Q&A with career guidance psychologist Tes-Caroline Peter

Question (Q): Why is career guidance important for students at a high school level?

Answer (A): Career guidance helps students make informed decisions about their education, future careers, and personal development. High school is a critical period where students begin making choices that can influence future opportunities. Effective career guidance provides students with the knowledge, self-awareness, and confidence needed to align their strengths, interests, values, and abilities with realistic career pathways. It also helps reduce uncertainty and ensures students make decisions based on understanding rather than pressure or assumptions.

Q: What are the most common mistakes students make when choosing subjects or career paths?

A: One of the most common mistakes is making decisions based solely on external influences such as peer pressure, family expectations, social media trends, or perceived prestige. Students may also choose subjects without fully understanding how they connect to future career opportunities. Another mistake is focusing only on what they enjoy while overlooking their abilities, values, and long-term goals. Career decisions are most successful when students consider the bigger picture rather than a single factor.

Q: How can students make informed decisions about their future if they feel unsure or overwhelmed?

A: Feeling uncertain about the future is completely normal. Students should begin by gathering information, exploring different career options, speaking with professionals, attending career fairs, and seeking guidance from career counsellors or mentors. Rather than expecting to have all the answers immediately, students should focus on exploration and self-discovery. Career development is a journey, not a single decision, and clarity often comes through experience and exposure.

Q: What are practical ways students can identify their strengths, interests and passions?

A: Students can start by reflecting on activities they enjoy, subjects they excel in, and tasks that make them feel motivated and engaged. Seeking feedback from teachers, parents, friends, and mentors can also provide valuable insights. Participating in extracurricular activities, volunteering, leadership opportunities, job shadowing, and internships allows students to discover what energises them and where their natural talents lie. Often, passions are not simply found – they are developed through experience.

Q: How important is self-awareness when it comes to career success?

A: Self-awareness is one of the most important foundations of career success. Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, personality, and motivations helps you make decisions that align with who you are. Students who are self-aware are more likely to choose careers that provide long-term satisfaction and fulfilment. They are also better equipped to navigate challenges, adapt to change, and make decisions with confidence throughout their lives.

Q: How should students balance passion, skills, and financial stability when choosing a career?

A: A successful career often lies at the intersection of passion, competence, and opportunity. Passion is important because it fuels motivation and perseverance, but it should be balanced with practical considerations such as job demand, financial sustainability, and personal strengths. Students should aim to pursue careers where their interests align with their abilities while also considering the realities of the labour market. The goal is not to choose between passion and stability but to find a balance that allows both to coexist.

Q: Is it okay for students to change their career direction later in life?

A: Absolutely. Career paths today are far less linear than they were in previous generations. Many successful professionals change careers multiple times throughout their lives as their interests, circumstances, and opportunities evolve. Students should understand that choosing a career path now does not lock them into one direction forever. Lifelong learning, adaptability, and continuous growth are becoming increasingly important in a rapidly changing world.

Q: What are the biggest mental health challenges students are currently facing?

A: Many students are experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, burnout, self-doubt, and pressure related to academic performance and future success. Social media can also contribute to unhealthy comparisons and unrealistic expectations. Additionally, some students struggle with balancing school responsibilities, family expectations, social relationships, and personal well-being. These challenges highlight the importance of creating supportive environments where students feel heard, understood, and empowered to seek help when needed.

Q: What are simple strategies students can use to cope with academic pressure and stress?

A: Students can benefit from developing healthy routines that include effective time management, regular physical activity, sufficient sleep, and scheduled breaks. Setting realistic goals and breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable steps can make workloads feel less overwhelming. Maintaining supportive relationships and talking openly about challenges can also reduce stress. Importantly, students should remember that their worth is not defined by their grades, and seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Q: What key skills should students start developing now to succeed after school?

A: Students should focus on developing transferable skills that are valuable across all industries. These include communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, emotional intelligence, teamwork, leadership, digital literacy, and time management. In an ever-changing world, the ability to learn continuously, embrace change, and work effectively with others will be just as important as technical knowledge.