As a guidance counsellor, my goal is to collaborate with each client, identify their potential and give them the confidence and tools to navigate the next step on their career journey.

I work with the whole person and approach the process with curiosity and optimism. I’ve worked with young people for over 20 years and find that my informal communication style helps clients to feel relaxed and comfortable in my company.

Allyson Prizeman; Guidance Counsellor; Career Guidance

Services

I offer a full careers assessment which includes psychometric assessments.

However, as many young people have already taken psychometric tests such as the CAT4 in school, it isn’t always necessary to carry out tests at additional expense to the client/parent, in which case I can offer individual sessions tailored to the client’s specific needs.

Most common areas of focus:

Career exploration and self-awareness

Identifying career interests, aptitudes, personal work values and needs

CAO, FET, Apprenticeships and DARE applications

Subject Choice for Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle

Study Skills and Motivation

CV preparation and interview skills

Assistance with writing personal statements for UCAS/overseas


Personal development, self-awareness and confidence-building are integrated into all of the above.

  • A full careers assessment involves four stages and includes psychometric assessments with written report and feedback:

    Part One

    Screening phone call

    This phone call (often with a parent) allows us to clarify the client’s needs and expectations before commencing with the career assessment and exploration.

    Part Two

    Introductory Meeting in Person or Online - one hour

    This is a crucial stage where I meet with the person before the testing and try to identify the essential ‘you’, the stage you are at in life, what you want to achieve and what you hope to gain from the career assessment. A parent often accompanies the young person for part of this session.

    Part Three

    Online Assessment - Career Motivation Analysis Profile (CMAP):

    The Career Motivation Analysis Profile was designed to provide a comprehensive and fully integrated assessment for career guidance and development. It focuses on general career themes and also incorporates personality characteristics, motivators and reasoning abilities. Combined, these elements provide job recommendations based on an individuals’ key interests, how well suited they are to the work environment and how capable they may be of coping with the intellectual demands of particular jobs.

    Most of these assessments can be taken online in the comfort of your home.

    Part Four

    In-person feedback and analysis of written report where we discuss and interpret the assessment results and what they mean for you as an individual. Together, we explore your options based on your CMAP assessment and we devise a plan for the next steps on your career path. You will be given a written report from the formal assessment as well as a summary of our work together and a set of recommendations to guide you towards your next steps e.g. further research, applications, following up and taking action.

    A full careers assessment costs 490 euros.

  • You may not want or need a full career assessment and exploration. If you just want to focus on specific areas, you can avail of separate sessions tailored to your specific needs. Separate sessions last one hour and twenty minutes and cost 95 euros. They usually cover some of the options below:

    CAO, FET, Apprenticeships

    Decision making and options

    CV preparation and interview skills

    Study Skills and Motivation

    Subject Choice for Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle