A number of students tend to face confusion and hardships in selecting the right college major due to the endless career options available to them. In such situations, a career counsellor can help them to identify the best path for higher studies after analyzing the skills, interests and strengths of the students. As per Harit Gaba, career counsellors can also help people looking for a job as a fresh graduate or planning a mid-level career change. The key role of such professionals is to guide people in making the right choice and ensure that they enjoy a successful career.
Harit Gaba discusses the major benefits of career counselling
Career counselling implies to a systematic process of gaining a better understanding of one’s capabilities and passions, so as to make informed decisions about education and career. It also helps people in developing strategies for achieving academic and career goals. On the whole, the benefits of career counselling are many, including:
- Determine strengths and weaknesses: A session with an experienced career counsellor can help people to effectively gauge their strengths and weaknesses. These professionals typically make use of aptitude and career assessments to evaluate the true potential of a candidate. Such evaluation helps counsellors to effectively understand and identify the best college major, industries and fields for a candidate. Moreover, by understanding the weak points of a candidate, they can also determine the career path to avoid.
- Find appropriate career path: Many people struggle with defining their career goals and aspirations. Career counselors help individuals clarify their ambitions, assisting in setting realistic short-term and long-term career objectives. They can also help people in switching careers. After understanding the skills, capabilities and interests of a person, they tend to suggest career paths that align with your professional goals. People typically may have to sit for a series of career counselling sessions prior to finding the right career path.
- Provide education and training guidance: Career counsellors provide insights into various educational pathways, training programs, certifications, and skills development opportunities necessary for specific career paths. They offer guidance on suitable academic courses, workshops, or additional training required to achieve career objectives.
- Provide tips for salary negotiation: Salary negotiation is an important aspect of the hiring process, and can be challenging for many fresh graduates. While employers may not always offer the exact compensation a candidate asks for, with the right negotiation techniques, they can get a satisfactory salary that matches their expectations. Career counsellors may provide tips on how to reply tactfully during salary negotiation without sounding too demanding.
- Assist with interview coaching: Much like salary negotiation, interviews are also an essential aspect of the hiring process. A career counsellor may help candidates to find an interesting professional story that helps hiring managers understand the candidate better and improve their odds of landing the job. These counsellors may even help candidates to prepare effective responses for commonly asked interview questions and offer tips to provide impactful responses.
As Harit Gaba underlines, career counselling can be an indispensable tool for individuals at various stages of their professional and academic journey. It provides a structured approach to decision-making, enhances self-awareness, and empowers individuals to make informed career choices.