Most teens are required to make one of the most important decisions of their lives &mdash; choosing a career &mdash; at an age in which they have not even been introduced to the concept of work. For most of them, therefore, choosing the right career is not an easy task. Also, there may be innumerable opportunities waiting for them in the future, but the gateway to those choices is limited by the narrow choice of subjects available in the present academic streams in high school.&nbsp; Students are required to make decisions about their present and future options, and guidance at the right time can help make this process easier and smoother for them.
How can it help students choose a suitable career?
The formal career guidance process uses a scientific approach based on multiple human science theories and their applications. While it cannot, of course, offer any guarantees, it can suggest subjects and career pathways that the child is most likely to enjoy and be successful at. Most importantly, the process will make them aware of personal and social biases and any misinformation or preconceived notions they may have picked up. Career counselors make use of formal or informal assessments to determine the type of information that will be most relevant or to encourage the person to expand their awareness of areas of strength or interests. The goal is to encourage the user to explore inwards to examine and discuss possible opportunities. This can be useful in helping users become more aware of options available to them and opportunities where their abilities and interests many be utilized. Not having access to the opportunities for which they seem best suited can hamper or slow down their career development.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Pic: Canva

1- Helps you explore your interests better-&nbsp; Through career counselling, the candidates will be able to differentiate between the factors that actually make them want something and the common influential factors like peer choices, etc. The career counselor will also support or question your choices with valid points and reasons.
2- Clarifies your professional objectives-&nbsp; Career counselling helps the candidates in setting a career goal or objective for themselves by providing them a clear understanding of the pros &amp; cons of each career.
3- Enables you to extend your horizons- Career counselling gives the candidates a wider perspective of the career options and choices they have.
4- Guides you with the right strategies- Career counselling not only helps the students in choosing the right career but also helps them in finding the right steps to live that journey. A good career counselor ensures that the candidates are well aware of the right strategies they need to follow to ace their career.
5- Builds confidence around decisions- The candidates feel more confident when they feel supported by experts.6
&nbsp;

5 Benefits of Career Counselling:

Pic : Canva

What is the right time to begin career guidance?
The subtle influences of early childhood play an important part in shaping a child&rsquo;s future career choices. Introducing children to the world of work is the first informal step to career guidance. Grade 8 is a suitable time for you, as parents, to start having casual conversations with your children about life after school, your own career journey &mdash; how you made choices, the key factors within and beyond your control that influenced your decisions and what you like and dislike about your work. You should encourage the child&rsquo;s curiosity. You can also share interesting stories, talk about your successes and setbacks, and your hopes and aspirations for yourself. In Grade 9, these conversations can be extended to explore the career experiences of other family members, including grandparents, older siblings, relatives and friends. You can also teach your children how to ask questions about other people&rsquo;s work and get to know about various career profiles. Also, participating in extra-curricular activities will give children an opportunity to begin learning work-related skills such as getting along with people, researching information and resources, planning and organising, team-work, problem-solving, coping with frustrations, turning setbacks and failures into learning experiences, creativity and managing time.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Career counselling and guidance can steer your child in the right direction. Here’s how to go about it.

Why is Career Counseling Important for Adolescents?

why-is-career-counseling-important-for-adolescents