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Exam Review

Key Facts: Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) Exam

100 MCQs / 150 Min

Written CBT Format

HRD Korea Q-Net Examination Regulations

40% / 60%

Passing Standards (Floor / Average)

National Technical Qualifications Act

KRW 19,400

Written Test Registration Fee

Q-Net Official Fee Schedule

5 Subjects

Curriculum Lineup (20 Questions Each)

Ministry of Employment and Labor Blueprint

Grade 2 + 2 Yrs

Primary Eligibility Prerequisite Route

Framework Act on Qualifications

3 Hours

Practical Written Exam Duration

Q-Net Practical Exam Standards

Vocational Counselor Grade 1 certifies advanced competence in career counseling supervision, standardized psychological assessment, labor market analysis, and Korean employment and labor regulations under the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

Sample Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In Stoltenberg and Delworth's Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) of supervision, which behavioral characteristic is most representative of a Level 1 supervisee entering vocational counseling practice?

A.High motivation coupled with high anxiety, marked by high dependency on the supervisor for structured guidance and explicit directives

B.Fluctuating motivation driven by conflict between autonomy and dependency, with intermittent resistance to supervisory feedback

C.Stable motivation and autonomous clinical decision-making, accompanied by deep empathy and integrated case conceptualization

D.Mastery of multi-theoretical paradigms, serving effectively as a peer consultant and clinical supervisor to junior counselors

Explanation: In the Integrated Developmental Model (IDM), Level 1 supervisees typically exhibit high motivation and high anxiety, viewing counseling through a self-focused lens and relying heavily on the supervisor for explicit structural guidance, evaluation, and concrete intervention tools.

2In Bernard's Discrimination Model of clinical supervision, which supervisory role is being enacted when the supervisor directly critiques the supervisee's diagnostic rationale and teaches cognitive case conceptualization frameworks?

A.Counselor role focusing on personalization issues

B.Teacher role focusing on conceptualization skills

C.Consultant role focusing on intervention process

D.Evaluator role focusing on administrative compliance

Explanation: In Bernard's Discrimination Model, when the supervisor instructs, guides, or provides didactic feedback on how the supervisee understands client dynamics, diagnoses vocational barriers, or applies theoretical models, the supervisor is operating in the 'Teacher' role with a focus on 'Conceptualization'.

3A senior vocational counselor is supervising an intern who experiences intense countertransference toward a mid-career client facing corporate restructuring, because the intern's own parent was recently retrenched. According to ethical supervisory practice, what is the supervisor's most appropriate action?

A.Reassign the client immediately to another department without debriefing to protect client welfare

B.Mandate that the intern undergo personal psychotherapy with the supervisor during weekly supervision hours

C.Facilitate the intern's self-awareness of emotional triggers, examine its impact on client goals, and recommend external therapy if unresolvable

D.Ignore the personal reaction unless the client files a formal administrative complaint regarding counselor incompetence

Explanation: Supervisors must address countertransference by helping the supervisee differentiate personal issues from client dynamics and exploring its impact on the therapeutic alliance. However, the supervisor must maintain ethical boundaries and not act as the supervisee's personal therapist, recommending external professional therapy when necessary.

4Under the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) evaluation model developed by Stufflebeam, which evaluation stage is primarily concerned with assessing whether a national youth employment support program was implemented according to its operational plan?

A.Context evaluation (상황평가)

B.Input evaluation (투입평가)

C.Product evaluation (산출평가)

D.Process evaluation (과정평가)

Explanation: Process evaluation (과정평가) monitors, documents, and evaluates the day-to-day implementation of program activities, verifying whether service delivery complies with procedural plans, identifying operational bottlenecks, and providing ongoing formative feedback.

5Which crisis intervention model focuses on establishing psychological first aid, rapid appraisal of immediate lethality, restoring cognitive equilibrium, and establishing concrete short-term coping plans within vocational counseling for retrenched workers?

A.Long-term psychoanalytic restructuring model

B.Roberts' Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model (R-SSSCIM)

C.Client-centered nondirective reflection model

D.Systemic structural family mapping model

Explanation: Roberts' Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model provides a structured, evidence-based crisis intervention framework: assessing lethality, establishing rapport, identifying major problems, dealing with feelings, exploring alternative coping mechanisms, formulating an action plan, and establishing follow-up.

6When designing an outplacement counseling program for early retirees (신중년/퇴직예정자) in South Korea, which sequence of intervention phases reflects best practices in vocational transition?

A.Financial asset distribution -> Job placement -> Psychological grief resolution -> Skill retraining

B.Immediate resume blasting -> Interview coaching -> Career goal formulation -> Life audit

C.Emotional stabilization and loss management -> Self-assessment and asset audit -> Career re-anchoring and planning -> Action execution and networking

D.Legal dispute arbitration -> Entrepreneurship registration -> Skill certification -> Personal reflection

Explanation: Effective outplacement counseling begins with psychological stabilization to process career grief and loss of status, followed by an inventory of transferable skills and values, realistic career exploration (re-employment vs self-employment), and structured job search or transition execution.

7In counseling ethics, what is the legal and ethical principle known as the 'Tarasoff ruling' (or duty to protect/warn), and how does it apply when a client discloses specific intent to commit serious physical harm against an identifiable former employer?

A.Absolute confidentiality must be maintained under all circumstances without exception

B.The counselor must inform only the client's family members while withholding information from law enforcement

C.The counselor must breach confidentiality to warn the intended victim and notify appropriate law enforcement authorities

D.The counselor should terminate counseling immediately and purge all clinical records to prevent subpoena

Explanation: The duty to protect/warn (originating from Tarasoff) dictates that when a client poses an imminent, serious threat of physical violence to an identifiable third party, the counselor's legal and ethical obligation to protect human life supersedes professional confidentiality.

8In Hawkins and Shohet's Seven-Eyed Model of Supervision, which mode ('eye') is specifically engaged when the supervisor analyzes the emotional dynamics and parallel processes occurring directly between the supervisor and supervisee during the supervision session?

A.Mode 6: The supervisory relationship and parallel process in the 'here and now'

B.Mode 1: Focus on the client and how they present their concerns

C.Mode 2: Exploration of the interventions and strategies used by the supervisee

D.Mode 7: The wider organizational, ethical, and contractual context

Explanation: Mode 6 of Hawkins and Shohet's Seven-Eyed Model focuses on the 'here-and-now' relationship between supervisor and supervisee, particularly examining how unconscious parallel processes or systemic dynamics from the counseling relationship are mirrored in the supervisory dyad.

9Which supervisory malpractice concept refers to a clinical supervisor being held legally accountable for harm inflicted on a client due to negligent failure to monitor a supervisee's clinical actions?

A.Direct ethical sanction

B.Contributory negligence by the client

C.Vicarious liability (대위책임 / 사용자책임)

D.Strict statutory immunity

Explanation: Vicarious liability (대위책임 / 사용자책임) is the legal doctrine (respondeat superior) holding supervisors and institutions liable for negligent acts or omissions committed by supervisees acting within the scope of their supervisory relationship.

10A vocational counseling director is conducting a needs assessment (요구도 조사) for an employment activation program using the Borich Needs Assessment Model. What mathematical calculation does the Borich formula use to prioritize program competency gaps?

A.Importance Score divided by Current Competence Score

B.Square root of (Importance Score minus Competence Score)

C.Sum of Importance Ratings multiplied by sample standard deviation

D.(Importance Level - Current Competence Level) multiplied by Average Importance Level

Explanation: The Borich Needs Assessment formula calculates the priority score as: Borich Score = Sum [ (Importance - Current Competence) * Average Importance ] / N. This weights the discrepancy between required importance and current performance by the overall perceived importance of the skill.

About the Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) Exam

Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) is South Korea's advanced national credential certifying supervisory and senior clinical competence in vocational counseling, career assessment psychometrics, labor market econometric analysis, and employment security regulations.

Exam sponsor: Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부) / Human Resources Development Service of Korea (한국산업인력공단). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

5 subjects under the current Q-Net 출제기준 in force 1 Jan 2025 – 31 Dec 2027: 1. Vocational Psychology and Outplacement Support (직업심리 및 전직지원, 20 Qs), 2. In-depth Vocational Counselling and Supervision (심층직업상담 및 슈퍼비전, 20 Qs), 3. Occupational Information Processing (직업정보가공, 20 Qs), 4. Labour Market Analysis (노동시장분석, 20 Qs), 5. Employment and Labour Relations Statutes II (고용노동관계법규(Ⅱ), 20 Qs); total 100 four-option questions in 150 minutes. The subject titles were renamed and restructured from the pre-2025 set (고급직업상담학·고급직업심리학·고급직업정보론·노동시장론·노동관계법규).

Time Limit

150 minutes (2.5 hours)

Passing Score

40% minimum per subject (과목당 40점 이상) and 60% overall average (전과목 평균 60점 이상)

Exam / Certification Fees

KRW 19,400 (Written) / KRW 20,800 (Practical)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Subject 1: Vocational Psychology and Outplacement Support (직업심리 및 전직지원)

Covers advanced vocational counseling paradigms, clinical supervision models (Stoltenberg & Delworth IDM, Bernard discrimination model), ethical dilemmas and professional codes of conduct, specialized counseling for displaced workers, youth, mid-career switchers, and retirees, crisis intervention, and career counseling program development and evaluation.

20%

Subject 2: In-depth Vocational Counselling and Supervision (심층직업상담 및 슈퍼비전)

Covers advanced career choice and development theories (Super, Holland, Gottfredson, Lent/Brown/Hackett SCCT, Savickas career construction theory), advanced psychometric testing (MMPI-2, MBTI, Holland SDS, GATB), item response theory, test reliability and validity standardization, and workplace stress and organizational adjustment.

20%

Subject 3: Occupational Information Processing (직업정보가공)

Covers advanced occupational and labor market information structures, Korean Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO / 한국표준직업분류), Korean Employment Information Service databases (WorkNet, HRD-Net), occupational outlook forecasting, job evaluation and task analysis methodologies, and green/digital labor transitions.

20%

Subject 4: Labour Market Analysis (노동시장분석)

Covers advanced labor economics: labor demand and supply elasticity, wage determination models (hedonic wage theory, efficiency wage theory, human capital theory), internal labor markets and dual labor market theories, Phillips curve dynamics, Beveridge curve analysis, and structural unemployment interventions.

20%

Subject 5: Employment and Labour Relations Statutes II (고용노동관계법규(Ⅱ))

Covers South Korean labor relations and employment statutes: Labor Standards Act (근로기준법), Employment Security Act (직업안정법), Framework Act on Employment Policy (고용정책기본법), Act on the Development of Vocational Skills of Workers (국민 평생 직업능력 개발법), Equal Employment Opportunity Act (남녀고용평등법), and Certified Labor Affairs Consultant regulations.

Preparing for the Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 40% minimum per subject (과목당 40점 이상) and 60% overall average (전과목 평균 60점 이상)
Assessment: 5 subjects under the current Q-Net 출제기준 in force 1 Jan 2025 – 31 Dec 2027: 1. Vocational Psychology and Outplacement Support (직업심리 및 전직지원, 20 Qs), 2. In-depth Vocational Counselling and Supervision (심층직업상담 및 슈퍼비전, 20 Qs), 3. Occupational Information Processing (직업정보가공, 20 Qs), 4. Labour Market Analysis (노동시장분석, 20 Qs), 5. Employment and Labour Relations Statutes II (고용노동관계법규(Ⅱ), 20 Qs); total 100 four-option questions in 150 minutes. The subject titles were renamed and restructured from the pre-2025 set (고급직업상담학·고급직업심리학·고급직업정보론·노동시장론·노동관계법규).
Time limit: 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
Exam / certification fees: KRW 19,400 (Written) / KRW 20,800 (Practical) Official sources

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Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급): Suggested Study Strategy

1Master Counseling Supervision Models: Thoroughly study the Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) and Bernard's Discrimination Model, focusing on supervisor roles (teacher, counselor, consultant) and foci (process, conceptualization, personalization).

2Differentiate Advanced Career Theories: Understand Lent, Brown, and Hackett's Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Mark Savickas' Career Construction Theory (life themes, career adaptability, vocational personality).

3Calculate Labor Market Elasticities and Indicators: Practice computing economic activity participation rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor demand elasticity, and the impact of minimum wages under competitive vs monopsonistic labor markets.

4Review Psychometric Test Construction: Understand the differences between classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT), alongside standard error of measurement (SEM) and construct validation techniques.

5Memorize Statutory Dismissal and Severance Requirements: Review Articles 23, 24, and 26 of the Labor Standards Act (just cause, redundancy dismissal procedures, 30-day advance notice or allowance), and the Retirement Benefit Security Act.

6Understand Private Employment Service Regulations: Memorize registration vs reporting conditions for fee-charging vs free employment placement businesses under the Employment Security Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 and what are the prerequisites?

Korea Vocational Counselor Grade 1 (직업상담사 1급) is an advanced national technical qualification administered by HRD Korea under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Candidates must hold a Grade 2 credential plus at least 2 years of verified counseling experience, or have at least 3 years of qualifying professional vocational counseling practice.

What is the examination structure and passing criteria for Grade 1?

The written examination consists of 100 four-choice multiple-choice questions across five subjects (20 questions each): Advanced Counseling, Advanced Psychology, Advanced Information, Labor Market Analysis, and Labor Laws. Candidates must achieve at least 40% in each subject and an overall average of 60% or higher during the 150-minute test.

How does the second-stage practical examination work?

The practical examination (직업상담실무) is a 3-hour descriptive written paper (필답형, 100 points) evaluating advanced case analysis, counseling program design, supervision scenario resolution, and employment policy implementation. Passing requires a score of 60 points or higher.

How does Grade 1 differ from Grade 2 in subject depth and scope?

Grade 2 evaluates foundational knowledge required for entry-level counseling practice, whereas Grade 1 focuses on clinical supervision, advanced psychometric reliability analysis, multi-tiered counseling program evaluation, macroeconomic labor market modeling, and complex statutory compliance.

Which labor laws are emphasized in Subject 5?

The curriculum focuses heavily on the Labor Standards Act (dismissal rules, working hours, severance pay), Employment Security Act (licensing private placement agencies, reporting requirements), Framework Act on Employment Policy, and Act on the Development of Vocational Skills of Workers.

Why is this OpenExamPrep question bank provided in English?

While the official exam is held in Korean, this study module provides an English-language adaptation tailored for international labor policy analysts, bilingual HR practitioners, and graduate researchers. Authentic Korean statutory provisions and technical terms (e.g., 직업안정법, 국민내일배움카드, 직무분석, 효율임금이론) are embedded throughout. This is an independent English-language study adaptation, not an official translation, not a simulation of the Korean-language CBT environment, and not a substitute for the 실기 paper (직업상담 및 전직지원 실무), which is a written 필답형 examination of about three hours rather than a multiple-choice test.