Unpacking Career Counselling for Teens and their Parents : With Meenu Bhargava

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of The Fair and Fair Life Podcast. Now Ajka episode is a continuation of our previous episodes. We talked with Minum Hargavaji who is a counseling psychologist and trainer and founder of current consultants. And she spoke to us about the importance of emotional quotient and emotional intelligence in kids, but Ajham, EC, ECG's go a little bit further and we should help kids find some good tips on this podcast today, how to really navigate their career, how career counseling can help them in achieving that. And even Minujee, I would request a little bit of a guidance, how should we get our children to a career counselor and how can we really make this easy and simple for our young ones career, so welcome to the podcast. Minujee, thank you, I'm very caught, Krithy, excellent, it's so much, Minujee, you know, all these people have told us that your episode was very, very informative. And we came to the store because Chuki is a year-end and people could be sitting for their boards and here, this piece of information will be a lot of work for them, so that is I thank you for accepting it, and we are looking forward to hear more from you. Thank you so much, Monika and Riti Both for inviting me to the Fair Light Podcast. And yes, you're query on, you know, like your children are sitting for their boards and one question that is always on the mind of children and that is what we will do after boards. 11th May, what subjects are we going to study or what stream should I take, whether I should take PCM, Physics, Chemistry, Maths or I should do Physics, Chemistry, Bio or I should go with commerce or I should go for humanities, so that's a big question. In fact, in 10th class, Monika children have many questions on their mind, absolutely. So one question is, like they know that they want to take commerce, right? But they are not aware, what are the courses available after taking commerce or they are in the mind that I want to become a sports psychologist or maybe foreign six psychologists, whatever, they know psychology, but they don't know how to go about, you know, that roadmap is not here. Absolutely. The sports psychologists were naked, you know, what all they have to do. Then they also have the question, or whether, you know, we should do the course only from the government institute or we can go even for the private ones. Then another question they have is, are to prepare for any entrances, whether it is CVT or whatever, so they should take some coaching or without coaching also. They have a degree diploma certificate. All of them carry the same bitage, so they are looking for guidance in many areas in 10th class. I mean, oh my God, I miss home. And if I have counseling, I think I would have been a different person, I would have chosen a different field, but you know, maybe that thing was not there, but yes, I also have a growing sun. Sometimes, I might like psychology, but I don't have the patience to listen to people. Then maybe that is not my cup of tea. It is good. But I think, so, counseling, how are you, how are you, how are you, how do you do it? So, you know, advice or counseling, my difference is, let's start with that. You are just going to the person and do the perspective of him, do that, you know, but he is not trying to take the student in the picture. What he is actually, you know, yeah, the counselor bet, counseling, so he is not advising a child to do this and do that. What he is doing is, he is, they both are sitting together and exploring. What they are exploring, they are exploring the interest of the child, the personality of the child, the spirit of the child has his interest areas and then also his EQ. All these things become important, yeah, where he sits with the child and tries to know how much he knows, you know, what research he has made till now and if he have not researched, then he takes him into research, right? Yeah, so suppose you want to know, what are my interest, what are my personality, what are my abilities and skills, then as a counselor, I would suggest, okay, if you are not, you know, personal interview is there, but child says, I am, I am not aware of anything, then in that case, we say, say, psychological assessment is there, with the personal interview, I will give you the assessment, by which you will know better about yourself, what are your interests, personal, you know all this, we go for psychological assessment, right? Now, this career planning now has many steps, it's not that you have There are children who are word smart. So they are very good at reading, writing, speaking, listening, all that. They are very good at non-verbal expression through body language. There are other children who are pictures smart. There are children who are word smart. They are very good at visualizing and through pictures they can project their ideas and all. So they are pictures smart. There are logic smart who are very good at numbers, numbers smart we can say. There are other word bodies smart. All their energy comes from their body. They are moving their heads and legs and you know working on the objects. So you can say painters are there. Then the cleats are there, dancers, performers. They are all bodies smart. So we can, there are sound smart children also. So you know what is their strength and what their weaknesses and just like Monica, she pointed out that she is a child, I am just psychologist. But she has no skills, you know, now she has no patient listening, now she has no inter-personal relationship skills. So what will be the rep building empathy, all these things are very necessary to become a counsellor or a psychologist. So what we test is that helps the target, who explore himself. So Minu, one question came to you. So you have never heard that you have changed in such a session. You know, you have to think about it. And decision that I had to do engineering and I have to go to the doctor. What is your vice versa, what is your vice versa, what is your vice versa? Air hostages for that particular skill is very, very necessary. So there are a lot of things, where children have gaps, right? Like a child has forced me to go to a hotel management course. But she does not know that in the hotel management, there will be a lot of things that will be shift duties. No, he does the course. After doing the course, he says, "Mem, Votuna, shift duties and that doesn't suit me. I am a lot longer as a standing man. So I want to change my profession now." It's not reverse, Janna is not that easy. There is a lot more hormones that are running through them. There are knowledge that is being coming through them through different advice or different forums. And the other thing that I am listening is that even though they know through their assessment, what are my strengths and what are my gaps. We are not saying that you cannot become air hostages. But if you want to become a child, then you need to develop fluent English speaking skills. So that's something that they can take in their stride or build. So it's not just about changing or dropping an idea that they have, but how do you get to the road map of that? So I know that when we were discussing about the road map, you also said that children do not know how to reach it. So why don't you tell us a little bit about how we can get there? What I would say is not having a vision is like an envelope without address. So very different. It will get lost or let's say. So for children, goal setting is very necessary. See how a cab is booked. So it's not. The first thing is destination. Once you know your destination, you put it. I have to go to so and so play. Then it gives you the route. What route it will take you to. Then it will give you the time. How much time it is going to and then fair and all that. So what I want to say is first thing, set your goal. What you want to do and then once you know your goal, I want to do this, this, this. Then we give you direction. How to reach that particular thing. Once you have a goal, then comes the focus also. Right. Yeah. And then also speed. Then see for having any goal. Time bound is very necessary. You get it. If I say, okay, three long thing is there. So you have to have a speed to finish your exam. Same is in life. You know, once you have a goal, then you know what you do in so much time. Right. So goal setting is the first step. Beautiful. Yeah. See, you don't get into a train first and say train. Right. First thing is you have your destination. Accordingly you take. Right. So have a goal to decide what all you want to do. You can go to a counselor. He will give you a test. He will have a personal interview with you. He will help you to help yourself. Right. After exploring him with him or her, you will be able to decide on what all you want to do. And then a alternative plan will be very important. Yeah. Okay. Suppose. But what competition is so tough? 23 lab children sitting for need exam and how many seats are there? Maybe 46,000, 50,000, whatever. So it is a process of elimination. Yeah. More than selection. Right. So this is necessary. Yes. Alternative. Why if I don't get into medical. Then can I do other courses which we call as paramedical. Like physiotherapy or pharmacy or you can call it in a light cell. So you know pharmacy or rehabilitation. Psychologists or maybe you know dialysis and a list or many, many more. Yeah. Speech therapist. Many more are there. Other than doctor. You can go even for psychology. You can go for dietician, health and nutrition. Many courses. But then you have to know. So for a student, research becomes must. Now, what is this research about? So research. The first thing is about knowing yourself. Second thing is knowing the world of work. Because not all job are same. You know, a pilot requires a different set of skills, then a teacher, a teacher. The qualifications will be very different from an architect or maybe architects. Qualifications, skills will be different from a choreographer. So actually then you have. Yeah, even though you know nature of work is different. Some places are desktop, desktop. Other places you have to travel a lot. Right. So children have to make a research. Which are the colleges. Which are providing these courses which I want to go for. Whether those courses are recognized. Whether they are government institute or they are private institute offering these courses. So you know research becomes must. As it the end only got both mentioned. Yes information. The more available. But we're both confusing. Yeah. So they still they have to make a research on these seed. We also do some work. Mobile will also go to make a research on the currency brand market. What's the cost of it? What's our budget and according leave it aside. So same as with courses also you have to make a research. And what is the syllabus they are going to teach. To explore. Right. Yeah. And then narrow down. Okay. These are the two three career options which I'm planning. And then get yourself trained. Sorry to interrupt you me. But I just have have a question. For example, me as a parent, I want to. I'm confused and we're up with each other's 10th day right. Where is the right. And do you think that a parent and a student should come for a counseling a second. But where do they look for a counselor? What Google they look for? What is a portal? And the third one, which is very important. That is how much this pocket is so much. And what is the range? It could be a range of you know counseling session. Yeah, one session. Sorry. I'm a body review with questions. So my first question was. So, my first question is, in this case, in this city, parents should look for a counselling. For example, it is December, March, May, Board, India. So, when should this be done? Parents should have a child, when should this be done? Let's go to the counsellor. Okay. So, I would say, 10th class beginning is the right time to come to come sit for career counselling. Okay. So, we can then explore together. We can also help the child through testing, assessments. We can talk to his parents also. Your second question was, where should he go? I would say these days, most of the schools have got counsellors. Many schools have got career counsellors also, but they are few. But otherwise the schools have counsellors and counsellors are able to guide the students. But if they want to know more, then they can refer them to the proper counsellors, career counsellors. And many times, universities also make up a visit to the schools. And they guide children also, what courses they are running. And when is the admission time? What is the admission process, whether they have to sit for an entrance exam or how? So, and then we have career phase also. Many schools organize career phase. So, universities participate in those career phase and children come to know about their courses and other things. So, there are various ways. Then newspapers are there. So, from newspaper also, there are columns like alert and all that. So, children can get information. Then there are friends from them. They can come to know what these people have done, which institute they joined. And, or whether they took some coaching for getting into that particular course or entrance exam. So, you know, various sources are there, students should be alert. I think the easiest and simplest which I think is that in your school, I do know, I do know, in India, I am in a lot of schools, I focus on these things. So, start there. And if you think you need more, you can even ask parents to search for me and tell me, you know, have that engagement. So, you know, it makes absolute sense. And, I think, Jumonika, the third question, Thaminoji was, how much time and investment do I need to plan for it? Yes. Yes. And talk it for any given. Yes. So, Monica generally, it is like 1000 for one. This is the minimum, you know. And then if you talk of assessment, so minimum to minimum, it is 1000 or one assessment. Right. And people are of course, charging 5000 also for a career counseling, depending on many things. So, it depends. So, it depends. So, when you sit for counseling, first of all, thank you so much for answering all the questions. But yes, it will definitely help me to understand and guide people if they are coming. My question is when people sit for counseling and they are talking to you. Have you realized that their mindset is even more influenced when what decision they have they made. For example, if going, this, everyone wants you to become an MBA, you know, all the guys wanted to become an MBA. So, it was more influenced. It was not bad. But what did you note? It's about people come with a mindset, a little, because they are influenced. And that's why they want to talk to you. Yes, Monica, they come with certain things in mind, but then you have to explain them that not everybody can go for one particular type of career. They have to choose the career, you know, by first exploring themselves. If it's not, oh, if you are being an architect, then if you are an architect, many different peer pressure is there. Just because my friends are taking science, I should be taking science. Absolutely. And because they are sitting for IITJ, so I also have to take coaching classes and so on. So, you have to explain to them, like rabbit, you cannot make the rabbit fly or climb the tree, but rabbit can run very fast. So, same as with children, some children are word, smart, some body, smart, some picture, first they have to explore what are my strengths. And then what are my weaknesses, areas of improvement, which are the gaps, know all that first and then try to make a research and narrow down. So, we are sure, we are sure, you have to take a clarity and take 100 in depth as a word, what's a Krati, what do you have? Absolutely. And the thing that I was saying initially, I am not only one person, but also one person. And that's very important for people to understand. There is an alternate career path you can plan for. Absolutely. So, life does not need to stop if you are not able to achieve that one thing that you thought is going to work for you. So, that is very important for you. Or, you know, your point range. Yes. And you are both a pure point of Neh Pikya Krati, because I think for people, refrain themselves. And they don't want to go to a council because this council will not do that. But then, yes, you, as you said, it's correctly and rightly. And the same thing is said, if this is not the, you know, if this is where you are not leading, there are many other ways you could lead on the same path. And I do the same service, get the same name, fame and become a good person. A good person, the way I am, the sabiote, but you know, you can have a very good profession. This is what I understand. But you can be a good person. I mean, very interesting see a cheese without me. So, I mean, you want, I have had career counseling once in my life. And that is not when I was a teenager or giving my boards, but I had it very recently. Because many of my experience, so many things that it was difficult for me to actually visualize what is a good goal or next role or how do I grow in my career as well. I have recently done it. I am almost 20 years experienced now, individual and I am still going to the services. So, it, it, and it really helped. And my career counselor gave me a lot of interesting stuff. So, he told me about the concept of the same thing. Which was like, what do you love to make a person. So, that was where it was talking a lot to my friends, your passion. Firunonika, what is it that you are good at. So, what is it that you are good at. So is that something that the world needs, right? And then, to make this cheese, people will pay you because at the end of it, a career is meant to give you, you know, a survival mechanism, a way to bring some money and to, you know, meet your daily needs. So, that was the beach man, that was the key game. That said, whatever Phil Phil's, and that's again, she said, there were two or three parts that came out of it. You know, that is what you should pursue. So, is there any such framework or something that, you know, somebody who's listening to this podcast menu, you can also deploy while sitting in the comfort of their homes and at least start thinking about this before getting to a professional support? - Yeah, so Krithi, when we sit with them, we try, we, in the personal interview, we try to know what drives the child. You know, like whether creativity drives them or helping people drives them or, you know, he's attracted by numbers. We also try to explore what activities he likes to do. And which are those activities, which he wants to continuously do for us together, and he doesn't get bored. So, that becomes his interest and passion. So, sitting with the counselor is exploring many things. Then we will try to know, you know, what are your psychologists when they think about it? - Hmm. - Then, when you hear the psychologist, you tell him, what is the work of this psychologist? Then, you know, more will try to pick out from the child, okay? What the skills must be there in a counselor or a psychologist? Then, what have you heard about, you know, where do you want to reach? If I say, he's salary-wise. So, where do you want to see yourself after five years, six years, you remember? - So, these are some questions through which we try to know more and more from the student. And then, you know, we are able to guide the student. - Right, right. - And I think these are good questions, what simple hands, okay, even when you're sitting and thinking about anything, if you're back of the mind, yeah. Then, I think it's good to keep preparing for this kind of thought process as well. We know, I have seen some children who are not as fortunate and as parents, what limited, un-fortunity, what limited resources are there with us. So, how is it that a career counselor can help these children to actually find something that helps them grow? - Yeah. - See, Kristi, nowadays, you know, we have got some Pradhan Manitri Koshal Vakatsyoj, now, PMY, no. - Okay. - Yeah, so skill-based courses are there. For these skill-based courses, government is running these courses. Then, there are ITIs, polytechnics, right? There are skilled universities also. - Okay. - Yeah. So, students can go to counselor and counselor will be able to guide a student. Okay, been with your limited resources, if you could get some scholarship, because the scholarships be available. So, my scholarships are available. Skill-based courses are available. Skill-based universities are there. Polytechnics are there. So, seeing the interest of the child, we can guide him. What type of, now see, not everybody's same. He should be able to become a beautician. So, government can be polytechnics. Then, private polytechnics are also there. Then, privately, be able to learn from someone else. So, there are various options. - That's amazing. - And the socials are not that easy. - Okay. - Because, you get some information, right? You get loans, you get scholarships, you get scholarships. There are many institutes, you get some entrance exams. And, after that, you are quite capable. You also give a scholarship. - Yeah. - But, that's good. I like it because, if you know that you have to go, if you have to rework it, then, at least, at the right direction, your limited resources, at least, you have to go to the right direction, rather than trying to do different things, and losing out on your resources. And, one more follow-up question, I am, special needs children. They have some guidance. - Yeah, so, special needs children also. See, it is not that, this is their cognitive skills, it is not good at all. At times, they are very good at handicraft. At times, they are very good at music, right? There can be x, y, z, I mean, various courses, they can also learn. You know, they call it bakery and confectionery course. - Right. - They have a lot of interest in cars for cars. So, they like to learn that work. So, depending on their interest, it is not key. There is a section in every thing. Sometimes, there is a section to do something. - Absolutely, absolutely. - Yes, there are many children who are painting very well. So, we have to identify again, what child, what that particular child is, good at. They can learn from their parents, what kind of activities they give to children. We can also observe some children, what time they spend. Yes, what is the purpose of schools? Because, what are the things that children do? They dance very well, they do skating very well, they do music very well. So, there is a special in one particular field. So, one child is born with zero talent. But, you are the one who is to explore. What this child is. - So, you mean, this is a special child. It is fair. The other kids are considered to be considered to be a rich child. See, the counselors, if they have got a proper, like I have a proper diploma, PG diploma, and guidance and counseling. So, I have both the backgrounds, career counseling, the BN psychology, but I can understand very well the needs of the special children, and then guide them according. You are just a career counselor. They have a little challenging, but still they are able to, you know. They know that every child is different from the assessment they can see. What is the strength in this particular child? And then guide them according. - I think one thing that I like very much is what you have said. The moment you were giving even some examples, like as an IT person, and your world's, which I interact with, as a parent, I don't think of those options as my children. You know, so that whole sort of, you are getting so diverse set of children. You are getting so diverse set of jobs and so on. You are suggesting them, you are giving them a coach, you are giving them a roadmap. I think that itself having that view of all these possibilities is also very, very, you know, will be a good take away. Because sometimes parents, I think, and that would limitation. And that is where the parents' advice is to listen to them because they don't think that this is not my opinion. So if they go to a career council, I think that's what they are going to do. That's what they are going to do. That's what they are going to do, that's what they are going to do. To go to a career council, I think that's what, at least they will have a visibility of what is it that they can pursue going forward. So that's really, really good to know. See, parents' knowledge will be limited. All right. Now, a 21st century, five talk of. You have so much emergency degree, you have MBA, MBA, BSS, everything. But you have to have technological skills, communication skills, team working skills, thinking skills, creativity. You will not get a good job. The scenario is totally changed. Today, if you want to book a cab or use GPS, then it doesn't matter if you need to have MBA or MBA. Today, if you want to work on YouTube or use zoom technology, or you want to edit the video, you want to make reals. Now, tell me, do you want to make reals for 10th class kids? It is a skill that you have to acquire. No. The degree is on its own place. But the degree is very important to have skills in today's date. No, absolutely. Yes. So children have to focus on developing these skills in them. Create your thinking. In my opinion, one thing I would like to talk about is that in my opinion, 10 years ago or 15 years ago, I would like to do counselling as much as possible. But people would never think about it. But in today's topic, when people also know that there are various options where they can go for how to go about it, if this is not working, what is the other link to this where I can reach and how I can reach and what I need to do. I think it is a dormitory counselling. It is a very big tool for them to make them closer to their goal. You know, what they want from their lives. Because it is very much an information flooded. It is very much that you can't absorb it. And you lose it. And then one fine day you get to know it. You get what you want. You get what you want to do. You get what you want to do in English. No, I don't mean that they are not English. They have a lot of work to do in English. But I'm saying that they don't like it. They don't like it. This is what I can think. Exactly. And thank you, Minujee. Thank you again for coming on our podcast and sharing more insight with us. I hope our listeners enjoyed it too. If you have learned anything from this episode, you can learn more from it. Please share it. Keep following us because we will keep bringing you more such insightful, more such heartwarming soul connections through the fair and fair life podcast. And so please like, subscribe, share, follow. And once again, please comment on what you think. What else do you want? That will help us to learn and improve. We are going to do a little bit. No, no, we don't know much about it. Thank you so much, Monika and Krithi for inviting me for this podcast. Thank you. Thank you. Minujee, why don't you share with our listeners a little bit about yourself and your organization. Okay. So my organization is current consultant. It's a center for counseling and training. It's a sector 51 Guru Graham and you can reach me on my phone number 9899167495. You can also reach me through May, which is current consultants at gmail.com. Yeah. And what services we provide. We do career counseling face to face. That means individual sessions. Also do group career counseling that is workshop in schools. We also do virtual career exploration. And you know, in that you try to explore deeply into one career or two careers or three careers, whatever. And then you can also do some internships with me if you are a psychology background child. So there are many services which we provide student workshop parenting workshop teacher training counselor empowerment sessions career counseling. All these you cannot approach us. [BLANK_AUDIO]