In vocational education and training (VET) in the Netherlands, several schools are active in developing competence based curricula and educational practices, in which self-directedness of the learner and the individual career path of the learner takes a central place. This often goes together with setting up some form of career guidance to guide students with their development of career competences, defining who they are, what they want to become and what they need to learn for that. These initiatives comprise an additional role for teachers: a new way of teaching in which coaching and career guidance are an important part.Recent research of Kuijpers et al. (2006) and Mittendorff et al. (submitted) shows that the most crucial aspect in the learning environment for the development of career competences is the career dialogue between student and career guide. However, these conversations on career development are very new for teachers with their new roles as career guides, and little is known about the way these conversations should be held or what kind of conversations are effective. Adequate research on the use of conversations on career development in vocational education or on the quality criteria for these conversations is scarce.In this paper we will present research that was done to develop quality criteria for career guidance conversations in VET. To find out what quality criteria are important for career guidance conversations in VET, a literature study and an empirical study were done. The literature study focused on finding empirically based criteria for the quality of conversations in general and counseling conversations focusing on career development. In the empirical study, data was collected in three cases (schools) by taking semi-structured interviews from approximately eight students, three teachers (career guides) and one career counselor per case. In total, 35 interviews were held. Teachers and career counselors were asked about their perception of good career guidance. Students were asked about their perception of the career guidance practice in their school and its usefulness. After transcribing the recorded interviews, the data have been analyzed by means of a grounded theory approach.The first results show that several issues addressed in the literature were also found in the empirical study as being important. Stevens (2002) for example mentions that feelings of a relationship, feelings of competence and feelings of autonomy are important elements for conversations in education, especially when you want to stimulate self-direction. The students that were interviewed also argue that career guides should 'be there', have interest in you as a person and there should be space for own initiative.Kuijpers, et al. (2006) argue that the quality of the career dialogue depends on the relation that is made with experiences of the student in practice. This result was found in the empirical study as well. Almost all teachers addressed the importance of practical experience and reflecting on that.The paper will present all the final results of the combined literature and empirical study and will present the final quality model that will be developed. Kuijpers, M., Meijers, F. & Bakker, J. (2006). Krachtige loopbaangerichte leeromgevingen in het (v)mbo: hoe werkt het? [Powerful career-oriented learning environments in (pre)vocational education] Driebergen: HPBO. Mittendorff, K., Jochems, W. & Meijers, F. (submitted). The portfolio and personal development plan as instruments for career guidance in prevocational vocational and vocational education. Stevens, L. (2002). Zin in leren. [Enjoying learning] Leuven/ Apeldoorn: Garant.This is not yet defined.