DISCOVER THE CAREER THAT BEST SUITS YOU
 
Choosing and undertaking a profession, and therefore the appropriate choice of study, is an important decision as it marks the direction in which one’s personal, social and professional life will take. Today, a large proportion of youth find themselves stuck at a dead end, unable to decide the career they want to follow. Many young individuals understand the importance of such a decision, however, many are also unaware. Usually, those who are aware of how crucial such a choice might be, take the initiative and the correct steps to find the career path that best suits them.  In contrast, those who are not so aware often neglect to take these important steps. For these young adults, it therefore often becomes necessary for parents to get involved in helping them understand the significance of their choices in time, and to encourage them to identify the profession or group of professions that suit them best.
 
There are three periods of time that are crucial for adolescents’ professional paths. As regards to the Cypriot Educational system and hence reality, these periods are as follows: the period just before High School, towards the end of High School, and after the completion of the first graduate degree at higher education.
 
More specifically, the first period of time that is critical in one’s professional orientation, and therefore during which career guidance might be sought, is during their 3^rd year of Secondary Education. During this year, students are required to pick their subjects and educational majors for High School, which will set the basis for their academic direction and subsequently their professional path.
 
The second period of time that is critical in determining a student’s course of study, if this has not been determined already up to this point, is during the final year of Secondary Education/ High School.
 
The third period of time in which professional career guidance might be helpful is after the completion of an undergraduate degree. After obtaining a first degree in a chosen field, which usually consists of a general academic education, it is necessary to become more specialised by carrying out a postgraduate degree. This is a time that therefore requires the identification of a suitable specialisation.
 
Career guidance tests have proven to be extremely helpful for all three of the above-mentioned exploration periods during which students search for the most appropriate academic and professional path for them. Considering the impressive advancement in our scientific knowledge, these tests can comprise the medium through which students or graduates, as well as parents who are worried about the future of their children, are helped out of the dead-end they find themselves in.
 
The Importance of the Test
 
According to the organisation of Certified Qualification and Career Guidance, a career guidance test aims to help an individual take correct professional decisions and learn more about their inclinations and abilities, their profession interests and their work values.
 
In other words, by completing the test, one can gain a better picture of him/ her self and see how this best fits with different professions’ characteristics and with the labour market.
 
What needs to be emphasized, and that young people as well as parents should always remember, is that the test by itself cannot provide answers to all your questions and does not provide a set in stone solution as to your career decisions. The results gained from the test need to be discussed with a qualified and experienced career counsellor who can offer his/ her knowledge on the current job market as well as other important factors that need to be considered when making such choices. Considering all these important factors, an individual can make the appropriate decisions regarding his/ her professional future.
 
George Theodoulou M.A., MSc, GCDF
Manager of Employment Services Unit/ Counsellor
 
Compass4U