Parents as Career Counsellor Vs Career Counseling Professional

Parents as Career Counsellor Vs Career Counseling Professional

The Career Advisor or Education cum Career Counselor Vs Parents as Career Counselor holds a thin line difference where both the parties see the students’ future in their own perspectives. When a professional career counsellor assesses a student and gives results on scientifically derived results such as S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic and Time-specific) career objectives with the help of most authentic Aptitude Assessment tools, while on the other hand parents don't want their ward to get rid of the comfort zone. And this is rampant in Indian parents because of lack of awareness about the World of Occupations, Career Building Processes, most importantly their child's innate (inborn) talent! (9 types of inborn talents are derived from Dermatoglyphics- 1. Verbal-Linguistic 2. Mathematical-Logical, 3. Musical, 4. Visual-Spatial, 5. Bodily-Kinaesthetic, 6. Interpersonal, 7. Intrapersonal, 8. Naturalist and 9. Existential).   

The attitude of student and parents "let's see what happens" is hazardous in shaping the career. And this records among young students to 92%. 

A parent woe lies only in getting the grades of their child but in reality, that mindset has never resulted in shaping the career of a student in their life turnaround. Career Education and Guidance is part of the school's self-evaluation of how it helps young people ‘achieve economic well-being’. Thus it should be considered that CEG in schools designed so the Career Advisors in secondary schools support students in planning their futures in learning and work.

School and Coaching Classes ROI- Parents are spending almost 30% on education and career building for their aspiring sons and daughters and then the reality is complex in terms of ROI(Return on Investment). Also, the parents don't have guts to ask for the ROI from school. School tuition fees and Coaching classes ROI have resulted in abysmal. When we see the average expenses of public school and the international school for class VI to XII which together includes tuition class expenses caters to whopping INR 7,00,000 to INR 1,0,00,000! And in return after the board exams, neither of a single student can do a job, nor even they are employable as they didn't have any volunteering or a vocational job experience. None can even be an apprentice in the industry. Blame it on the schools where the students are only taught to pass the exams, they never give exposure to the life skills. And this blatant consequence is because of the absence of the ecosystem of the job after school. 

97% of the Indian students start career planning only after their completion of XII or intermediate. This is the utmost call of the time to envisage the attitude of planning the career at the earliest and one should start from age 11-12 (Class VI-VII). Career building is an arduous thing and it involves the whole school management and parents coordination for the lifelong.  

People are happiest and do their best when doing what they love. As well, pursuing dreams provides motivation, direction and helps to clarify what is really important to people. Let your children dream. Let their dreams shape their goals. Let them use the energy to learn the skills and take the risks needed to make their dreams or any part of them, a reality.

It is recommended for parents to access their allies or a Career Advisor (professionally trained) who can help them and their child to carve a niche in relation to build the career from earliest. Nurture the attitude of CAREER BY CHOICE, NOT BY CHANCE!