I joined the Register because I feel it is important for the schools and colleges I work with to know that I am a qualified guidance practitioner and can speak with authority on the subject of careers education and guidance with the backing of my professional body. Being on the Register provides evidence of my qualification level and expertise.

The register is there for prospective clients to research Career Development Professionals and make contact with them for their services – I get three or four clients per year through this route. In addition it is useful for us within the profession to find out more about likeminded experts within our geographical area and make contact with them for networking purposes.

I believe the Register is important as it helps potential clients/customers and employers, to recognise people who are fully qualified to deliver career guidance and coaching, and who are committed to keeping their CPD up to date and working in an ethical way.  There are many people who promote themselves as careers coaches or influencers, or who offer employability support, and it can be very hard for people to understand what is being offered.  The Register helps people to recognise those who are fully equipped to offer specialist careers support, and it helps to raise and maintain standards across the profession, by ensuring that we all make time for CPD and continuously improve our skills and knowledge.

I joined the register to demonstrate I'm a qualified professional. It's been useful to be able to tell organisations and clients that I'm on the register, to 'showcase' my professionalism and qualifications. Maintaining my registration through the CPD requirements is an invaluable aspect too, as it's been essential for some roles I've done to show I am up to date with my own CPD.

I joined the register when I first started working as a freelancer.  At the time, it was important to me to be able to provide evidence of my qualifications to potential clients.  I have grown to appreciate the fact that the register also ties you to a community of practitioners, keeps you accountable for keeping on top of CPD and to the code of ethics, has been a source of enquiries and gives a flavour of the wide range of careers professionals working in many different areas and fields.

I joined the Register as soon as it was available to members in 2013 because I believe that a strong professional register, representative of all sectors of Career Development, is essential to achieving the status that the profession deserves. If the public are to be protected from sub-standard advice and guidance, and Career Development professionals are to receive recognition for their qualifications and expertise we need a robust, public Register. CDI members should be proud to put the letters RCDP after their names.

As a career coach working with individuals and organisations, being on the Register enables me to demonstrate to potential clients and partners that I meet the standards necessary to practice as a career development professional. It confirms I have the qualifications, and commitment to ongoing professional development and that I adhere to the CDI’s Code of Ethics and professional standards.

Joining the register was important to me as a way of acknowledging in a public and formal way my professional identify as a Careers Development Practitioner. My hope is that as the number of people on the professional register grows, that the wider value of professionally qualified practitioners will increase helping to raise the professional profile of careers development work among both the public and the policy makers.

CDI membership provides me with access to a powerful community of careers professionals and a valuable collective body of knowledge to draw from, as well as reassurance and support when I've worked in more isolated roles.