The changing needs of the progressive world and burgeoning human talent have given rise to a number of job opportunities that did not exist earlier. While the diversity is an advantage for youngsters, it is also confusing to figure out what is right for each one.
Many students opt for a particular subject because their parents told them to or because their friends did so. This is because they are not sure of their interest and potential. Another common way is elimination. First they discard subjects that they find difficult and opt for a a combination from the remainder.
The recent economic slump has created an uncertainty in the job market, not just for employees of companies but also for entrepreneurs and startups. This has made many rethink their career choices and job security. Such situations require a professional who can give a practical and detailed perspective, whether it is about higher education, a career change or an entrepreneurial venture.
Imagine being able to earn a living by helping others identify their path to a promising future. This is what a career counsellor does.
Who can be one?
A professional counsellor is a licensed therapist who provides assessment, diagnosis and counselling to people facing life stresses and career problems. This requires a Bachelor’s degree in behavioural, social science or human services and a Master’s degree in counselling. These degrees can be received from universities in India and across the globe. After the courses are done, one needs to do an internship and qualify in the exam for the license.
Why career counselling?
India still has a shortage of skilled professional counsellors, so there is more opportunity in this field. Research suggests that the market size is estimated at over ₹5,000 crores in India and is continuously growing, thus making it a booming sector.
Skills required
All that a person requires is to be a good listener and excellent communicator to be a friendly advisor and someone who can bring out the best potential in others. They must have a thorough understanding of job trends or changes in the areas of education and availability of opportunities in the country and abroad. They need to be well versed in the courses available at various institutions, the fees structures and scholarships programmes. They must also be aware of the socio-political conditions and job or education policies in different countries. Also, it is highly desirable that the counsellor worked in a business environment earlier as that will allow the sharing of real-life experiences and a clear understanding of the work-career challenges.
What do they do?
A career counsellor provides appropriate guidance to their respondents. These include an individual’s self-awareness development, which will further help them prepare to develop their interests and capabilities better. They also need to prepare and empower students to make career decisions according to their interests, aspiration, personality traits and inclination. They make people aware of various job opportunities that best suit their interests and capabilities. Finally, they assist aspirants brave the challenges born out of changes in careers and grooming them for professional perfection.
It is important to understand that individual profiling is the key to suggest future options to the respondents. The approach for profiling should be a multidimensional evaluation process for individuals influenced by psychometric findings and the person’s family and surrounding expectations to find out the best career fit for an individual.
The writer is the Founder of Krescon.
