Jenny Booth shares insights from over two decades in careers guidance and calls for a shift toward much more inclusive, flexible, and strengths-based support for neurodivergent young people. She explores the growing role of families, digital tools, and purpose-led planning in shaping credible, compassionate career paths for the next generation.
After more than two decades working in careers advice and guidance with young people, I have seen the landscape change dramatically. What once centred on information giving and career matching has now expanded into something much broader, more inclusive, and more complex. The next generation of clients is growing up in a world shaped by neurodiversity, digital saturation, unstable labour markets, and heightened awareness of mental health. As careers guidance professionals, coaches, and trainers, we are being called to adapt.
To remain relevant and credible, our profession must evolve
Today, effective careers guidance is no longer just about labour market information or qualification pathways. It is about creating supportive spaces where young people can understand themselves, build confidence, and access advice, guidance, and coaching that reflects the way they think and function. To remain relevant and credible, our profession must evolve alongside those we serve.
1. Moving from deficit models to strengths-based careers guidance
A significant proportion of the young people I support are neurodivergent, often without a formal diagnosis. My work exploring ADHD prevalence among unemployed teenagers has reinforced what many guidance professionals see daily. These young people are not disengaged or lacking motivation. They are trying to navigate education and employment systems that were not designed with their cognitive profiles in mind.
Careers advice and guidance is increasingly shifting away from problem fixing toward a more neuro affirming, strengths-based approach. For practitioners, this means supporting young people to identify what energises them, what drains them, and how their executive functioning impacts decision making and progression.
I once worked with a young woman who had been asked to leave her sixth form college after years of struggling in academic environments. She arrived believing she was the problem. Through structured careers guidance conversations, it became clear that she displayed strong ADHD traits. Following assessment, she began to understand that she was not failing but mismatched to her environment. Together, we explored vocational routes and apprenticeships, and she secured a role with a charity. She is now thriving in full time employment. This is a reminder that effective guidance and coaching is as much about fit as it is about aspiration.
2. The growing importance of family centred careers guidance
Another key development in my practice is the increased involvement of families. Neurodivergence is often genetic, and family dynamics can significantly influence a young person’s confidence, organisation, and resilience. Where appropriate, including parents or carers in the guidance process can accelerate progress.
Supporting families to better understand neurodivergent profiles, adjust expectations, and communicate more effectively often reduces conflict at home and creates consistency around career planning. Careers guidance that acknowledges family systems, alongside individual need, is becoming increasingly valuable.
3. Flexible and bespoke delivery as professional practice
Traditional models of careers interviews, particularly long and highly formal sessions, do not always meet the needs of younger clients. Over time, my own delivery has evolved to include shorter, more focused interventions, mixed methods of communication, and environments that feel less hierarchical.
Small changes make a significant difference. Removing physical barriers such as desks, offering text or voice note check ins, and setting realistic short-term action points all support engagement. Many practitioners already adapt intuitively, but there is growing recognition that flexible delivery is not informal practice, but good professional guidance.
4. Digital tools as an extension of careers guidance
Digital tools and AI are increasingly supporting careers advice and guidance. For neurodivergent young people in particular, technology can act as a practical bridge between guidance sessions. AI can help break tasks into manageable steps, generate reminders, and reduce overwhelm. It can also support CV writing and applications by providing examples that reduce the fear of starting from nothing.
For careers professionals, the challenge is to integrate digital tools ethically and transparently. Safeguarding, consent, and data privacy are essential, particularly when working with vulnerable groups. Technology should enhance professional judgement, not replace it.
5. A shift toward purpose-led career planning
Young people are increasingly seeking careers that align with their values, interests, and wellbeing, rather than simply chasing traditional markers of success. Careers guidance must therefore move beyond performance outcomes and focus more deliberately on purpose, sustainability, and personal fulfilment.
Within organisations, embedding careers guidance and coaching approaches can also transform employee development. When employers adopt more inclusive guidance practices, neurodivergent employees feel better understood and more able to contribute. This supports retention, innovation, and healthier workplace cultures.
Looking ahead
One of the biggest challenges facing careers advice, guidance & coaching is credibility in a crowded market. Young people and families are often exposed to influencer led advice that lacks accuracy or professional grounding. This makes the role of trained careers professionals even more important.
My long-term goal is to continue influencing careers guidance practice so that it genuinely reflects human difference. By embracing neurodiversity, integrating digital tools responsibly, and involving families where appropriate, careers advice, guidance, and coaching can remain rigorous, ethical, and transformative for the next generation.
Jenny Booth is a careers guidance professional and author of Career Coaching Your ADHD Teen
