Norway is reforming its career guidance system. This article explores how these reforms are experienced in schools around Norway, and attends to the way in which the concept of "career" is understood. There is a difference between an "everyday" and a scholarly understanding of the concept, between seeing it as hierarchical, or viewing career more democratically. This study explores how these tensions are worked through by Norwegian young people and guidance counsellors. The article argues that this tension is pronounced because the concept of "career" has entered Norway as part of a top down policy discourse. Consequently, there is a need to re-contextualise the ideas of career and career guidance to connect them with Norwegian culture.