The purpose of this presentation is to question and critique the concept of client-centredness, often taken for granted in career development and guidance. Client-centredness has been at the heart of ethical careers practice for many years, to the point where it has become accepted as a given by many professional practitioners. On the surface, questioning it seems unwise and even unthinkable, but at a deeper level it is important to consider its flaws and the limitations it can sometimes place on professional practice. The presentation will be illustrated with an example of work with a client to show some of the complexities involved. It will conclude with an emerging theoretical model which seeks to offer an explanation of the need for understanding the culture of the client, the factors at play in their lives as they experience significant transitions and make important career decisions, all within the context of the opportunities presented by the labour market.
