It is uncontroversial to remark that there has been an explosion in the use of Information Communications Technology in recent years.  This has had a huge impact on how we all work. 

• Practitioners and users alike can access information via the web as never before, and in some circles ICT is seen as a panacea in offering information advice and guidance on every aspects of our lives 24/7 365 days a year. 
• More contentious is the area of providing careers guidance services via email. 

Some claim this is impossible through an asynchronous and impersonal medium, that lacks the subtlety of a face to face exchange. 

Others suggest this is nonsense and the only limits to the technology are those of our imaginings. 

There is beginning to be quite a lot of research into this emerging area of practice, but the jury is still out in terms of whether or not the provision of careers guidance via email is possible or even desirable.  What does seem certain, is that the technology invites us to examine how we work and evolve new techniques to exploit the potential of the medium.  For those who thought ICT would be a 'cheap quick fix' the reality is rather different.  But equally, findings suggest that not all the problems anticipated by practitioners have emerged in reality.  For example, some research into the use of email for therapeutic counselling purposes indicates that rapport built on line might be greater than that established in face to face interactions.