As parents, we are genuinely concerned about the well-being of our children and take great care to plan for their future. Unfortunately, what many parents don’t realise, is that their concern may actually be harming their child ! Your concern may actually lead you down a path that does not suit your child – while you think that it’s best for her. How ?
Here are a few of the top reasons:
1. The world is changing – the jobs and career choices available to your child are changing fast ! Almost 50% of career options available today, did not exist 10 years ago – and it’s safe to assume that this rate of change will increase.
2. My child will become an Engineer – really? With over 45 branches of engineering (just in India..but there may be more !), you must be very clear on what you want your child to do. This is unlike the past, when engineering could be divided into four major branches. Today there are literally hundreds of different subcategories of engineering under each branch. The same holds true for many other subject areas too.
3. My child loses interest in everything – a common refrain among parents. They take this to be the cause – the cause that leads to poor marks, lack of confidence etc etc. But it’s actually a “symptom”, that your child is trying to find things that capture her interest but is failing. As a parent, you should be able to help your child narrow-down on things which interest her.
4. Friends, Family & Google – the bane of our times – incomplete, incorrect “knowledge. There is no shortage of advisers, no shortage of well-wishers who know what is best for your child – but also remember this – there is no shortage of people who will disappear when things go wrong for your child.
So how can a Career Counsellor help?
- To identify and explore career and occupations to get started in career search.
- To select a college major or course of study.
- To identify strengths and potential weaknesses for the career search process.
- To plan career goals and act on steps.
- To assess natural inclination for further studies and future jobs.
- To identify area of improvement and achieve excellence.
- To define skills, values, and personal characteristics.
- To target opportunities that match talents and interests.
So, if you’re concerned about your (child’s) higher education and career direction, a Career Counsellor is the ideal professional for you to get on-board.
