Advancement in global networks and technology has brought about a lot of changes in the career and job market. A lot of new and interesting career options are coming up every day. These new options often remain unrecognized, as a result of which, not a lot of research and development takes place to expand the field. Results of a survey showed that 93% of Indian students belonging to the age group 14 to 21 years were aware of just seven career options! Which means that there is a gap in the career counseling services being provided in India.
Even though the field of career counseling has risen to popularity in the Western countries, this concept is yet to be accepted in developing countries like India. Career counseling is a process in which a career counselor helps individuals to explore different fields keeping in mind their interests, aptitudes and various other concerns and choose the one that is best suited for them.
Here are a few challenges faces by the field of career counseling in India:
There is a shortage of skilled career counselors – Given the increase in youth population statistics, India is in need of skilled career counselors who can guide individuals towards various career options creating an inflow of aspirants in different fields.
Trusting developing fields in terms of employment opportunities – Fields like engineering & IT, management & finance medicine and law are popular career choices which are perceived to be safer when it comes to employment opportunities and better pay scales. Developing fields on the other hand are less trusted and are perceived to be risky.
Traditional options and a sense of “prestige” – Traditional careers like engineering, medicine, accountancy and law are preferred over other career options. There is a huge inflow of aspirants in these fields perhaps because there is a sense of pride in aspirants who are able to successfully train and get placed as engineers, doctors and lawyers.
Scope of malpractice – Career counselors specially those who provide guidance and counseling related to international study and career pathways often have tie-ups with these universities or academic institutions. They might work with pre-assumptions while guiding an individual towards a particular academic or vocational course for their own benefits.
In spite of these challenges, the importance of the field of career counseling is increasing with a rise in opportunities in terms of academic courses, internships, job roles and designations. Skilled career counselors help individuals to find the path that suits them the best.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Simran Jaggi is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.