Introduction
Career Counseling is becoming a popular psychological intervention that multiple students (from schools and colleges) and workers are choosing. This professional support enhances a person’s career growth and development.
Some of the standard elements of Career Counseling include:
i) Career Counselor
ii) Client
iii) Career Counseling tools
This psychological guidance involves the usage of various tools and techniques that help counselors gain insight into their clients’ personalities and other factors.
Reasons to opt for Career Counseling:
Listed below are a few reasons why individuals opt for career counseling:
For students:
i) Career exploration (gain more information regarding a field)
ii) Career conflict decisions
iii) Improvement of academic performance
iv) Exam stress management
v) Conflict resolution between Parents/Guardians and the child
vi) prepare for entrance examinations
Learning a c various reers skills
Working professionals freshers and experience prepare for job interviews preparation of cover letter resume/Curriculum Vita)
ii) Guidance with job search
iii) Careers skills development
iv) Job satisfaction
v) Career transition process
What are Psychometric Assessments?
The word psychometric can be divided into two terms:
- i) Psychological
- ii) Measurement
The layman’s definition of these assessments is the calculation of the psychological capacity of the human brain.
Psychometric Test For Career defines psychometric assessments are scientific tools administered by psychologists or counselors for their clients. They help the experts to identify, analyze, and understand an individual’s strengths, weaknesses, personality, aptitude, and emotional intelligence. (IQ and EQ)
Psychometric assessments play a significant role in career counseling. They are conducted by the career counselors before the session begins. An interpretive report based on the persons’ responses is made.
Types of Psychometric Assessments and their uses
There are seven major types of psychometric assessment:
i) Multiple intelligences
According to Howard Gardner, there are nine types of intelligence that an individual can possess. They include-
a) Naturalistic
Individuals with great naturalistic intelligence joy spending time outdoors with plants and animals. They make great botanists, zoologists, hikers, etc.
b) Linguistic
People who have high linguistic intelligence make great writers, poets, and teachers. They are comfortable with words and love reading and writing.
c) Visual-spatial
Best Career Counseling in mumbai defines visual-spatial intelligence as the capacity of a person to analyze and perceive visual information in their environment. They make great designers, architects, and builders. These individuals have a good memory, a clear sense of direction, and a sense of distance and measurements.
d) Interpersonal
Interpersonal intelligence is the ability of an individual to emotionally understand and interact with the people around them. They are sensitive to the atmosphere and temperament and are good communicators.
e) Intra-personal
An intrapersonal individual is well aware of their emotions, feelings, state, and moods. They are introspective, daydreamers, aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and progressive.
f) Musical
An individual with this intelligence appreciates musical expressions. They love to play instruments and produce music in different genres. People who have high musical intelligence become music producers or singers.
e) Existential
It is related to abstract reasoning. Existentially intelligent people are sensitive, introspective, and seek answers to deep life questions. They are motivated, driven, and look at the bigger picture.
f) Logical/Mathematical
These people are good with numbers. They logically solve their problems and find solutions. They conduct scientific research, apply formulas, and are good mathematicians.
g) Bodily-Kinesthetic
It is correlated with kinesthetic learning. These individuals love to create and learn easily by exploring and discovering concepts.
They are skilled at dancing and sports, have excellent body coordination and a wide set of physical activities.
ii) Aptitude assessment
Aptitude refers to a set of skills that can be trained and learned by an individual. There are seven aptitude abilities of a human being:
a) Numerical skills
Mathematical knowledge
b) Verbal skills
Linguistic knowledge and communication
c) Spatial skills
Comprises of the ability to create and replicate visual images/diagrams
d) Psychomotor coordination skills
Refers to the coordination of various body parts and reflexes of an individual – cognitive processes & physical movement
e) Mechanical reasoning
Solving problems through the application of mathematical concepts
f) Abstract reasoning
Solving problems & deriving connections by thinking/hypothetical scenarios and ideas
g) Logical reasoning
Solving problems and arriving at conclusions through deduction of facts that are already present
iii) Personality
Personality assessments analyze a person’s character traits. They help career counselors match the personality to a suitable occupation. Examples include:
- OCEAN (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism)
- MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)
iv) Core and Professional values
Values are psychological frameworks that influence individuals to behave in a particular way. Values contain subjective morals and priorities. It is essential to understand and analyze an individual’s values before choosing a suitable job.
v) Job satisfaction scale
When a working professional wants to switch jobs or fields, this scale measures their current job satisfaction, workplace environment, income & reward factors, work stress, and other aspects. Their future expectations of the new career field are also taken into account during the career counseling session.
Importance of Psychometric Assessments
Listed below are standard benefits of using psychometric assessments:
1) Assess strengths and limitations
Through the usage of SWOT analysis, a person’s strong and weak aspects are identified. This technique aids in career development and growth.
2) Combating herd mentality
Many students are influenced to choose a career option or academic program based on parental influence or peer pressure.
Psychometric assessments give the client deeper insight into the personality and interests, so they can break this social conformity.
3) Obtaining accurate information
More than 200 career fields are available for students, but the knowledge about them is scarce. Career counselors use psychometric assessments to educate an individual more about their particular occupation and help them pursue their desired field.
4) Creating an Action Plan
Career counselors use psychometric assessment results to give the client potential career options. This helps them generate an action plan which will help their client in the future.
5) Job satisfaction
These scales analyze how happy the worker is about their job, so they understand whether any changes must be implemented or they should change careers.
