Rohan’s parents were very concerned about his future because he didn’t perform well in his final exam in the 11th grade. The parents were unaware about their child’s overall performance in the school. The school recommend the parents to switch the stream of Rohit from PCM to Commerce/Humanities, or should drop for the year. The option to choose PCM was an emotional one, as he has outclassed in maths in his previous class. It was really very tough for the parents to decide which option to choose.
In the meantime, I came across with other parents who were looking for assistance for their son, Sidharth, who has lost interest in studies and was scoring low grades in school and in coaching centre. Siddharth’s parents wanted him to pursue engineering like his other cousins but his interest was something else which results in low academic scores and adrift.
Career anxiety is a problem that affects millions of students, not just Rohan or Sidharth. Is there a way to fix this problem? As a career coach, I’d like to advise parents to stop using the traditional way of choosing a career and should start using the scientific approach.
Let’s try to understand both the ways of choosing a career.
Conventional Approach:
When parents choose a career for their children based on what they want or what their family wants without considering their child’s skills and interests. For example, if you are a lawyer, engineer, or a doctor, you wish your child to choose the same stream. However, you don’t take into account your child’s skills and interests. In another way, it can be said that, as parents, you don’t know about many career choices, so you may choose the most well-known or compatible ones, which have been around for a long time and have lesser chances of failure. Peer pressure and praise pressure can be big problems when it comes to choosing a profession, so parents in society often feel proud when their children are known as professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers, professors, or chartered accountants.
Scientific Approach:
On the other hand, A scientific way to choose a job is to follow a plan that takes into account the interests, skills, and values of a child and also considers the opportunities available in the current scenario. Here are some practical steps to take once you choose a career path in a scientific manner:
Self-Evaluation:
First, figure out the hobbies, strengths, and skills of your child. Think about their beliefs, character, and long-term goals. This self-assessment will help you figure out possible career paths that match the skills and interests of your child.
Career Test:
Parents generally do not spend much time in observing their children’s interest due to their hectic work lifestyle, so the self-assessment might not help in choosing the finest career choice. In this case, a career test like the Psychometric Test or the Dermatoglyphics Multiple Intelligence Test (DMIT) can help in figuring out the child’s interests, behaviour patterns, intelligence quotient (IQ), emotional quotient (EQ), personality type, aptitude, entrepreneurial skills, persistence, patience, and many other things.
Explore More Options:
Look into different scientific areas and careers to learn more about what they can do. Check out the latest trends in the job market, growth prospects, and the skills and training needed for different jobs.
Set Goals and Make a Strategic plan:
Based on their performance, skills, interests, aptitude, and ambitions, set both short-term and long-term job goals. Make a strategic plan to reach these goals by breaking them down into steps they can do happily without any stress. Keep a regular check on the progress towards the goals you have set for your children and make changes as needed. Discuss periodically with your children their learnings, challenges, and interests, and be open to accepting changes in their career path as needed.
Thus, the scientific way of choosing a career is fruitful and would have helped Rohan and Sidharth if they have opted for the same.
The Psychometric Test benefits to analyse and guide the student to choose the right stream and the career. It helps in analysing the root cause of the situation and the solution there after.
Now Rohan has chosen to study the humanities and anticipates to work in the areas of Human Resource Management and leadership. He has happily accepted a different career path, and he has started preparing for the entrance exam for taking admission into a five-year MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). This test has also helped Sidharth figure out what he wanted to pursue in life. Now, he is performing well in school and in coaching institute with the help of a strategic academic planner.
Thinking about seeking better advice from a career coach who will provide all the requisite information based on the specific situation