Providing individual services in combating unemployment: Examining the efficiency of job and vocational counseling

The importance given by countries to active labour force programs within the scope of combating unemployment is increasing day by day. These programmes aim to involve more individuals in employment and production. Job and vocational counselling activities, which provide personalized service to individuals who are out of employment, are also one of the important types of these programs. Job and vocational consultancy services, which were not very common in Turkey in the past, entered a new phase, especially after 2011, with the increase in the number of professionals and the expansion of the application area to the whole country. Within the scope of this study, it is aimed to present an application proposal for the development of the current system by examining the job and vocational counselling services carried out by the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR). In this context, first of all, the development and current situation of employment services in Turkey has been revealed. The examples of selected countries regarding the intermediation services for the labor market are examined and their applications that can contribute to the current functioning in Turkey are explained. Within the scope of the study, a survey using Likert type rating questions was conducted for the consultants who carry out job and vocational counselling activities throughout the country, and the opinions of the consultants on the current system were analysed. The process from the first time job seekers contacted İŞKUR to the follow-up of the service they received by the institution was examined within the scope of the study, and as a result of the field study, country studies and other researches, application suggestions were presented for the job and vocational counselling system.