How career guidance can improve job prospects for young people?

Young people are always in search of answers to the questions related to their career and the most common questions they have in their mind is “How to clarify career goals and how to achieve them? Right guidance at the right time cannot only improve the chances of their job prospects but can also help them march ahead in life with clarity. Career guidance can help them in the following ways

Before we discuss how career guidance can improve job prospects, let's understand the meaning of career guidance as a process. Career guidance is the process of helping individuals (school or college students or professionals) in identifying suitable occupational or self-development alternatives and in taking career decisions based on the demand and needs of the future of work.

Career guidance can enable individuals in moving from the general understanding about career to a more specific understanding of the practical career options available.

1. Transition from school or college to work: One of the fundamental reasons why career guidance is needed is to help in the transition from school or college to work environment, high-quality advice is essential to help young people in making informed decisions about their career and how they can make the transition towards the career direction of their interest.
2. Broaden the perspective: Young people depend upon their own research, perspectives of their near dear ones for career-related questions while some of them are able to conclude correctly based on these resources, however, some people need more insights in terms of career guidance, in order to start moving ahead with the clarity, is important to start with a broader perspective and then gradually narrowing down to few aspects which are closer to the goals and areas of interest. Career guidance definitely helps in expanding the perspective.
3. Self-assessment: There are various tools available that can be used to help individuals do their self-assessment, by doing self-assessment they will get clarity about who they are in terms of not just skills but behavioral aspects as well. Once they are able to identify their strengths very clearly it can help them in moving to the next direction by setting their goals very clearly.
4. Clarify career goals: After doing self-assessment the next step that young people need help in setting the career goals, if their career goals are linked to the outcome of their self assessment, it will allow them to explore job opportunities as per their natural interest and capabilities, by doing this they will be able to maximize their potential and have a deeper sense of job satisfaction in the future as well.
5. Developing the right strategies: After identifying the career goals the next step in which guidance is required is in developing the right strategies to get the desired career goals. By developing the right strategy one can reduce the turnaround time of finding out the right career opportunities and can take steps in a very focused manner.
6. Resolution of career conflict: “Career Conflict” is a very common scenario that often takes place between parents and children about the choices related to career, and it should be looked at in a positive sense. By going through a step by step process of identifying career goals to creating the right strategy this conflict can be resolved very smoothly and both the parties involved in the conflict can get aligned towards a specific career objective.

The transition from education to employment is a decisive point in time for young people. While this transition stage provides young people the opportunity to strengthen skills, develop a sense of job -readiness, and make decisions about their lives and career paths. Effective career guidance can definitely improve the job prospects for young people.