Introduction
There is a profuse range of career options available in the economy. They can be standard professions (like doctors, teachers, engineers, etc.) to emerging fields (like nanotechnology, digital marketing, data science, etc.)
No.1 Career Counselling in India recognizes that choosing a suitable occupation can be stressful and confusing for individuals. Humans are more susceptible to social conformity, norms, and other external factors. These facets can influence the decision-making process, and there’s a higher chance of people selecting a less optimum career choice.
What is Career Counselling?
Career Counselling is a professional process and an intervention that is opted by individuals for making academic/educational or career-related decisions. It explores the different aspects of career life and aims to provide a better experience for all working professionals.
This intervention is psychology-based and conducted by Career Counsellors. This technique can be applied during any stage of life. The objectives include:
i) Spreading awareness and information about occupations.
ii) Charting career growth
iii) Holistic growth of students (academic performances)
iv) Choosing educational programs and job opportunities
v) Preparation for job selection processes (interviews and resume building)
vi) Job training
The role of Career Counsellors
Career Counsellors are professionals who specialize and train to give proper career guidance to their clients. They usually have a degree in psychology or relevant subjects. The qualities and skills required to become an occupational Counsellor include:
i) Strong Communication skills
ii) Empathy
iii) Confidentiality
iv) Trustworthy and honest
v) Extensive knowledge about various career opportunities
vi) Accessibility to educational and career resources
vii) Decision-making and problem-solving skills
viii) Non-judgemental and unbiased
Listed below are the responsibilities of a Career Counsellor:
i) Administer psychometric assessments
ii) Calculate results of the psychometric assessments
iii) Actively communicate and listen to their client
iv) Being unbiased and stating professional opinions
v) Empowering and inspiring the clients to make their own decisions
vi) Maintaining a positive spirit
vii) Be constantly updated on career trends
viii) Generate action plans
The process of Career Counselling
The process of Career Counselling is summarized in four steps:
i) Administration of Psychometric Scales
ii) Session with Career Counsellor
iii) Provision of an Action plan
The session with a Career Counsellor has three parts;
a) Introduction (also known as rapport building)
b) Discussion
c) Conclusion and doubts clarification
The importance of Career Counselling
According to the Career Counselling is a systematic process that guides individuals through every stage of their work life. They can analyze their possible career paths and overcome difficulties to have enhanced growth and development.
Many Indian students are unaware of the available occupational choices in the 21st century. Career Counselling educates them about the unknown fields, so the students can find an optimum fit.
The procedure facilitates self-introspection through which an individual learns about the aptitude, skills, and personality to make an informed decision.
The benefits of Career Counselling for College Students and Graduates
College (both under-graduation and post-graduation) is considered the beginning of a career journey. Many graduates begin looking for jobs and other opportunities.
Career Counselling for College Students is a process that will assist students through every step. College students can gain profound knowledge about their chosen field. Building connections, learning about internships and other training programs, and achieving fundamental practical experience are some outcomes of Career Counselling at a college level.
Career Counsellors also guide college students to create perfect resumes, prepare for job interviews, and examine factors before selecting a job designation and company.
Psychometric Assessments
Psychometric assessments are tools employed in the Career Counselling process. They are scientifically created by psychologists to accurately calculate an individual’s potential and assess their characteristic traits.
These assessments vary from level to level, i.e., Learning style scales are administered for students, and job satisfaction tests are used for working professionals.
Psychometric Assessments are scored (they have no correct/wrong answers) and have high reliability and validity. They measure and categorize a person’s intelligence, personality, values, passion, and interests.
Scales used for College Students and Graduates
Listed below are the major scales used in the Career Counselling process for College Students and Graduates:
i) Career Conflict Scale
This test is also sometimes known as the Job Decision Scale. It examines the external and internal factors that affect a person’s decision-making process.
i.e., Parents, peers/friends, emotional states, role models, etc.
This factor is important to consider since the final decision must be taken by the client, and they should not be influenced by other factors. This is a technique that helps them avoid feelings of regret and missed opportunities in the future.
ii) Intelligence Scale
Intelligence is the capacity of a person to solve problems, adapt, remember, abstract reason, think, and behave in unfamiliar situations. It is classified into nine types:
a) Interpersonal
b) Intrapersonal
c) Visual-spatial
d) Naturalistic
e) Linguistic
f) Musical
g) Kineshinetic
h) Mathematical/logical
i) Existential
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is also a significant part of Intelligence.
iii) Personality
It is defined as a set of traits, behavior patterns, habits, and opinions unique and specific to a human being. It plays a powerful part in deciding the compatibility of a person and their job. i,e., An extroverted person who has strong communication skills is inclined to choose an occupation that allows them to interact with a lot of people. For example, teachers, salespeople, sociologists, etc.
Conclusion
Career Counselling is an extremely useful psychological intervention for College Students and Graduates. They are guided towards making a suitable career option and chart out their growth and development plans.
Career Counsellors also provide their holistic support during job searches, interview preparation, adjusting to new work environments, and coping with job stress.
