Career Counselling

Masters in business administration commonly referred to as MBA is opted by wide majority of students after completing their graduation studies. Current trends demand post graduate degree to get into any major industry. MBA in India is rapidly growing. More and more students are opting for the same primarily because of the good career options and industry placements that it provides. There are so many colleges that offer MBA degree that a student is often confused as to which school he should select and how should he prepare for the entrance exams for the same. It is for this that MBA career counseling is required.

Here, trained experts suggest colleges to you based on your career choice, your aptitude and your interests. Not just that they also give you relevant information about the admission procedures to these colleges and how should one apply to the same. MBA coaching centers like the IMS and Career Launcher have dedicated counselors that help the student in selecting the top ten colleges of their choice that they should aim at out of more than thousand colleges that offer various kinds of MBA programs.

Moreover there are many schools that offer different specializations in MBA that one may be unaware of. Career counselors guide students and inform them about such specialized courses. MBA is usually a two year full time course (there are other part time and distance learning courses also) which means that a student needs effective counselor that can guide him/her towards his career goal. All those students who wish to pursue their MBA should go for career counseling.

Every career counselor gives you certain tests to know your strengths and weaknesses, to know your interest levels and to learn about the way you think and your brain functions. Aptitude and ability tests are designed to assess your logical reasoning ability or thinking performance and capacity. Generally they consist of multiple choice questions and these tests are administered under exam conditions. Aptitude tests are strictly timed and a typical test might allow 25 minutes for 30 or so questions. The results of your tests will be compared to that of a control group so that one is able to make correct judgments about your abilities.

Aptitude tests are conducted online or on a paper. Most centers now have online testing as the results of the same can be immediately available. Online aptitude testing can also be taken at home. These tests are also known as speed tests or power tests as they basically test how fast can your brain answer. Power tests tend to be used more at the professional or managerial level. The questions in aptitude tests are relatively straight forward so the challenge here is the time limit as you have to not just answer correctly but do that in a very limited time frame.

Aptitude tests usually consist of the following: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning,   abstract reasoning, spatial reasoning, mechanical reasoning, data checking and word sampling. Here are some tips to help you with your aptitude tests:   Find out from the counselor what type of questions can be expected, go with a calm frame of mind to answer the questions with concentration, look at a sample paper if possible, go through one paper of each type and see how you get on, practice some online papers if you can.

It is very important to know whether you need a career counselor. Ok, let’s assume you are already working with an established company and in a way, you are pretty settled. Yet, something is missing. What exactly is missing, you don’t know but you wish that there could be someone who could tell you honestly about your true calling. So, you think of a professional counselor but at the same time you are also apprehensive whether you are right in your decision to consult a career counselor. Agreed, that a professional counselor will charge you some money but then also give a thought to possible changes consultation can bring in your life.

First you need to ask yourself whether you feel satisfied, happy and fulfilled in your current job? If the answer is no then it will be a smart decision to consult a counselor. The most basic rule of achieving professional success is finding your true calling or in other words, finding the right niche. Your current situation is such because you have already assumed that it will remain so but there is a great possibility of you doing far better in a job that you truly love.

I will try listing out certain situations and if you find yourself in any of these then you should ideally consult a professional counselor.

We can begin with the possibility that, you don’t really feel like talking about your job with people in your life. If someone asks you how’s your job and you tend to reply, leave it mate. Well, that’s an alarming sign.

It’s more than few years that you are into your current job and now you realize this is as far as you could achieve in this particular career. May be you never really had a career plan and you just flew with the wind.

There is this strong feeling inside you that I need a change but words like what, why and how continue puzzling you. There is no clear sense of direction yet you feel that you need a change.

You are always aware of new job opportunities and people often consult you about new job sites. Ever wondered why you of all, are always aware of job ads and new opportunities?

Plenty of possibilities mentioned above! Now, you be honest with yourself and check whether any of the above has any similarity with your life. If yes, then well, you have got your answer. Remember, consulting a career counselor will never hurt you rather it can always make you aware of new insights.

With the growing importance and growing complexity in education and career building in India, there was a strong need for career counseling centers where students can freely talk to the counselors and take help regarding any query that they have. In the past few years there have been many counseling centers that have sprung up in the city. Some of these centers are private while some of them are sponsored. Career counseling is still not given as much importance in the country as it is given abroad. Parents are still not open to the idea of counseling and feel that they know what their child should be. However, this is slowly changing. Children should be free to choose the career they want to pursue and parents may be totally uninformed about that career. This is where these centers are of tremendous help. There are many counselors that work at these centers. Some of these centers provide help at a subsidized rate for those who cannot afford counseling fees. Some of the career counseling centers in Mumbai, India are:

Sinara Education & Career Consultants Pvt Ltd  – 24 B Woodlands Apartment, Opp Vama Showroom, Kempscorner Bridge, Pedder Rd, Cumballa Hill, Mumbai – 400026 +(91)-(22)-67306162

Growth Centre India Pvt Ltd   – 5th Flr,Gagangiri Complex, Near Ambedkar Udyan, 18th Road, Chembur East, Mumbai – 400071 +(91)-(22)-67306043

Career Launcher, Dadar, Mumbai

NIIT, Churchgate, Mumbai

Shree Manav Seva Sangh, Dadar East, Mumbai-400014

Mr. Savio DSilva’s career counselling center “CareerScope”, Mumbai, India

Ascend Psychology, 412,Orbit Industrial Estate, Opp Tangent Furniture Near 5d Restaurant, Off Link Rd, Malad West, Mumbai – 400064 +(91)-(22)-61426472

Kirticorp  03 Shashank Co Op Housing Society, Near Star City, 444 Manmala Tank Road, Mahim, Mumbai – 400016 +(91)-(22)-67305054

National Institute Of Communication Skills  03,Krishna Villa 1482, VTC Ground, Sector-30, Ulhasnagar No 1, Thane – 421001

Hero Mind Mine Educational & Career Services – 32/125,Laxmi Vijay,Laxmi Industrial Estate, Near Fame Adlabs Cinema, New Link Road, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400053 +(91)-(22)-61620553

There are many students in India who wish to pursue their career abroad. However it is a painstaking process to select the course that one want to pursue, to select the university, to prepare for the entrance exams, to fulfill all the formalities required etc. Hence a career counselor here can be of great help. There are counselors that specialize in such areas. They counsel the students regarding everything right from admission process to lodging boarding etc.

UK, USA, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia and many more places offer excellent education to students. Career counseling centers in India provide you with all the help. For example which entrance exam should one appear for: IELTS, GMAT, GRE or any other, how should one prepare for the exams, when one should appear for it etc. Once this is done, the counselor then helps you choose the best/top universities you should apply to, based to the scores that you have received in your exams.

Students going abroad must seek counseling as it not just helps you to ease the process but also gives you a certain direction so that you know where are you heading and what can be expected. Moreover, there are so many courses abroad that are available to you that often students totally get confused as to which career option do they want to select. A counselor can be of immense help during times like these. There are many career counseling centers that have counselors who are dedicated towards helping students who wish to study aboard.

Not everyone is satisfied with his job and reasons are not really hard to find. Very few people do the work they love. But if you are one of those rare few who love his job then perhaps you will never have to think about any career change. But in case, you belong to the first category then you like others will have to go through several career changes in your lifetime. In the hindsight, it is not exactly a negative thing and the reason is, a career change might bring you a great opportunity to explore new territories and take risks.

There could be several reasons behind considering a career change. One of the prime reasons is boredom. Majority of people wish to shift career because of this issue of boredom that directly affects level of satisfaction and productivity. It is not much about hating your job but it’s actually boredom factor. One of the biggest motivator is money. Everyone likes to have huge sums of money at his disposal so that he can afford to have things he desires the most in his life. A good number of people want to change career because they feel they are not being paid adequately.

 Purpose is another important reason. There are high chances of you being in a job that you never really wanted to be in few years back. Yet for reasons unknown, you are stuck in your current job. But then, the path doesn’t stops here. One can always get required knowledge through distance learning classes or online classes and get into his favorite job. Remember, you can always achieve your dreams provided you have a sound plan of action and required willingness. The last but not the least factor is management. Absence of inspiring management, poor communication and lack of control often leads to exodus of employees.  

Offering a course in education or career enhancement is a meticulous effort. Though one can be an exponent in the field of teaching or expressing content, there is much do in implemting a program. For the same a detail analysis of the subject has to be done with many matters like research, relevance, type and the student’s ability. Ascertaining the student eligibility and standard, many academic and pre schools opt for the services of a curriculum development consultant.

The subject per se has to be clearly assigned as per the capacity of a student. This also must be listed methodically and categorized as Basic, Intermediate or Advance level so their enough scope for development and graduation in each case. The prospectus must clearly indicate the details of the subject, fee structure and examination procedure. A consultant for curriculum development is more into research and analysis. There is scope to include new methods of teaching and relevance and also it is important to let go of any kind of obsolete methods.

The values given by a consultant for developing a curriculum is a very professional standard and many Business schools who believe in the modern method of practice and learning are accepting their services. Years of academic practice and maturity in the assignments is clearly seen in the work of an experienced consultant. A consultant who works for pre school curriculum development or voluntary NGO’s who teach adults or underprivileged children has a greater task to perform.

The services of a consultant can be hired as a faculty or visiting faculty structure. In case of visiting faculty the hours are fixed and he or she can offer their consultancy based on a project, new curriculum or expansion program. The services are charged on hourly basis and extensions will surely seek more remuneration. Here the duty is to arrive at an acceptable curriculum with constant scope for improvement working on the guidelines of the academic institution.

Ad hoc curriculum changes can also be consulted with a senior consultant who understands the importance of the change and yet keeps a certain link with the main emphasis of the curriculum. The consultant is required to constantly update his or her knowledge and keep a keen interest in the happenings on education at a macro level.

Whether it is career planning, marriage, personal life, work life or anything else, there are many instances in life where one faces problems, issues or crisis. This is when one requires external help in the form of a counselor who can understand, listen and help you to solve your problem or give you certain direction towards your goal. There is a growing demand for counselors in the country because more and more people are facing problems with their relationships, in coping with a fast life, stress, time management, career options, parental pressure etc. For people who have a keen interest in human behavior, assisting and patiently listening to people, identifying human problems, acquiring information to solve these problems should take up counselling as this can be an emotionally satisfying experience.

There are many institutes in India that offer counselling courses. Students can pursue Certificate, Diploma and PG Diploma courses on counselling from different universities. Most colleges prefer candidates who have a bachelor degree in arts, education or in psychology. Students who have a Masters degree can opt for various specialized diploma programs like PG Diploma in Counselling, PG Diploma course in Rehabilitation Psychology, PG Diploma course in career counselling etc. After you complete your counselling courses, you can choose from several counselling related job profiles in India. Trained counselors can opt to work in counselling agencies, schools, colleges and educational institutes, counselling centers, or they can also remain self employed.

Some of the institutes in India that offer counselling courses are:

- Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, Ph: 38259, 38283,

- SNDT College, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Ph:22652819-25,

- Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal – 462013

- Regional Institute of Education, Mysore

- Karnataka University, Karnataka, Ph : 747 121

- University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Ph:2568778

- Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Ph: 527532,

- National Council of Educational Research & Training, New Delhi – 110 016

- Himachal Pradesh University, Himachal Pradesh, Ph : 230 890, 231321,

- Mahatma Gandhi Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, Ph : 65413, 65411

- Punjab University, Chandigarh – 160 014, Ph: 541945, 541716,

- Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Saraswati Vihar, Jabalpur, MP, Ph : 321452

- The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, Ph : 795 600, 795521

When one thinks of counselling, most people think of it as some kind of advice, sympathy, or assistance. However, this is not what counselling means. Counselling skills refers to creating an environment where in an individual can explore, talk, discuss, understand, and comfortably share his feelings, thoughts and ideas without any preconceived notion or bias.

Counselling skills involves a keen ability to understand human behavior and human emotions, a scientific and systematic way of assisting an individual to help them cope with their problems, a wide knowledge base about the nature of problem and how can one solve the same, innovative thinking capacities and suggesting right actions with any kind of enforcement.

Counselors need to be patient listeners. Hence first and foremost, counselors explore issues through attentive listening. Counselors then need to assist their clients by helping them to understand their world, their feelings and the situation in a better way. For example, a career counselor will usually chat with the student to find out his interests, his personality type. Then he/she will help the student to narrow down to two or three career options depending on the result of certain tests that then student undertakes. Counselors also talk to their parents in order to understand their family environment and culture they come from so that they can suggest the best career for their student.

Counselling skills also involve looking at options open to the client, sharing the best and worst possibilities, highlighting the strengths and the weaknesses of the client, sharing your own experiences that help the student to understand his problems better, and also sharing information.

Counselling skills involve goal and strategy setting especially in case of career counselors which help the student to set their goals, providing support and resources by giving them required information, training and coaching, helps clients to solve their problems, assisting them in making their decisions and evaluating and reflecting. Counselors undergo training and development where they are taught these skills and how should they about step by step in counselling their clients.

The term counselling refers to working with individuals and giving them an opportunity to explore, discover and clarify. Counselling is nothing but a process that helps an individual to choose a certain path or sort out certain issues affecting life. Sometimes counselling is also seen as a dissemination of information and guidance from a learned source.

Counselling or ‘consultation’ is an act that involves exchanging opinions, ideas, imaginations etc. Counselling is a way in which one person shares his or her problems or thoughts with someone who is capable of and able to understand the other person and aid him or counsel him in order to clear his confusions or solve his issues. Counselling is a methodological way that involves tests, interviews, chats and a lot more through which one can get relevant advice and guidance to solve ones problems/confusions. It is a proven fact that more often than not one can solve ones problems in a better way when you talk it out to a person. Counselling involves talking and discussing out issues about which one feels confused. Based on these discussions and also certain oral and written tests that help the counselor to judge you, you are recommended a plan of action.

There are many different types of individual counselors such as career counselors, marriage counselors, psychiatric counselling etc. There is also a variety of counselling agencies that help people to solve their difficulties, dilemmas or anxieties that concerns their work role. These agencies undertake vocational guidance and student counselling services and also assistance programmes or employee counselling. Whether the work is that of an employee, a worker or a student, counselors are always able to offer their best help when it comes to stress and anxiety arising from the work, or confusions regarding your career or even coping with change. With it comes to careers and education, there is certainly a lot that has changed. More and more students are opting for alternate careers and also choosing to study in foreign countries. Career counselors are helping all these students to answer their queries and solve their problems when it comes to their careers.