ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the expectations and realities of career development practitioners who have transitioned into a careers role within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), focusing on what attracts them to the profession and how they see their new career. It provides an exploration of the knowledge, skills and experiences of career changers. The chapter presents an opportunity to consider issues on how the field is evolving and issues for the HE career development field going forward. It explores the literature which details the skills, behaviours and attitudes that support career change generally and discusses the limited findings on transition into careers work, in order to understand the broader context for why people might move into HE careers posts. The chapter suggests significant social and cultural capital associated with the role of careers professionals which is hard to measure in job descriptions but of enormous importance in undertaking the role.
