How Can Parents Guide Their 12th Pass Children to Choose the Right Career in India?

The period immediately after Class 12 is often one of the most confusing phases in a student's life. The process of making career decisions can be daunting, from the entrance examinations to college applications, counselling sessions and endless advice from family. Meanwhile, students are expected to select a trajectory that will have a lasting impact on their careers for years to come.

This is also a difficult time for parents. Many people want their children to do well in their lives but find it difficult to meet their children's interests and aspirations with their own. With a rapidly evolving job market, it is no longer about picking the most popular career. Rather, it's about helping students discover a trajectory that aligns with their strengths, interests and aspirations.

Know your child before talking about career options.

The major error parents make is to think about career choices before they know the child. All students are different in terms of personality, learning style, interests, etc. A student who likes to solve mathematical problems can excel in data science or finance, while a student who likes to create and tell stories visually can excel in design, media, or animation.

Parents should first ask themselves, "What does my child really like to do?," and not "Which career earns the most money?". Talking about favourite subjects, hobbies, strengths and ambitions can often lead to a career direction that the student might not have thought of.

Students who are listened to, and understood, are more likely to make informed and confident choices about their future.

Discuss the new-age career opportunities

For a long time, careers like engineering, medicine and government service were the only ones discussed in Indian households. These still hold weight in society but today's students have an even broader choice of careers.

Every year new opportunities are emerging in fields like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cyber Security, Forensic Science, Biotechnology, Digital Marketing, Psychology, Game Design, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Journalism, Law, and Healthcare. The majority of these industries are growing quickly and provide a great opportunity for employment.

It is important for parents to explore these new career fields as well as traditional career fields. Knowing about current industries can assist families in making decisions based on opportunities instead of perception.

Emphasize Skills, Not Degrees

There has been a radical transformation in the job market. Employers are as interested today in the practical skills, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and industry exposure as they are in academic qualifications.

Parents should think beyond the name of the degree when choosing a course or college and consider the skills that the course provides.  They should ask questions like: 

• Are internships part of the curriculum? 
• Does it offer hands-on learning? 
• Do students have industry projects? 
• Is employability and career readiness a focus of the institution?

While a degree can open doors, skills help students build successful careers, and this is exactly what parents must understand. 

Encourage Career Counselling and Aptitude Assessment

A lot of students have no idea what they're good at and what they are interested in. Under these circumstances, career counseling services can be of great assistance. Career assessments and aptitude tests give information about a student's skills, interests, personality characteristics and work styles.

These evaluations should not be considered definitive judgments but as aids to decision making. They can assist students, parents, and counsellors in narrowing down appropriate academic and career options, in conjunction with conversations between these groups.

When students seek professional advice, they may not make their decisions based on peer pressure or societal expectations.

Don't compare your child with others

One of the most frequent causes of stress for students when planning their careers is comparison. Parents tend to make comparisons between their children and cousins, classmates or neighbours who may be following popular career paths.

But success is not to be gained by following another person's path. All students are unique in their abilities, aspirations and learning styles. A job that is ideal for one student might not be ideal for another.

Supporting individuality enables students to gain confidence and make decisions which are in accordance with their personal aspirations and not those of others.

Help them Know the Facts about a Particular Career

Students often choose careers based on limited information. The profession may be a good choice on the surface, but the duties and tasks and the problems may be quite different.

Parents can assist by encouraging students to do research on industries, talk to professionals, participate in career webinars, and explore internships whenever possible. Knowing what each job entails, how much they pay, what they offer in terms of career progression, work-life balance, and educational requirements helps students make more informed decisions. One of the best ways to lessen uncertainty and create clarity is by being aware of careers.

Develop a Career Exploration Supportive Environment

Don't make career choices out of fear. When students feel pressured, they are more likely to make decisions that they will regret. Parents should provide a setting in which children can freely express their interests, concerns, and goals.

It's important to note that career planning is not a singular event, but rather a process. Today's successful professionals have jobs that weren't around 10 years ago. Flexibility, learning and adaptability are gaining equal footing with selecting the right degree.

When parents encourage children to explore without making decisions for them, they may help children to be more confident and resilient.

Thing to Note

One of the most crucial steps a student takes in his life after Class 12 is the selection of a career. But it shouldn't be a race or an opinion that's made solely based on trends, social pressure or salary expectations.

Parents have a critical role in assisting students to make this transition. They can be trusted guides during one of the most significant times in their child's life through careful listening and encouraging exploration, understanding emerging career opportunities and focusing on the individual strengths of their child.

Ultimately, the most popular career isn't always the best one. It is the one that enables a student to develop, excel and create a meaningful life in line with his/her interests, capabilities and dreams.