Introduction
Career Counsellors are trained professionals who guide individuals toward realizing their occupational goals and attaining their dreams. Career Counselling in India recognizes that our country requires Career Counsellors. According to Career Counselling in India, very few career Counsellors are present for Indian students, and the need will increase significantly in the upcoming years.
This blog will explore these experts, their responsibilities, educational qualifications, qualities, skills, and their involvement in the process of Career Counselling. To explain more about Career Counsellors, we must look at the definition of Career Counselling.
What is Career Counselling?
Career Counselling is a systematic process that applies psychological concepts and psychometric assessments to individuals. It helps by guiding them towards a suitable career option and a field that will align with their personalities, aptitude, skills, professional and personal values, intelligence, interests, and passion.
It is becoming a popular choice for many school students, and college graduates, as well as working professionals, to opt for and choose the right job.
Who are Career Counsellors?
Career Counsellors are professionals who specialize in the field of Career Counselling. They work alongside their clients who can be students or freshers or experienced employees who are seeking academic or career-related queries. They form strictly professional relationships with the individuals and guide them toward the desired career path.
The responsibilities of a Career Counsellor
Listed below are the responsibilities of a career Counsellor according to the Best Career Counselling in Bangalore:
i) Administer psychometric assessments
These scientific instruments are explained to the clients, and the responses are collected, scored, and a report is generated. This resulting document is provided to the client for reference.
ii) Conduct the Career Counselling session
The process of Career Counselling includes the following steps:
a) Introduction or rapport creation
This is the stage where the career Counsellor gets introduced to the client. They build a rapport and form a connection so that the client can open up and share their concerns freely.
b) Discussion
The second stage is where the report generated from the psychometric assessments is discussed. They take a look at the suitable career opportunities while the Counsellor explains each of the results and provides information about the presented options.
c) Question and Answer
The next step is doubt clarification. Any doubts or questions that the client might have is answered by the Counsellor.
d) Closure
The final stage is the conclusion. An action plan is given to the client so that they can make their career path and explore other suitable career options.
The different types of sessions can also include:
i) Career skills development or enhancement
ii) Resume building
iii) Interview practice
iv) Job-seeking guidance
v) Job training
vi) Work stress coping mechanism
What are the Educational Qualifications of a Career Counsellor?
Career Counsellors hail from a psychological background. The popular courses pursued by Career Counsellors include:
- a) BSc Psychology
- b) BSc Sociology
- c) Applied or Integrated Counselling
- d) Human resources
The Counsellors can also have completed their diploma courses in Career Counselling or relevant fields and get certified. However, they need to complete the required amount of training period before they can start their practice.
What are the Skills and Qualities of a Career Counsellor?
Listed below are the skills and qualities of a Career Counsellor:
i) Strong communication
The communication skills of these experts must be clear and confident. They must employ active listening to their clients and make them feel heard and validated. This skill is a crucial aspect of establishing a connection with the individual.
ii) Observational skills
It’s been proven that humans use non-verbal cues like body language, tone and volume of voice, and gestures to express their feelings and emotions. Studies show that these non-verbal cues are used more significantly than verbal communication. A Career Counsellor must be observant to pick up these subtle cues and deduce the emotional state of the client.
iii) Empathy
Empathy is the quality of a human to understand and relate to the emotional state of another human being. The clients who opt for Career Counselling are usually confused, overwhelmed, and scared. It is the duty of the Career Counsellor to empathize with them and reassure them.
iv) Empowerment, inspiration, and a positive mindset
They need to be a source of inspiration for the individuals. A Career Counsellor needs to maintain a positive mindset that will empower and influence their clients to make their own decisions.
v) Confidentiality
This is the fundamental Ethics of a psychological Counsellor. They need to maintain the confidentiality of a person and not discuss or reveal the client’s identity with external parties without proper permission.
According to Career Counselling, there are only certain legal exceptions to this moral code in certain cases like self-harm threats or other legal conditions, the Counsellor is obligated to disclose the details and the case of the client to legal enforcement.
vi) Trustworthy and honesty
A Career Counsellor must be trustworthy and honest to their clients. They must be straightforward, and blunt, and share their professional opinions with the client. Maintaining a neutral perspective is expected from the expert.
vii) Non-judgmental
In many cases, students come in with their parents to resolve conflicts. Career Counsellors must be unbiased and try to resolve the problem without siding with either party.
viii) Decision-making and problem-solving skills
Every client has a unique case. The Career Counsellor must gather all the facts and information to formulate the case and view it as a situation that needs solutions.
They must generate possible decisions that can be taken by the client and explain them clearly so that the client can come to a solution. Career Counsellors must have great decision-making and problem-solving skills to support and guide their clients.
ix) Knowledge about careers
A Career Counsellor must be aware of various occupational opportunities that are present for students. They are constantly learning and updating themselves. When required, they should access these resources and provide them to the client.
