Ex-offenders in North America and Western Europe face major challenges when re-entering the job market and often remain unemployed for significant periods. Simultaneously, the relatively sparse existent literature regarding career counselling for ex-offenders often fails to incorporate recent research from other relevant fields. This article aims to address that gap by considering issues of identity transition encountered by ex-offenders seeking post-prison employment. The identity transition process is divided into three components, which involve imaginal, cognitive and behavioural tasks. A three-stage career counselling intervention, which can be in individual or group format, is proposed, drawing on career construction theory, social cognitive career theory and social learning theory.