Career Counselling

Career Counselling refers to mentoring or guidance given to an individual with relation to his career. In simple words, it helps students and graduates understand themselves, their careers, and encourages them to find their ideal career fit.

For example: A student has just completed his 10th grade, career counselling will help him in assessing his/her future course of action.

What is the meaning of Career guidance?

Career guidance is a broader concept which includes career counselling.

Career guidance usually includes listening to the problems of individuals and providing them with ready-made solutions.

For example: A student has already decided to become a fashion designer, career guidance will help them to choose the best stream they should opt for, the best colleges they can gain admission from, the kind of exams they must prepare for, etc.

Why is Career Counselling important?

Career counselling starts gaining importance once a student enters high school, it helps him/her in choosing a stream that will lead to his /her ideal career job profile. After 10+2, it can help decide which undergraduate course to apply for, and later which postgraduate course is most suitable. It helps in deciding subject combinations, minors and majors, etc.

Apart from these benefits, students are also guided in terms of the benefits and drawbacks of all the career choices.

How do you conduct Career Counselling?

Career counselling is a developed program and requires certain parameters to be met. The top five techniques that are used by our career counsellors are:

Building therapeutic relationships: Our expert career counsellors are not only academically qualified to provide you with detailed and tailor-made career options, but they also focus on forming meaningful relationships with their clients. Understanding a client’s worries, fears and interests also plays a vital role in deciding for the client.

Self-exploration: Career counsellors advice on information that will be beneficial for the candidates, but a good counselling session will lead to self-discovery. This is only possible with skilled professionals who know how to encourage their clients to look inwards.

Defining goals: Our expert career counsellors follow a guided plan which starts at establishing goals. Goal-setting is a very important exercise since it makes way for establishing an action plan to achieve those goals.

Who needs career counselling?

Career counselling can benefit indecisive students in choosing their streams or their next action plan after completing 12th. It can help students in their college in choosing the subject choice, minors and what to major in.

Apart from students, career counselling also helps currently working individuals, who feel stuck, indecisive or greatly unsatisfied at the job or job position they hold.

What are the different types of counsellors?

The world of counselling incorporates a wide variety of counsellors skilled in the different facets of life. Since individuals may need guidance in any sphere of life, there are many kinds of counsellors available.

1) Marriage or Family counsellors

2) Guidance and Career Counsellors

3) Mental Health Counsellors

4) Substance Abuse Counsellors

5) Rehabilitation Counsellors

What are the types of Counselling?

The most traditional form of counselling is where the client sits and talks about his problems and the counsellor listens and advises on the same. Nowadays, due to the stress factors in our life on an ever-increasing graph, forms of counselling have also changed.

Psychodynamic Counselling. According to this type of counselling, the mind is given more focus and thoughts and ideas are seen as clues to unlocking the potential of the individual.

Humanistic Approach to Counselling: is catered to find the unique individual traits of an individual and how they can help in identifying an ideal job opportunity for clients.

Some of the most important counselling sessions are ‘aesthetic-based’, such as art therapy and music therapy, etc.

How do I choose my career?

Some of the best ways to choose a career for “yourself” is focusing on the most important factor in the equation- “YOU”. Asking yourself questions about what you want to do in life is one of the best ways to start thinking about career options.

To start, ask yourself questions that emphasize your strong points and abilities. ‘What energizes you?’ ‘What are you good at?’ ‘What field would you want to make a living in?’ Try finding academic qualifications and internship experience in the related field to get hands-on experience.

If you still feel stuck, our College Disha counsellors are here to help. College Disha, an educational web-portal designed to help students gain admission in some of the finest private institutes of Uttar Pradesh. Our expert team of career counsellors will help make the process easier for you and guide you till the very end.

How much do Career Counsellors charge in India?

Career counsellors are getting the recognition they deserve.

This is evident in the amounts parents pay for good career counselling. A good entry-level career counsellor charges an average fee of around Rs. 2,35,000 (approx).

Mid-level or career counsellors with a minimum experience of around one to four years charges around Rs. 2,69,000/- (approx).

An experienced career counsellor with 5 to 6 years of experience can charge around Rs. 3,00,000/-.

What are some important things to focus on when choosing a career?

Choosing a career is not as hard as it seems as long as you know what things require attention. One of the most important things to focus on while choosing a career is to:

Know your working style- If you tend to thrive in an independent environment, working in a job where you report to other colleagues might not be the best option for you.

Marketability- Focusing on a job or career field that is marketable will allow you to ‘work in the future’. Marketing is the number one norm when it comes to job growth. Pursuing a job field that can be marketed allows individuals to enhance and spread their market, expertise level, etc.

Social Environment- While introverts may be comfortable at a desk-job, active and outgoing individuals require movement and stimulation. Choosing a job that suits your social nature will lead to job satisfaction.

Change- Individuals while choosing a career must understand that things are prone to change. What your ideal job looks like will change in a few years time, people change, technology changes, etc. Students must visualize how their ideal job will look like, feel like in a few years time.

What is Career Counselling for students?

Career counselling can help students in major ways. It helps students be more confident about their career choices, abilities, interests, etc. Career counselling helps in determining the strengths and weaknesses of students, set small, achievable goals that students feel responsible to accomplish rather than feel intimidated, discard confusions and wrong information that students might have related to any career field, etc.

What are the benefits of career guidance?

Career counselling helps students and individuals to discover themselves. It has many benefits for people seeking a guided approach towards their career paths.

Since career counselling helps you in understanding what you wish to achieve out of your education or work life, it is beneficial for all people who will work or are currently working in any field.

It helps set achievable career goals- Sometimes students choose a career with a certain goal in mind, a goal which is unachievable due to its incompatibility with the individual, or maybe because the career goals are sometimes set under the pressure of relatives and families. Career Counselling not only helps in setting achievable career goals but also develops the required skills in achieving those goals.

Successful career planning- Career Counselling helps in setting up an action plan to achieve the required ideal job profile and position twenty years or thirty years down the line. Apart from these career counselling benefits in ensuring job satisfaction, career development, resolving confusion, preparation for career planning, knowing career opportunities etc.

Why is a career so important in life?

A career is one of the most milestones. A career gives a sense of direction to one's life. Career is an important marker of the general success of a person. A sound career helps to lead a comfortable, peaceful and content life. It also grants certain status in the life of an individual among his peers and fellow human beings.

What to ask yourself when choosing a career?

Students can ask about different facets of the career they are hoping to choose such as the growth rate, employment rate, salary perks, recognition in society, etc.

Students or individuals can also ask personal questions about interests, skills, talents, values etc. Questions such as these help one gain an insight into the career field he/she chooses. It also provides an insight into self-discovery.

Is career counselling helpful?

In today’s cut-throat competition, it is highly important to opt for a career that is suitable for an individual. Among the infinite choices available, making a wise career choice is the goal of career counselling.

Career counselling is much more individual centred, focusing on providing solutions and counselling that is tailor-made for the individual.

Career guidance assists the person in choosing the best alternative among many options.

What questions should you ask your mentor?

Students can avail career counselling from many professionals, generally psychologists. Career counsellors or mentors are experts equipped with the knowledge and informed information about different career options. Students can ask about the best colleges, admission forms, the kind of exams they must prepare for, eligibility criterias, salary expectations, or general help in choosing a career suited for individual students.