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There are many parents and students who think that there is a specific age for taking career counselling. A student should be at a crucial stage of decision making when they receive career counselling. Some even say that if career counselling is taken at a wrong time then it would confuse the students of what is wrong and what is right. There are many more myths circulating around regarding the right age for career counselling. I have heard some parents say that if career counselling is given to young students, it will convert all of them to sportsmen or artists who will have no struggle for an earning. Some parents even think that career counselling depends upon the person who is giving the counselling and he/ she suggests courses according to his whims and fancies. All these myths are making it difficult for students to get career counselling from a professional and they struggle to make informative career decisions.
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Today, we are going to clear all the myths surrounding career counselling and solve all the queries who are not very sure if they are right for career counselling or not.
Myth 1: A certain age is required to take career counselling
There is no strong foundation behind this. Career counselling is important for any student who has an understanding of careers and is eager to know what is best for him/ her. Definitely, small kids are not given career counselling because they are not at an age to decide a career for themselves. However, all the students after grade 6 are suitable to take career counselling and get to know about their interests, passions and skills while understanding what kind of careers are available. These students can also take advantage of career counselling to know the advancements taking place in the career field and what new opportunities they will be having by the time they are ready to take up a career. Older students can use career counselling to take their decisions in an informative way.
Myth 2: Only school students are suitable for career counselling
This myth is considered to be true many educated people as well since they find career counselling to be related to education. The truth is career counselling has no relation to studies, in fact it helps an individual to know his own strengths and weaknesses. This realisation can be important for any person whether he is a student, a graduate or a professional. People have been using career counselling to explore different career fields that they can go to with their skill set. Many professionals use career counselling to understand what kind of skills can be beneficial for them to seek promotion. Many professional find their career unsuitable for them and thus need to change their career. At this time, career counselling helps in mapping an ideal career for them and tells them how to pursue it with their current education levels.
Myth 3: Career counselling is only for unconventional careers
Many parents have a perception that career counselling basically pushes their children towards artistic fields or sports. It is widely assumed that career counselling is a kind of revolting process to stop students taking conventional and traditional career aspects. However, this is again not true. Career counselling follows a scientific process of psychometric testing. Every student has an individual report and they are not pushed towards any specific field but they are told about their inherent kills and what kind of careers can be good for them. Further, students are not forced to take up those career options, rather they are given a session where their aspirations and aims are discussed with them and a professional career counsellor suggests the career fields which matches psychometric testing and aspirations of the students.
Myth 4: Anybody with an access to internet can become a career counsellor
This is absolutely not true. A career counsellor needs to be trained to understand the psychometric test and to deduct information from it. There are several courses, diplomas and training through which an expert career counsellor goes through and in fact, their regular training keeps son going through different seminars and webinars. This is one of the reason that career counselling is now being accepted as a separate element of studies and students are not supposed to rely on their parents and teachers for career advice. The Internet is certainly important for career counsellors so as to remain updated and get to know about emerging career options, yet everybody with the internet cannot become a career counsellor. Apart from an educational background, career counsellors need to be passionate and sincere towards their work and be unbiased towards any particular career stream.
Myth 5: Career counsellor is focussed at getting jobs and placements
This is the point where many people take career counselling on the wrong road. Career counselling has nothing to do with helping students in placements or jobs. Career counselling helps students to realise their potential and select the right career accordingly. Also, it guides students about the scope in that particular career and what kind of job profiles they can expect to get. However, career counsellors are not related to recruitment agencies most of the time and their major target is only to help the students in selecting the right career. It is focussed on informing students about different career prospects and how they can improve their skills. The difference between career counselling and recruitment needs to be understood by the student as well as their parents and they should have any wrong expectations from the career counsellors.
All these myths have long resided in the minds of people and they have impacted many students in the country because of wrong perceptions about career counselling. Career counselling is an essential element for a growing student as they should have a knowledge about what they want to do as a job in their life. They should be knowing about all the career options that they have and where they can achieve their goals.
For further queries and related information, you can approach the Professional Experts at CareerGuide. Hope this will help you!
Trainer and Psychologist. at Karan Consultants
Ms. Meenu is a Post Graduate in Psychology and P.G Diploma in Educational and Vocational Guidance from N.C.E.R.T Delhi She has about 26 years of work experience in the field of Educational Vocational Guidance and Counseling. She was associated with Delhi Administration schools as Counselor and with Amity International School ,She had conducted many training Programs on Life-Skills & other Modules. She is a National level Resource Person with CBSE on the Project ‘Adolescent Education’ She had also contributed in Counseling Programs / Career Fairs in various Govt. Schools, Communities, Radio and T.V. programs and CBSE Tele Counseling. Her interviews have been published in leading Newspapers & Magazines like India Today, Hindu etc. Currently she is a Freelance Practitioner & has her own Consultancy, Karan Consultants.
CEO, Abhivyakti - the Expression
Vikramaditya Duggal is heading his own organisation - Abhivyakti - the Expression. It specialises in training, coaching and consulting services for people, leadership and organizational development. He is a professional banker. He worked in State Bank of India for 22 years. He held a variety of roles and responsibilities during that period. He took early retirement to pursue his passion in the field of learning and development. He was Assistant General Manager and faculty member in State Bank Staff College, Hyderabad when he took retirement. Thereafter, he worked in Administrative Staff College of India and Centre for Organization Development, Hyderabad where he developed and delivered a variety of programs in the field of Organizational Behaviour. Some of his areas of interest include Leadership – an inside-out approach, Emotional Intelligence, Coaching, Communication & Presentation Skills, Negotiation Skills, Team Building and Work Life Balance. He also has the expertise of conducting Out-bound Learning Activities. He is associated with many organizations as Consultant Trainer. He has delivered more than 20 programmes in Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. In his experience of over 12 years in the field of Learning & Development, he has interacted with more than 11000 participants from public, private, government sectors and NGOs. He facilitates personal and organizational transformation by encouraging people to discover their hidden potential and take responsibility for change.
Director at Rosary Education System, Rosary Group of Schools, Rajkot
Ph.D. in Education, an educationist having value of commitment & eager to learn new systems, can settle quickly in any academic organization, tuning technology in day today task, tech savvy, eager to upgrade and use educational technology, more comfortable with teacher training and leadership programs, having objective to contribute values and worthiness in the field of education.
Applied Psychologist And Career Counselor
Ms.Indumathi is a certified counselor. She has completed Msc Psychology, PGDSOH, Post graduate diploma in Guidance and counseling and a Certification in counseling skills. She is an Applied Psychologist and practicing counseling from past 10 years. She is associated with Abhudhaya NGO as a Applied Psychologist to assist in projects with students, schools and teachers. She is also working as a Project lead for one of the 500 fortune company.
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