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Is Career Counselling actually worth it?

How many times have you heard someone complain about not knowing what their next step is or that the job they currently have doesn’t satisfy them anymore? Or how often do we hear of professionals who, despite having been in their chosen profession for years, are troubled by when might be the right time to change their career path? Often, when people hear I am a Career Counsellor, they immediately start expressing their concerns to me. Not being an advocate of generalised conversation with non-specific content, I usually suggest they visit me at my office for a proper session. Our professional career path is an important part of our lives that should be dealt with methodically and with a level of seriousness.
 
Some people think that a Career Counselling session might be expensive. However, if we weigh the cost versus the potential benefits and outcomes, many might change their mind. For instance, someone suffering with a specific heart problem would book an appointment with a cardiologist without a second thought. Although obviously not equivalent in the seriousness or urgency of the matter, likewise, in topics related to career guidance, Career Counsellors are here to support you through problems and concerns you have about your specific career choices.
 
Without a doubt there are people who can take the reigns and handle procedural or more complex topics, such as making difficult career decisions.  Many times though, problems regarding a personal professional career are not one-dimensional. The issues related to ones professional career can often be complex and not so easily worked through alone, therefore affecting one’s life not only academically/ professionally, but also on a personal and social level.
 
A Career Counsellor is there to help a person holistically deal with their professional career path. Counselling is a multidimensional profession that aims to support a personal growth. It firstly starts by trying to help the person become aware of their strengths, interests and skills in order for councillors to be able to correctly guide them in continuation of their personal development.
 
One could say that Counselling is made up of a process that focuses on the implementation of an individual’s goals and professional self-realization.
 
Career Counselling can help encourage and provide confidence to clients, while at the same time help them eliminate the weight of anxiety and stress at work. Similarly, it can help provide a source of inspiration for many of us, by providing us with the opportunity to take control and plan our own career path.
 
The Counselling process provides the individual with a means to personally develop in a way that might be beneficial when working within the area that interests them. It is a process that can help someone develop and possibly also learn how to avoid mindlessly wasting money, time, but also energy and hope. Recent academic research has proven that a person’s professional career path could affect up to 7% of his/her overall personal well-being. This helps one realize how important professional guidance can be in our lives.
 
Anna Michael MSc, GCDF
Senior Career Counsellor
 
Compass4U
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