Counselling generally refers to the process through which a person is provided guidance and support to explore solutions to the problems that they are facing. “Counselling” is normally handled by a professional who has a clear understanding of human behaviour, personality, and the ways with which human thoughts can be given a proper direction. People reach out to them in times of need and uncertainty, and the counselling professionals in turn ensure that their identities and problems remain confidential.
And as in any other field that relates to solving the problems at an individual level, career planning and development is one area where counselling can become very crucial. With advanced mechanisms like the Hikewise online career counselling mechanism coming to the fore, people have started to get a chance to access such valuable expertise right from the comfort of their homes.
"In India where 85% of its students are deeply concerned about their options for higher education, an abysmal proportion of 92% don't get even the tiniest form of career related guidance from their schools. And apparently, the country is facing an acute shortage of able career development professionals. According to latest statistical reports, we are at least half a million short."
Today we live in such exciting times where each and everyday the old technologies are being disrupted and newer ones replacing them. Undoubtedly, AI and Data Science are the buzzwords of the new age. With companies and industries constantly innovating to match up, careers that were completely unheard of a decade has started to gain prominence.
But until recently, before the world was not a global village as we see it today, career counselling had been perceived as a sort of need that was met with the bare minimum effort from those who have always claimed to provide these services. Career counselling were practised by individuals who were just a database from where we get superficial career information like the list of careers that are in “scope” today or the application deadlines for admission into a specific institution. And people had to “satisfy” themselves with whatever mediocre service was available in their vicinity.
Thankfully, this is changing, as the country wakes up to the modern age of technology, revolutionizing all aspects of life as it has been traditionally lived in India, including the previously untouched sphere of career counselling. We at Hikewise wanted to be the flag bearers of this change and we believe that our country deserves much better in a very important field like career guidance which has a direct impact on how its future generations would shape up. And this belief is what has motivated us to create the highly scientific Hikewise mechanism which is designed to work at a personalised level for each individual and successfully provides a proper solution to their problems and requirements that are completely unique.
What makes our mechanism work is its holistic approach which is not just limited to psychometric traits but takes into consideration multiple other factors that are important in an individual’s career development process. These factors include their socio-economic background, past academic performance, leadership and other organisational skills, talents in specific fields, religious and cultural background and also the parent’s perspective about the individual.
Hikewise’s career counselling mechanism is one of its kind where structured application of human intelligence is supported by a scientific and objective approach that comes without the baggage of biases and prejudices.
Our advanced mechanism borne out of extensive research successfully eliminates the influence of human biases using state of the art techniques like machine learning and artificial intelligence. And through our career development executive (CDE) training program, we have been able to produce highly skilled individuals who are well trained and equipped to effectively use such a mechanism.
The Hikewise career counselling mechanism works in a simple 3 step process:
Online assessment:
Hikewise’s online assessment that covers the most important dimensions of a person’s psychometric makeup like Interest, Aptitude, Personality, Work Value Preferences, and Emotional Intelligence
Know Yourself: 50+ pages report that delves into great detail on multiple traits that describe a person’s psychometric dimensions. The report gives a detailed definition, a critical analysis based on the score and suggests improvement strategies for each trait assessed by the test. It also gives the five career fields/two stream options that are the best fit for the person.
Personalised guidance from experts: Hikewise’s unique post-assessment career counselling mechanism that includes a one to one counselling session with our career expert. At the end of the process, the person get a detailed action plan for your future solving all their needs related to career planning, academic success, and personal and social development
The best time for students to make use of career counselling is when they are between 13 to 17 years of age (ie. from 8th standard to 12th standard). What makes this age very important is the fact that the students witness a lot of changes taking place in their life during this time, they move from school to college and fight all those “adolescent” issues. And this is the time when they make their most crucial career decisions. And thus they are in need of someone who can guide them to the right direction.
In India, parents have an active role in shaping their child’s career and studies say that at least 51% of Indian parents clearly prioritise their child’s financial success in future. And parents do take a hands-on approach in making their child’s career decisions. This works at times, but many a time it doesn’t since each and every child is unique which makes it extremely difficult for parents or teachers to clearly understand the child’s passion, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. And this makes the career counselling process much more important.
Career Counselling helps them make their perfect stream/course choice after 10th or 12th.
Career Counselling helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Career Counselling helps them understand which career fields would be the best fit for them.
Career Counselling allows them to explore more about different career fields in detail.
Career Counselling helps them to understand what skills they need to build for a bright future.
Career Counselling gives them access to the resources and knowledge that a career expert possesses.
Career Counselling helps them solve their academic issues and removes career-related frustration.
Career counselling helps them to come out of adverse behavioral patterns like procrastinating, not keeping updated on latest developments in their chosen career paths, neglecting emotional and mental health, not trying to self-motivate, etc. A Career Counselling expert helps break such behavioral patterns that lead to unproductive activities, both at home and in school/college/work.
For college students who might still be confused about what they really want to do, or for a professional who is looking forward to a transition from their current field to something else that they love to do, the career counselling process helps in the following manner.
Career Counselling helps them identify the possible career paths that they can pursue
Career Counselling helps them understand how they can perform to their fullest potential in their current course/profession by identifying their strengths and weaknesses.
Career Counselling gives them a chance to discuss and take help from experts about what what they would like to pursue and the obstacles that makes them worried.
Career Counselling makes a career switch a very non-stressful process.
Career Counselling helps them boost their confidence to make a change in their domain by taking support from experienced mentors.
Hikewise’s online career counsellors are created through the Hikewise Career Development Executive Training Program. Created and delivered by eminent educators, industry experts, psychologists and master trainers, the Hikewise CDE Program is the perfect stepping stone to building a career in the domain of career counselling.
The participants for the Hikewise CDE program
On the completion of the initial training program, the CDEs enter the continuous learning environment which we see as a core pillar of our firm’s culture. The multiple learning exercises that happen on a weekly and monthly basis throughout the year enhances their skills, abilities and perceptions enabling them to become the “expert” who gives you the perfect career counselling through the Hikewise post-assessment counselling mechanism.
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