In today's competitive environment ,all professionals are talking about planning their careers and how to suceed at work ...After interacting with several professionals over the last two decades ,I am of the firm opinion that career planning should actually start at the time of exiting school and entering college i.e around Std.IX in our education system ..Then if monitored continously could make a significant impact towards success in careers ..
Outlined below is a systematic approach that parents could follow to help their children to seek meaningful careers :
Step I: Plan your child's career
All parents should ensure that they discuss the aspirations of their children with them. This is best done after they complete their Std. IX or during Std X and have to decide further. Fortunately today, career options go much beyond medicine and engineering. Caution should be exercised such that the parents do not force careers of their choice on the children or their vocation e.g. doctor, lawyer etc. A patient and empathetic ear lent to children at this stage can go a long way in shaping their career. Besides careers in arts and commerce too have become equally rewarding today than ever before.
Step II: Visit a Career Counselor
It is expected that in every household there will be multiple opinions on the career track the child should take up .This often results in opinions being forced on the child and thus a lot of uncertainty & confusion .It is here that a vocational or a career choice test could be of great use to determine the future The advantage here is that that the counselor can give a unbiased & dispassionate opinion based on the facts of the case and the best possible option .
Step III: Develop communication skills
One of the most important skills the youngsters should develop is the ability of expression. Very often, many students know various things but fail miserably because they are unable to express their thoughts with clarity. Students should be encouraged to develop oral communication skills. Efforts in the above direction will also make the students extrovert and make them move freely.Listening skills too should be inculcated in them so that they learn this first lesson of teamwork early in life
Step IV: Develop the overall personality:
In today's competitive world the person who succeeds is the one who has multiple skills under his belt. Specialisation in an area is important but one should not be an over-specialist. It is useful to inculcate inter-personal skills, teamwork skills to all children. These go a long way in boosting their confidence and also build better impressions on one and all around them. It is required that the parents encourage the child to actively participate in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities at the school & college level. It is here that they learn valuable lessons of competitiveness and sportsmanship.
Step V: Increase their computer literacy
Today's world is heavily computer driven and this skill would be a tremendous value addition to children. It is strongly recommended that children should be exposed to as much of computer skills and techniques. Computer software is an excellent value addition that could enrich the student to a great degree. Personal computers too have become very affordable and could provide an unlimited world of learning to students via floppies and CDs. The Internet (world wide web - www) too is an infinite universe of learning opportunity.Supervised use of the internet could be a great learing tool for the entire family in general and of course the student in particular
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