Career counselling: questions and answers

Q1: After getting a master's degree in Commerce i.e. MCom, I have worked for NDMA. I was working as an Assistant Manager in the Finance and Accounts Department. Now I have decided to become a professional. For this, I need your guidance. (Raja Muntazim Hussain, Rawalpindi)

Ans: I can see you have been working with a well-known government agency of Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). I would like to advise you to consider doing a Diploma in Disaster Management, Crisis Management or you can study Rehabilitation. This will enhance your previous professional experience with NDMA and you will be more successful in the area of Disaster Management as a professional in the years to come.

Q2: Respected sir, I am doing O-Levels and have taken subjects related to Science. Now I’m thinking of studying medicine in the future. What do you think? Should I go for A levels or in your opinion or should change my study path and do FSc/ Intermediate so that I can get admission in a better medical institution? (Naseer Cheema, Sialkot)

Ans: Dear Naseer, if you are considering doing medicine, you should change/switch towards FSc Pre-Medical whether you should do it from a provincial or federal board. You may be aware of the fact that medical university entrance exams and the IBCC equivalence are more inclined towards FSc marks/ grades. FSc students mostly get better marks and qualify for the medical university entrance test. For this purpose, you will have to study very hard to get a good percentage if you do your O-Levels in good grades.

Q3: After BSc Chemistry, I did a Masters in Organic Chemistry. Now I want to pursue MS in Applied Chemistry from a foreign university. I want to know your opinion, please advise. (Tahir Ikram, Lahore)

Ans: Dear Tahir, in my opinion, you have adequate knowledge of Chemistry by now, and doing one more degree will not be helpful in the future especially when you wish to pursue this degree from a foreign institution. I will advise you to consider key popular subject areas which will enhance your current academic profile and open up new avenues of success in the future. These degrees can be MSc DNA & Biometrics, or MSc DNA Analysis.

Q4: Dear Mr Abidi, I am very much upset as I’m doing hard work to become a successful lawyer but my LLB degree is not worth it. Maybe I’m lacking the competency to attract clients. Therefore, I’m thinking of changing my profession to business or anything related but I am no longer interested in practicing law. Your advice shall be highly appreciated (Mimrah Latif, Sargodha)

Ans: Dear Mimrah, as you are already practicing law and you have knowledge of legal issues related to crime and must have studied many subjects to get a law degree. Masters in Cybercrimes would be a better choice which is an emerging degree and it requires basic knowledge of Computing with some subjects relevant to crimes committed over the internet. I’m very much confident this way you would be more successful not only in Pakistan's public or private sector but also in foreign countries.

(Syed Azhar Husnain Abidi is a renowned educationist in Pakistan, with more than 20 years of experience as provider of education counselling services. He has represented Pakistan in over 100 national and international seminars, conferences and fora. He is a recipient of the most coveted civil award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz).