Career planning is an exciting and challenging path to travel. It has surprises in store as well as hurdles you will have to overcome. No matter when you start planning for your career, here are some tips that you may find helpful, either if you are a student or if you are a parent.
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Tips for Students
Research
You may have been exposed to some careers, but remember, there are many more out there. Just looking at the name of the career is not sufficient to understand what it means, and no watching series about a profession does not do justice to it either. If you are interested in a career, read and research it, or explore career libraries and get to know the different professions.
Participate
Go out there and participate in the extra-curricular activities, clubs, and events your school or community offers. You will meet a lot of new people and have the opportunity to try out new roles. There is also a chance that you will find your passion in one of these activities, such as music, dance, drama, and sports.
Introspect
Invest some time to get to know yourself better. Reflect on your likes and dislikes, skills, and interests. You could also take self-assessment tests or a career guidance test to understand your aptitude as well. This will help you identify possible career options.
Track
If you find it challenging to reflect or introspect, you can track your experiences. What are the subjects you love? In which subjects have you been scoring well? What are the activities you enjoy doing at school? In which activities have you been successful at school? Track your progress and achievements in your subjects and activities.
Plan
It’s okay even if you are not entirely sure about your final career. Start by setting SMART goals. They should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. You can challenge yourself to explore more about a particular subject, participate in a sports event, or improve your performance on stage. One step at a time can get you closer to finding a best-fit career.
Parents
Introduce
Your child may have been exposed only to a few careers. Take your child to events or workshops to help them get to know and understand different jobs. If you find they have an area of interest, introduce them to volunteering and internships opportunities to develop their interest.
Explore
The number of career options available to your child is ever increasing; it is impossible to keep up with the trend. However, ensure you don’t jump to conclusions or reject a career option just because it seems unconventional or new to you. Sit with your child and research the career before forming an opinion about it. If your child shows interest in a particular career, go a step ahead and identify relevant courses, colleges, and eligibility requirements.
Encourage
It is advantageous if your child can speak to professionals in different fields before they pick their career. Use your social and professional network for your child’s benefit here. Encourage your child to talk to your friends or colleagues who work in different professions. This will provide your child with first-hand information from someone trustworthy and guide them whether to explore that career option or not.
Shortlist
Get to know your child’s interest, skills, values, and likes. Use this to shortlist a few careers and help your child narrow down the vast array of career options available to him/her. You can do this together with your child. It can allow you to clarify any doubts they have or introduce new career options that could interest your child.
Support
As a parent, you always have the option to give your child professional support by seeking out a career counsellor. By utilising such services, you can identify your child’s aptitude, explore suitable career options, and guide their interests into a successful career. The career counselling process will also ensure that your child’s career-related decisions are appropriate and effective.
It’s never too late to start. If you have no clue where to start, browse through our career library to get a hold of some careers. Once you are ready for professional guidance, you can reach out to our career counselling team and chart out the career path!
