Career Interventions in the Digital Age: Key Challenges and Transformative Opportunities

Abstract

We are currently in the midst of a digital revolution that has already begun to transform how, when, and where career development assistance is offered. Artificial intelligence and related advances will allow career services to reach clients on a much larger scale than ever before, to target assistance to underserved persons, and to allow counselors to continue to do what they do best by providing the “high touch” complement to “high tech.” I explore several avenues for transforming career counseling models to address challenges wrought by technological change in the workplace (e.g., preparedness for work disruptions) and for leveraging new concepts (e.g., choice architecture) and evolving tools (e.g., chatbots, digital monitoring) to assist students and clients with career and life planning, choice, and adjustment issues. The focus is not only on what services we might offer but also on how and when they may be made available. Implications for theory, research, practice, training, and advocacy are also considered.