Looking forward to career development? The inclusive process revolves around aspirations, professions, and dreams. It’s difficult to figure out what career options are best suited to your interests, skills, values, and personality. In this crucial phase of career planning, seeking professional guidance can help. However, certain misconceptions about career counselling can give you false expectations. Let’s explore some of these commonly busting myths.
Myth 1: Career counsellor chooses the career goals for you
Remember a career coach is not the one who will choose the career for you, it’s just you who will make a decision. It’s important to have clarity regarding your career goals and expectations from the counsellor. A career counsellor guides you through career planning, uses motivational techniques, asks you to undertake career assessments, and helps you with social and professional networking. They help you identify your areas of strengths and shortcomings to make an informed decision.
Myth 2: Choosing a career is a lifetime decision
Many people expect different career changes at one point or another. For instance, you may graduate in a major line of study and work in the relevant field for just a few years. After some time, you might be thinking about a change considering the underlying challenges. This is absolutely fine! Though keep in mind that your knowledge and skillset stay with you whenever you decide on a career change. You don’t always need to restrict yourself to one option for your entire life. Here a career counsellor can guide you on different career options as per your core abilities and interests.
Myth 3: Multiple assessments will figure out what you need to do
While career assessments are a great way to identify your key traits, still you cannot make a final choice exclusively based on these assessment results. Career development is a complicated process. In addition to your competencies and interests, other essentials include flexibility and adaptability. These assessments do not tell you what to do, rather they help you explore yourself better and co-create a plan accordingly.
Myth 4: Career counselling is only beneficial to post-college students
Career counselling is helpful at every point of the career development path from the early years of college and post-college to making a career change. Seeking professional guidance helps a dynamic group of individuals across different career levels and age groups. Whether you are looking forward to relevant career options or simply want a mid-career change, consulting a career coach will help.
Myth 5: A career coach will get you a job
Career counselling is understanding and exploring the suitable career options you are more likely to be interested in. These professionals guide you towards the right career path according to your skill set and interests instead of listing down the job offers. They assist you with an employment search plan to step ahead in your professional life.
