Importance of Career Counselling for College Students

Career counselling holds an important place in a student’s life, be it in high school or after. However, it is sometimes not considered essential for those in the post-secondary education realm. The majority of individuals think that career counselling is a must for students finishing high school to get into college and choose the right career option. But for those of you who are pursuing continuing education or have enrolled in post-secondary diploma programs in colleges, career counselling comes in handy to prepare you for professional life ahead. 

Almost every college these days offers career services to help students transition into the workforce by guiding them about prevalent industry trends, expectations of the employers, and how you should prepare to ace the interview. There are many aspects to career counselling and it comes with certain advantages. 

Career counselling for college students can help fast-track the process of getting employed by revving up the student’s resume, sharing interview tips, networking strategies, job offer guidance, and many more services. 

In this blog, we’ll try to understand the following things: 

• Meaning of career counselling
• Need for career counselling
• Role of Career Counsellors

Let’s begin learning more about each of these.

Meaning of Career Counselling

In the career counselling process, the focus is set on assisting individuals to better understand themselves as well as current workplace trends, to facilitate informed career and educational decision-making by them.

Career counselling helps develop a wide range of skills such as:

– Better concentration
– Improved time management
– Conflict handling
– Collaboration
– Communication skills

Overall, career counsellors provide guidance and support to candidates at every step of their job search and make them confident to gain an edge over the competition.

Career counsellors need to have good listening skills, patience, the ability to understand the student’s needs, and the capability to identify what works best for each individual. They are problem solvers and have relevant knowledge of the field to be able to assist you in your career choices.

Not only do they provide counselling services to college students for finding the right job, but they also make efforts to reach out to employers and match the right candidates as per their requirements. 

ABM College has a trusted team of career counsellors and employment counsellors who work with students to offer customized career counselling services to help them find the perfect job.

It’s easy to reach them, you can simply book an appointment for a quick meeting and they can help you assess your employability needs. 

Need for Career counselling‍

You must be wondering whether you need career counselling at any point in your educational pursuits, the answer is yes. If you are pondering over skilling up for better professional opportunities or are looking for job avenues as a newcomer, researching the right course for yourself could be baffling. 

You need to be particularly clear about your needs; as in what you want to study, your field of interest, trending areas, availability of programs near you, and how are you going to balance it out while working simultaneously. All these factors can be taken into consideration by the career counsellors, who are there to clear your doubts and direct you into the correct educational stream. 

Here are some key points that define the need for career counselling for college students:

Aids in Choosing the Right Program

The employment market is variable and you have to equip yourselves with the in-demand skills to find a suitable career opportunity. If you are confused about which program to pursue, career counselling can help you assess your needs, and identify the right program to take up. You can talk to career counsellors about what you are searching for and they can guide you with their knowledge and resources. They may assess your aptitude, interest areas, personality traits, and other significant aspects to help you find the perfect program that will take your career to the next level.

Access to Better Resources 

You can get exposure to a wide range of resources that career counsellors possess. Since they observe the market regularly, they are aware of the happenings and changing environs of the workforce. Career counselling sheds light on the career paths available, the way to pursue them, and the best resources to get there. Career counsellors can also guide you through the process of preparing yourself for the challenges ahead and how learning and investing in education can help you brace up. 

Tips to Build Confidence 

With career counselling, you can plan your way ahead and work on grooming yourself to enhance your chances of getting employed. Career counsellors can help you understand the requirements of particular roles and the soft/technical skills they would need. You can accordingly start working on acquiring those skills including language, presentation, body language, communication, and other skills that will form an integral part of your profile. 

Genuine Guidance on Market Trends

Career counselling can become your best resort when you can’t seem to find any guidance on the programs to pursue. Career counsellors can provide you with genuine guidance on market trends and you can choose your course accordingly. Career Counselling can be the inspiration that you might need to move forward and take this bold step.

Gives Stability to Thoughts 

Another finer point of career counselling is that it helps calm your mind as there’s so much going on that you might feel overwhelmed at times. Career counsellors, with their expertise in the field, can help bring relevant information to your knowledge and you can make informed decisions. Career counselling helps you stay focused, and remain so while pursuing your career dreams. You can keep your life better organized if you make a plan and stick to it. 

To sum it all up, the main advantages of career counselling are: 

• Helps you understand the career options available and the way to pursue them.
• Makes you identify your strengths and weak points related to your current course/profession, and helps you pick the right program. 
• Provides you a deep insight into what you want to take up and also prepares you to tackle the challenges ahead. 
• Lets you transition smoothly from one vertical to another.
• Gives you the confidence to take risks and embrace change under proper guidance.  

Role of Career Counsellors 

Career counsellors act as mentors and guides for candidates who wish to pursue further studies or are looking for suitable programs. They provide relevant knowledge to candidates about employment opportunities, help them with practicums, and finally guide them through the process of finding a job. 

Helping students find the right job opportunities is one of the main responsibilities of career counsellors, apart from aligning students for practicums/internships for a hands-on experience in the field during their study course. 

Career counsellors majorly provide the following services: 

• Assess students’ needs and choices for a meaningful career path.
• Prepare students to navigate through difficult decision-making and make the right choice. 
• Help students build resumes and prepare them to tackle difficult questions in interviews.
• Get students to find practicum placements.
• Guide and mentor students.

Career counselling is an integral part of one’s college journey. ABM College provides all students and alumni complimentary career counselling and professional assistance so they can achieve their employment goals.

Our dedicated expert career counsellors offer varied services that are tailored to each student’s career and industry needs. 

Career Counselling services offered by ABM College:

• Overall career planning strategies
• Resume writing advice and editing
• Strength assessments and guidance
• Job search counselling and strategies
• Applicant Tracking System (ATS) advice
• Labour market information and guidance
• Online interview counselling
• Job interview counselling
• Job offer guidance
• Short term and long term career planning
• Networking strategies

Do you want to avail career counselling services to find the perfect employment opportunity?

Book your appointment with our career counsellors today! 

Read more articles here.