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Career and Job Trends in a post-COVID world
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Role of psychometrics in career counselling
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Students in the 9th-12th grades tend to face the problem of deciding what subjects to choose or what to avoid given the number of choices available to them. Decisions taken at this juncture of life are crucial as they could make or break your career and quality of life in general. A wrong choice can result in huge losses of money, loss of time and effort taken by the student and his parents, limited career growth and potentially lifelong regret living a sub-optimal life.
In the past, students relied mainly on their academic scores or family pressures to decide what career they should choose. Some made decisions based on what their peers and relatives were doing. More often than not, this led to many regretting their choice, being unable to finish/continue the course or, in worse cases, struggling throughout their lives in jobs they didn't enjoy doing.
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A scientific approach to career counselling has changed that scenario for the better!
It helps the student take the right decision and choose the stream he is best suited for, based on his aptitude, personality, and interests.
Role of psychometric tests in career counselling
Originally used by the UK and US armies to establish what to do with enlisted men, psychometrics have now become more sophisticated (automated as well) that they can be used by anyone on the brink of a major career decision, from a student on the cusp of making a career to a mid-career professional who feels he or she might have been better at something else.
Taking psychometric tests is time-saving for the student as he does not have to go through several career magazines and can get a directed and focused career consultation. Most of these tests are undertaken and evaluated with the help of software tools. They are, therefore instant and reliable. They are cost saving and can be taken anywhere, at home or in office, on a top or a smart phone.
Psychometrics are used to measure personality, character traits, aptitude, or how good the candidate is at words, numbers, problem-solving or spatial awareness, for example. It can also reveal how a candidate can handle stress, how resilient he is or what motivates him. Armed with the results of testing, candidates are more equipped to select careers that are more suitable for them.
“We all make assumptions about our abilities. Psychometric testing can throw up unexpected results that open up new career possibilities”.
Role of a career counsellor
There are numerous tests available online that can be taken by a student, however, a student needs to be guided as to which test is most suitable for him. That apart, the test results have to be interpreted correctly to make an informed career choice. This is where the role of a counsellor comes in.
An expert counsellor will point out the candidate’s positive qualities and areas where he needs improvement. He will advise the candidate on what skills he needs to acquire and how he can reach his target. He will help shortlist the numerous career options to 3-4 and make it much easier for a candidate to prepare accordingly. He counsels the family to make them understand what their child is most suited for, taking into consideration their financial status and other factors. Advanced counseling sessions are used to obtain admission procedures or good universities and schools in their preferred stream.
Psychometric testing is thus, best combined with expert career counselling for a better understanding of a candidate’s abilities, choice of career streams and also the scope of a particular career.
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