CCC Ethical & Professional Standards in Career Counseling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A career counselor learns that a client plans to falsify credentials on a job application. What is the most ethically appropriate first step?
- Discuss the ethical and legal consequences with the client (Correct answer)
- Immediately notify the prospective employer
- Terminate the counseling relationship
- Ignore it since it is outside counseling scope
Correct answer: Discuss the ethical and legal consequences with the client
Counselors first explore the issue with the client, as confidentiality limits apply mainly to serious foreseeable harm, not job misrepresentation.
Question 2: Under the NCDA Code of Ethics, which section primarily addresses the use of technology, distance counseling, and social media?
- Section B
- Section E
- Section H (Correct answer)
- Section F
Correct answer: Section H
Section H of the NCDA Code of Ethics covers technology, distance counseling, and social media.
Question 3: A counselor providing online career services to a client in another state should first verify what?
- The client's employment history
- Laws and regulations governing practice in the client's jurisdiction (Correct answer)
- The client's preferred video platform
- Whether the client has a resume
Correct answer: Laws and regulations governing practice in the client's jurisdiction
Distance counselors must understand and comply with laws in both their own and the client's jurisdictions.
Question 4: Which practice best demonstrates informed consent at the start of career counseling?
- Providing services first and explaining policies later
- Only a verbal greeting and goal-setting
- Having the client sign a release for all records
- Explaining fees, confidentiality limits, services, and client rights (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Explaining fees, confidentiality limits, services, and client rights
Informed consent requires clients to understand the nature, limits, costs, and rights involved in services.
Question 5: A career counselor is asked to interpret a personality inventory she has never been trained to use. What should she do?
- Use the manual's summary and proceed
- Decline or obtain appropriate training and supervision first (Correct answer)
- Ask the client to self-interpret the results
- Interpret it but disclose limited familiarity
Correct answer: Decline or obtain appropriate training and supervision first
Counselors use only assessments for which they have appropriate training and competence.
Question 6: Which situation represents a potentially harmful dual relationship for a career counselor?
- Referring a client to a job club
- Co-facilitating a workshop with a colleague
- Hiring a current client to work in the counselor's private business (Correct answer)
- Attending the same large professional conference as a former client
Correct answer: Hiring a current client to work in the counselor's private business
Employing a current client creates a conflicting role with power imbalance and risk of exploitation.
Question 7: When a career counselor's personal values conflict with a client's career goals, the counselor should:
- Refrain from imposing personal values and seek consultation if needed (Correct answer)
- Persuade the client toward a different goal
- Refer the client immediately without discussion
- Share personal beliefs to promote honesty
Correct answer: Refrain from imposing personal values and seek consultation if needed
Counselors avoid imposing their values and seek consultation or training when values conflicts arise.
