Career Counseling for students in 12th grade
Introduction
What is meant by Career Counseling?
Best Career Counseling in Bangalore defines Career Counseling as a support-based procedure that uses different instruments like psychometric assessments so individuals can make decisions regarding their education and career. Qualified Counselors specialize in giving Career Counseling to their clients (10th, 12th, College students and graduates as well as working professionals)
Different types of career counseling services include:
i) Career Guidance
ii) Career Coaching
iii) Career Consultancy
iv) Career Transition Management
v) Career Development
vi) Job Placement Support (Interview preparation and application, resume and cover letter tips)
Even though the fields sound quite similar, there are key differences in each which are customized to help/support the clients for their subjective needs. Career Counseling is an informative and essential service that is required by individuals who want a career plan and to attain occupational success.
Why do people choose Career Counseling?
There are various reasons why individuals opt for career counseling:
- Exploration of different career options
- Career indecisiveness
3. Occupational Conflict Solutions
4. Career switch/transition guidance
5. Job search assistance
Students are also major clients of career counselors. Before choosing the right course/stream for the occupational path that they want to choose, many students seek the opinion and advice of a professional. Validation, clarity, and guidance are also important elements that are provided.
The procedure of how career counseling works for 12th-grade students
In the beginning, the students undergo a series of psychometric assessments like:
i) Intelligence
Intelligence is the holistic capacity of an individual to complete tasks, memorize information, get adapted to the changing circumstances and environment, create solutions and decide.
The intelligence Quotient (IQ) of a person is a number that is used to measure and indicate their intelligence. Career Counseling in Delhi states that the average IQ of a human being lies between 85 – 105.
ii) Aptitude
Different aptitudes testing include numerical, verbal, psycho-motor, spatial, mechanical, logical, and abstract reasoning.
(Intelligence and Aptitude are higher cognitive processes. So, psychometric assessments that test these abilities have right or wrong answers and scores.
But items on other subjective assessments like personality, values, and passion do not have right or wrong options)
iii) Personality
Personality refers to the unique set of behavioral patterns, beliefs, and faith that a person has which is relatively permanent.
Different personality tests examine the character traits of a person and try to categorize them. By understanding the personality of an individual, Career Counselors can scientifically predict what profession (that matches or is complementary to the personality) will be most fitted for their client, i.e, an extroverted person who loves to learn new things and share them with everyone might make a great teacher.
Some common and popular assessments include:
i) OCEAN
It stands for:
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
This was developed by Goldberg (1993)
ii) MBTI
It is known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which was created by Isabel Briggs (1943)
A total of 16 distinct personality combinations can be matched to individuals. The 4 major dimensions with 8 factors.
iv) Skills
There are countless skills that are either innate or acquired in a person. However, skills can be developed and enhanced through various habits and practice. Different skills that are needed by an individual so they can lead a successful career life are Leadership, Time management, Communication, Empathy, and Perseverance. Identification of skills can help the person to improvise and build their strengths.
v) Values (Personal and Professional)
The core values of a person mostly align with their personality. However, ranking these beliefs is important to understand the priorities of the person.
Through the administration of these psychometric assessments, the career counselors get a report of the results obtained by the student.
This report is provided and a session is arranged. In the counseling session, the results are discussed with the client, and queries are resolved.
About Career Counselors
These professionals undergo training and education to assist their clients regarding education and vocation. They are usually resourceful and have a strong network of connections. Career counselors guide people to pick a career path that is aligned with their aptitude, values, passion, and character traits. They identify social barriers that have an impact on the client’s decision-making.
They are knowledgeable, open-minded, honest, non-judgmental, and supportive. Career counselors also maintain confidentiality (except for certain regulations of the law and with their consent) during all sessions.
How the career counseling session is conducted
It is conducted in 3 stages:
i) Rapport Building
Where the career counselor introduces themselves to the student and sets the atmosphere for the session.
ii) Discussion
The report usually lists 5 careers of descending suitability for the person. The given careers are
iii) Conclusion
Any remaining queries or doubts are clarified and the session ends. The Best Career Counseling in Bangalore usually sends a detailed career action plan (within a week) that students can follow to attain their occupational goals and use as a reference.
Some students may require more than one session according to their requirements.
Why is Career Counseling important for students in 12th grade?
12th grade is a crucial point in the life of a student. They are transitioning from school to college which is a deciding factor in their career life. Before they can choose a major/course for their undergraduate program, career counseling serves as a planning or strategizing technique.
It can be a stressful and overwhelming stage of life and the probability that students make a hasty decision is high. Some major influential factors are:
i) Parents’ expectations
ii) Role models
iii) Peer pressure
iv) Confusion
v) Lack of information
vi) Herd Mentality
Career Counseling in India helps 12th-standard students to make informed and better decisions for their professional life. The process guides them through the transition phase and empowers the students to make decisions and choose a suitable college and course to build a strong foundation for their occupational life.
