Career management skills refer to a range of competences which provide structured ways for individuals and groups to collect, analyse, synthesise and interpret information on oneself, on learning and work pathways and on occupations, as well as the skills to make and implement decisions and transitions arising from this information.

The importance of learning such skills was highlighted in the Resolutions of the EU Council of Ministers on lifelong guidance (2004, 2008). The task of addressing this in policy terms was assigned to the European Lifelong Guidance Network (ELGPN). It has produced Tool No. 4 which contains the following considerations:

1. the meaning of CMS
2. the acquisition and development of CMS
3. effective stakeholder cooperation
4. trainers and providers
5. strategic policy decisions
6. assessment and accreditation
7. promotion of citizen agency
8. CMS in transitions
9. the role of the social partners
10. the quality of CMS programmes
11. monitoring the impact of CMS policies