Career Counselling: Reflections

I remember having a cup of tea with an old friend sometime back.

Her daughter was in senior school and she was all set about her career interests and options. I asked her what was she aspiring to become.

She told me that she comes from a family of Chartered Accountants. Her husband has a setup and it is only practical that her children do the same. They will find it easier to establish themselves and also internships etc will get managed more easily as they are from the same professional fraternity.

As a friend, I saw the wisdom in what she was suggesting. I was also mildly envious of such a sorted and planned career path for her children, something I cannot even dream of.

Then I asked her, but would her children enjoy this profession? She explained to me that happiness with career is basically based on money. It is hard to earn money and given the indulgent lifestyle the children are used to it is best one stays practical.

Hmm, we went on to talk about many other things.

Somewhere along came the grievance of how her children both in their late teens don’t even make their beds or clean up their rooms. She explained emphatically about how she and her husband end up doing everything for them and often feel very stressed. I felt really bad for her and could empathise as I sometimes have felt the same way.

And then I thought, how practical is it to give our children everything on a platter including their careers?

And so, it dawned on me ever so gently. Career counselling is not just about careers and interests. It is about parenting, mindsets, families and the society at large. Please choose your counsellor wisely. It will be one of the best investments of your life.

Think, introspect and connect with your work identity. Happiness follows!