Introduction to Career Counselling

The complexities of 21st century life require innovative ways for people to navigate the world of career and work. The current generation must not only hone their skills and capabilities by gathering knowledge, developing analytical skills and adapting to the dynamics of human interaction, but must also be mentally prepared for the continuous technological advancements.

Technology will mostly influence the future decisions in every field, so the career decisions the present generation takes must be futuristic. Future is always a challenge that forces individuals to stay on their cutting edge, constantly re- examining skills and being ever watchful of the latest trends, problems and opportunities affecting society. 

Let’s take a walk down the memory lane.

Remember the first time you learned to play a guitar? Or the first time you learned to bake by yourself? Well, it wasn’t easy, especially when there was nobody to guide you. Now, imagine if there was someone who had guided you or told you how to bake or play a guitar? It will be much easier, right?

Similarly, while growing up, students go through so much of confusion in which career path to choose. Not only do they have trouble with their careers and streams, but they also go through an emotional and physical rollercoaster ride.

There are different opinions that every individual has, hence each person is unique with their own set of interests, capabilities, pros, and cons. Money is not what defines a successful man, it is also about one’s skills and talent, ability, and passion.

One year back, the career coach of Ignyte Talent Consultancy interacted with a few students of tenth to twelfth standard on one of the career counselling sessions. She asked the students what they wanted to become. Each gave different choices like engineering, businessperson, journalists, teachers and so on. The career coach noted the preferences, but later, a girl who opted for fashion designing changed her preference to engineering. When asked why she changed her mind, she said she was confused and could not decide what to become.

Young people often face such situations, and some seek for help, but many live an unhappy and unproductive life. The reason for such a situation is the lack of proper career counselling and guidance at the right time, i.e. during the transitory years of education.

This is where career counselling comes into the picture.

What is Career Counselling?

Career counselling is understanding and assessing another individual’s concern, strengths, interests, and capabilities, to guide them in making and implementing informed educational and career choices. The process helps in developing an individual’s competencies in self-knowledge, educational and occupational exploration, and career planning.

Why is Career Counselling needed?

Here are a few reasons career counselling is needed:

·         Shows the right career path:– Career counselling helps in choosing the right career path that is the most suitable according to an individual’s characteristics.

·         Insight about ourselves:– We discover ourselves after going through counselling. We find our strengths and weaknesses and how we can work on them.

·         Boosts confidence:– Proper evaluation and guidance can make a candidate sure about his/her choices. It reduces the stress regarding future and other pressure points.

·         Access to expert knowledge:– A good career counsellor gives you access to all the information you need to make the right decisions and gives you the result based on the results and expert knowledge.

What can you expect?

Your Career Counsellor WILL:

Help you figure out who you are and what you want out of your education, your career and your life.

·         Be someone for you to talk to about your thoughts, ideas, feelings, and concerns about your career and educational choices, who will help you sort out, organise, and make sense of your thoughts and feelings.

·         Help you identify the factors influencing your career development, and help you assess your interests, abilities, and values.

·         Help you locate resources and sources of career information.

·         Help you determine the next step and develop a plan to achieve your goals.

Your Career Counsellor WON’T:

·         Tell you what to do or tell you what you should major in or what career you should pursue.

·         Advise you in course selection or scheduling.

Who needs Career Counselling?

Since career development is a lifelong process, Career Counselling can be appropriate for anyone, starting with students from the 8th standard. The earlier you get started making intentional decisions about your future, however, the better prepared you will be!

(Ignyte Talent Consultancy, Shillong)