There is no shortcut to success, and the logic applies in almost every field. Career Counselling is the need of the hour as more people continue to face occupational dilemmas. According to various statistics, 90 per cent of Indian schools do not have a full-time qualified career counsellor. It makes the demand for proper career guidance more crucial than ever. Besides a school student, even a working professional or college dropout can seek counselling.
Thus, a counsellor needs specialized expertise to become capable in their domain. The competition is rising more than ever and people should adapt to such changes at the earliest.
After training and helping more than 3000+ people from across 20+ countries become Career Counsellors, we have observed their careers carefully and found that the most successful of them have 7 habits in common. Here is the list of those habits.
1. Knowledge Updation
Think about the time when traditional career choices, like engineers or doctors, were the only options. It might come as a blower that fields like digital marketing or software engineering did not exist decades ago. Thus, the job market is constantly changing and a career counsellor needs to gain dynamic knowledge.
The key here is to have the interest to learn new concepts and strengthen the existing skills. Be passionate about your work as it will assist you to soar heights. A career counsellor can start by developing a niche or specializing in various techniques. Self-development is the most effective tool to pave the way to success. Reading books, watching youtube videos, taking courses and browsing social media are some of the top ways to do it.
So, get a complete insight into the technology and discover the upcoming career options. In absence of knowledge about the overall market trends, it is not feasible to guide others. Education policies are rapidly transitioning depending upon global needs. Analyze them and stay updated with current affairs on a regular basis.
A smart way to upscale your career game would be through gaining specific certification. There are a variety of courses available online or offline. For instance, the CCA program by Edumilestones has trained thousands of career counsellors who have garnered success in their field.
2. Listening
It goes without saying that showing empathy to clients is quite necessary. The reasoning goes here as it is almost impossible to strategize without knowing the relevant details. Therefore, effective counsellors achieve mutual communication through listening and sticking to the clients reality map.
There is no denying that every persuasive speaker is firstly a patient listener. So, the goal can be achieved by giving due credit to the client. Never commit the mistake of intercepting the conversation in between. Besides that, maintain a courteous expression on your face to make the client comfortable.
A career counsellor can further continue the discussion as one finishes their part. Such mutual understanding can further improve the scope of career counselling and reap desired results. Be sure to never leave a judgemental approach on the clients part. No one can stress enough the importance of empathy as it is an indispensable part of career counselling.
3. 360-Degree Analysis
Finding a perfect approach to career dilemmas is certainly not a cakewalk. Career Counsellors must adopt a 360-degree analysis to dwell deep into the possibilities. From discovering oneself to measuring the evaluation, an expert should get everything covered. All of the steps are structured on a fixed action plan thus simplifying the whole process.
Some of the key elements of it are as follows.
- Identifying the psychological attributes of the client, for example, interest, aptitude, intelligence, and others.
- Syncing an individuals capabilities with future career prospects.
- Incorporating open-mindedness to achieve the end goal.
As the concept of synergy goes, a counsellor must cooperate with the client to view things from a holistic approach. The same can be achieved through cognitive and psychotherapy processes. It is always advisable to focus on long-term processes rather than short goals.
4. Network Building - Build a social presence
Whether a career counsellor has their own venture or practising as a side hustle, the power of network building cannot be underestimated. The success of any field eventually depends on an individuals social presence. According to various data, a well-known career counsellor is likely to gain two-thirds more clients than those who arent.
It makes sense that people look for credibility before reaching out to any service. What is the point of developing such advanced skills if you cannot build connections? One can achieve this goal through offline and online techniques. In the 21st century, digital space has widened its horizons through various online platforms and social media.
Edumilestones is a leading website that has a network of more than 3000+ career counsellors in a single place. Thus, the task of targeting the audience and building recognition becomes easy. Another alternative also comes as direct communication with schools, colleges, or other educational institutions.
The list of methods does not end here as a counsellor can conduct online or offline workshops for a large audience. Be active online and promote themselves through collaboration, content marketing and paid advertising. Education prior hand would lead to spreading awareness about career counselling and thus, gaining more attention. Traditional media channels like billboards or pamphlets can further boost the brand awareness of the career counsellor.
5. Time Management
The task of every career counsellor begins with having a good relationship with the clock and calendar. Doing so will not only increase the efficiency of tasks but also prevent possible burnout. Professionality can only be enhanced by maintaining a balance with personal life. It is possible through the identification of ones present tendencies and scheduling accordingly.
Allow me to share some management tips that can make you step ahead as a career counsellor or coach.
- Master Calendar: It can be extremely exhausting to note every detail and task. Thus, counsellors should maintain a comprehensive to-do list and break it down further. Small goals are achievable through structured planning.
- Block time for all tasks: The next technique comes through a time-blocking system. It allows a laser-focused approach to get the stuff done on time. Consider it through designating a time block for each task.
- Power of timer: Now comes the time to utilize your smartphones for managing time. Set a limit for the screen time and follow it by heart. It will allow you to get rid of unnecessary time wastage and ease the process. You can also consider using a timer to remind you about each activity.
These steps will assist in boosting your mood and unlocking your achievements. No one can stop you from becoming a successful career counsellor with enough time control.
6. Passionate about helping others
Various studies claim that following your passion is the most suitable way to attain occupational satisfaction. For instance, Steve Jobs could only establish a successful company due to his technological interest and passion for putting a computer in every household.
The theory applies everywhere- be it in entrepreneurship or career counselling. A willingness to help others form one of the prime elements of a skilled counsellor. Isnt it intimidating to see how the actions of a single person can possibly turn someones life into 360 degrees angles?
Career Counselling allows you to be a part of the change and contribute towards it. Proactiveness is the need of the hour and should be implemented. Counsellors should form the habit of taking overall responsibility for their clients career pathways. It is essential to be a pro-active coach as the competition is increasing day by day.
Therefore, more people would reach out to you and seek assistance. Additional ways to strengthen the tag of "helping others" can be unleashed through the following procedures.
- Do not hesitate to ask for testimonials from happy clients. Posting them on social media or other platforms would be beneficial for you.
- Aim for spreading general awareness about career prospects and related things. You can try various platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and others.
- You can alternatively create video clips to gain the attention of the target audience. Consider yourself as part of a helping community.
7. Maintain confidentiality
Trust is a critical component of the client and counsellor relationship. The same can be established through efforts from both sides. During the process, a client reveals specific details about their personal and professional life. It is the sole responsibility of any counsellor to maintain the confidentiality of the one seeking advice.
It must be noted that counsellors are obliged to follow a set of professional rules to meet their career values. The concept of confidentiality is not as complicated as it sounds. You can follow the given steps to simplify it further.
- Always remember to take informed consent for counselling sessions.
- Be sure to explain the procedures involved in the guidance.
- For minors, parental permission is necessary to attain.
- It is also advisable to get a consent form signed by the clients.
- Do not reveal any information about your professional pursuits, not even to friends or family members.
Conclusion
As it can be seen, career counselling is not a destination. Upgrading ones skills and relevance is a lifelong process. Thus, adapting productive habits can prove to be a boon to aspiring career counsellors.
Want to know how to grow your Career Counselling practice with the help of digital tools? Check out the Top 15 Digital Tools Every Career Counsellor Must Have.
