Opting for the right career is unarguably one of the most vital life-changing decisions in any student’s life. If it is not given serious thought, it may lead to demotivation, frustration, and repentance. According to Harit Gaba, effective guidance and close monitoring of a professional career counselor can come of immense help in choosing the most suitable career option complementary to the academic stream, hard and soft skills, strengths, weaknesses, and preferences of students.
Therefore, having a career counselor beside you after completion of schooling or at the threshold of entering college campus, helps to move on the right career track and build a successful, rewarding, and high-paying professional life. Despite the above juncture is thought as the most ideal time to consult the professional, however, at different times although academic and professional life individuals may feel it is the time to consult the professional.
Following are three major signs when one can consider their assistance:
- Individuals with skills but unable to concentrate
There are many students who have good talent and skills but can’t remain focused on a particular area for a longer period. This fickleness of mind is a common issue of many young learners that jeopardizes their careers while making them mediocre. Completion of schooling is a very vital phase when a student needs to recognize their self-worth, potential, and weak points and accordingly need to pursue a career that can make them excel in the domain.
Under such circumstances, consulting career counsellors is the best choice as they are experts in guiding students to advance to a career track matching their skills, strengths, personality, and interests. Working as a life counselor, they support students to look at the ‘big picture’ when it comes to their career and thereby help in identifying the ideal path of success with short and long-term goals that eventually lessen the uncertainty of their future life.
- When Individuals feel they have made a wrong decision
Making a wrong decision in a career path can have a monumental impact causing students to underperform in exams or in professional life. According to Harit Gaba, it is crucial for students and equally for their parents to understand the abilities and interests of their child before deciding which career path would be ideal for them to pursue. Therefore, those who feel uncertain about deciding the right career choice, rather than trying on an incompatible path, make sure to get the help of an expert career counselor.
By following different methods like asking questions, examining performance in school and college exams, and observing behavior, these professionals recommend to students the best career path where they can utilize their strengths, special skills, and desires optimally. This makes them successful in their career life.
- When individuals need to manage career transitions
A career counselor can support individuals in efficiently managing the transitional phase of changing careers. According to Harit Gaba although changing career seems to be a rewarding and exciting move, however, for most it becomes a stressful and daunting phase. Some common changes faced during this phase may involve overcoming self-doubt, finding career options, gaining new skills, adapting to a distinct culture, and so on.
In career transition, career counsellors can help in exploring new career choices, classifying transferable skills, developing a plan for effective transition, and thereby streamline the whole process. Aside from the above, they advise on networking, job search strategies, and how to prepare for facing interviews. Precisely, these professionals play a major role in the course of job transition while enabling individuals to successfully manage their career change.
