Holland introduced a theory of vocational choices involving personality typology (widely known in the career development field as the Holland Code, or RIASEC). Included with this previously unpublished autobiography are book chapters, journal articles and other original source material that will enhance the reader's understanding of both the theory and the scientist.
Professional Standards for College and University Career Services (2019 revision)
Revised by NACE, this is a must-have resource because "the use of professional standards in career services is intended to facilitate excellence in the creation, maintenance, and delivery of programs and services."
Teaching Career Development: A Primer for Instructors & Presenters
The second edition of this NCDA monograph not only provides strategies for delivering key components of career development in enthusiastic, innovative, and more meaningful ways, it covers updated standards and new technologies. An entire chapter offers 50+ active learning strategies useful for beginning and intermediate instructors of undergraduate and graduate career development courses and presenters of career development workshops. Available in print and e-book. (Osborn, 2016)
Related Associations
Alliance of Career Resource Professionals (ACRP)
ACRP is a member-driven organization that promotes the world- wide development, delivery, and use of high-quality career information and career resources to help educate youth and adults in their career exploration, planning, decision-making, preparation, and job acquisition.
American College Counseling Association (ACCA)
Aimed at counseling professionals whose focus is fostering student development in higher education settings.
American Counseling Association (ACA)
Learn more about NCDA's parent organization for professional counselors. ACA also includes the following related divisions:
Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)
The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is the pre-eminent force for promoting standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs.
As an organizational member of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), NCDA members have access to a variety of CAS standards for free, such as Career Service Standards, when using NCDA’s unique code. NCDA members may click here for full details - be sure to use the NCDA code shown in the bottom right for this free service from CAS. (You must be an NCDA member and login to gain access.)
CAS is an NCDA partner.
National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
See the resources offered by NACADA, which focuses on promoting quality academic advising and student development in higher education settings.
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
Find out how to access technical information collected for career practitioners on college campuses.
