Write an article based on this "Seek recommendations from friends. Search the NCDA database. Call a couple different counselors. Prioritize your goals for the session. Take any tests or surveys the counselor suggests. Follow up with your counselor."
It never hurts to ask around your group of friends, family, or neighbors to see if they’ve ever used a career counselor. If so, ask what they liked or disliked about the person they met with. Ask how useful the advice and guidance was, or what they would do differently if they sought career counseling again. The National Career Development Association has a database of all career counselors who’ve met certain standards of education and training. Search based on your location to find counselors near you.  A similar resource is the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Search their database for counselors, or type in the name of a counselor you’re interested in to see if they’re board certified.  After choosing a few counselors from these sources, look online to see if you can find reviews of their services. Once you’ve found a couple counselors nearby who interest you, give them a call. Spend a few minutes on the phone to get a feel for their style and whether they’re a good fit for you. Tell them what you hope to gain from a session and ask them how they would help you meet those goals.  Ask about the basic structure of a session. It should include lots of time to ask you questions about your background and interests. Don’t be afraid to ask about fees and their level of education. They should be upfront about this information.  Keep a notebook handy for these calls to help remember your questions and to jot down any impressions you have. Since you’re likely paying for the counselor’s services, it’s especially important that you make the most of this time. Make a list of the top two or three things you want to get out of the session, and be specific. For example, if you want to completely switch career paths, tell the counselor you’d like to focus the conversation on returning to school for a new degree. Your counselor may ask you to take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or another personality test that they think will help match your interests and values to a career path. Complete these quizzes, but take the results with a grain of salt. It’s just a starting point, not an absolute answer to what job you should get. For example, if you love working with animals, one of these tests could tell you to be a veterinarian. But the job of veterinarian also requires a lot of human customer service, so that might not be the best fit. Usually people land a job and think they no longer need career counseling, but the first month of a new job is critical to your future success in a position. Reach out to your counselor again for advice on workplace communication, time management, organization, and leadership.