Gone are the days when people had limited career options to choose from, today there is an abundance of possibilities in jobs that one can go for. Other than traditional choices like a doctor, teacher, engineer, scientist, etc. the youth, students, and even professionals who want to change their careers now have several fields, industries, and a job that they can select or change as their career.
But most of the time it’s not an easy process. And to make it easy and a bit conventional there are professionals called career counselors. They are professionals who help you understand your career choices better and guide you to choose the right career.
The profession of a career counselor is growing rapidly in India. As per a report, the growth rate of the occupation as a career counselor in India has increased by 36% as compared to the previous year's 19%. And that shows the steadily increasing popularity of the profession.
So let's see and understand the concept of a career counseling and how to make a career as a career counselor.
What is career counseling?
According to Biswalo, counseling is a process of helping an individual to accept and to use information and advice so that he/she can either solve his/her present problem or cope with it successfully.
It's a profession where a counselor talks and helps their client to solve their problems. In the same way, a career counselor is someone who helps you understand yourself better and also helps you to make the right educational, life, and career decisions.
Who is a career counselor?
A career counselor conducts a one-on-one conversation with the career seeker and also helps them strengthen their skills and capabilities as per their career choices. They use different formal and informal assessments and development theories to make the right use of career seeker's skills and qualifications to grow their career. It’s not only about the right career but their client’s mental well-being as well.
Career counselor job description and responsibilities
Just like other job positions, there are a few duties and responsibilities that you will have to accomplish in order to be a successful and effective career counselor. Here is the job description and potential responsibilities of a career counselor position.
How to become a career counselor in India?
The demand and popularity of career counselors in India are increasing. And it is important to understand that it is a job of responsibility where along with the right kind of education, the desire to help someone by making their career choices easier is important. You should choose this career only if you have the ability and skills to counsel someone. So let's see the process of becoming a career counselor.
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1. Introduce yourself to the concept of career counseling
Getting into any job or career without fully knowing what it entails is a bad idea. The position of a career counselor is of responsibility and entering the field with half-cooked knowledge will hinder your journey of career counseling. We have already mentioned what career counseling is and what a career counselor does. They are almost similar to doctors, but here they are working with you to make your career successful.
2. Earn your bachelor’s and master’s degree
Once you know what you are getting into the first formal step you need to take to become a career counselor is to earn your bachelor’s degree. You don't need to choose any specific field, anyone will be ok. However, a master’s degree in psychology, sociology, or behavioral science can be beneficial and a plus point in your resume. A five or three-year degree will make you ready for a career counseling job and teach you topics like counseling techniques & methodology, human behavior and development, sociological and psychological studies, etc. If you want you can go for M.Phil. or a Ph.D. In counseling psychology after completing your master's.
3. Obtain work experience
The best way to optimize your studies and bachelor's degree is by getting real-life work experience. It is kind of mandatory in graduate or undergraduate programs to obtain some kind of experience through an internship or practicum. Also because the job of a career counselor is mostly face-to-face meetings, it will do you good to have some encounters before getting with the real deal. This will also help you acquire skills and practice.
4. Acquire your certification
It is very important to acquire a career counselor certification. It will not only be add on to your profile but also increase your credibility. There are lots of career counselor certification programs available for you to choose from. You can opt to go for certification right after your graduation and without a master's degree too. In some states of India, you might need to obtain a license in order to practice as a career counselor. As per your state's policy requirement, you will need to renew your certificates and license after two or three years.
Bottom line
To be a successful career counselor, other than following the above-mentioned information it is also important to strengthen your communication and interpersonal skills. You will need to take initiative to develop yourself as a professional with different efforts like knowing relevant information about several career fields in the market, updating yourself with changes made every year, new career opportunities, and learning new skills, etc.
If you're driven enough to launch your own career counselling business, then we can show you how to do it! Your career counselling endeavour can soar to new heights with QWEEN. So why are you still waiting? Enroll in the CCA program to launch your professional counselling career!
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