Career counselling;questions and answers

Q1: Dear Syed Abidi, I am writing to you after reading the advertisement in The News regarding your expertise in career counselling and education. I have a strong academic background in Social Sciences with an MSc degree in Development Studies, MPhil in International Development Studies and MA in English Literature. I also have a great number of years of experience, although it is spread across many organisations. I am currently awaiting results for Fulbright scholarship programme after passing the graduate record exam with good scores. In case, I am selected I will be going to the US for a PhD next year. I am, however, seeking a job actively since I have been out of job for quite a while and I am also seeking advice for current and future direction of my career. Therefore, I am looking forward to meet you whenever it is possible. I have shared my resume for further details of my work experience and education. (Waqas Asmat, Karachi)

A: It is good to hear about your outstanding and successful academic career. I have also gone through your CV and I’m sure you will get a response from the organisation that you apply. However, I’m not someone who can help you with a job as it is beyond our domain of services which mainly deal in providing guidance and career counselling and help in choosing the right profession.

I would like to wish you all the best in your pursuit of the Fulbright scholarship and I’m hopeful that you will complete your research in the US with excellence.

Q2: I am a recent business graduate having BBA (Hons) degree with majors in Finance from SZABIST. I am currently confused when it comes to making a decision that which post-graduate degree programme should I prefer? I have also been awarded with six papers exemption in ACCA but the problem is saturation of ACCAs and BBA graduates in the current market of Pakistan. Kindly assist me with your knowledge which degree programme related to finance or any other relevant field will be beneficial for me and also suggest me that should I pursue MBA here in Pakistan or from abroad. (Farhan Ali Memon, Karachi)

A: Having looked at your academic profile, the first option that you should consider is going abroad for a Master’s degree in Financial Risk Management or Finance and Investment. If funding is a hurdle to education abroad I would suggest that you find a job either in a public or private sector organisation within the financial sector and related to your choice of specialism and work for few years. This will provide you with an understanding of the major areas in accounting and finance and will let you help to choose a career going forward whether it is further education or continuing the job through professional and department courses etc.

Q3: Sir, I have done MPhil (Statistics). I need your help in selection of job as I have been offered two jobs—one job as subject teacher (Statistics) in a private college, and the other is government job as LDC. As I am much confused and tensed that which job should I have to choose. Private job is related to my field and if I get in touch with my field I will be working in any university in the future but if I go for government LDC job it is totally out of my way and the studies I have done will be wasted and I couldn't grow up/promote too early in government sector. My family members are pursuing me to join government job as it is permanent job and it has many benefits when we get retired.

One more thing, I have to join college from the next week and the government job I have been offered is on the basis of deceased father quota. So I am confused what I should do. (Syed Abbas, Rawalpindi)

A: I tend to agree with you that with your MPhil in Statistics doing a government job at such a low tier is not recommended at all. Since you have done an MPhil taking up a more respectable profession in teaching is a better option. I’m sure with little bit of experience you would be able to apply elsewhere in the public sector and may get a job either through the Public Service Commission or through direct/ ad hoc induction. Which I think would be permanent job going forward. I wish you all the best.

Q4: I have done BA (Hons) 4-year in Philosophy in 2013. My CGPA is also average 2.78 after that I tried my luck in CSS in 2015 exam but I was dropped in English subjects later there is a gap of two years then again in 2017, I had done six-month computer course, two-month import export course and four-month Chinese basic language course from Punjab University. I need your opinion on some courses which I am going to mention you tell me is it ok to choose any one course, Master in Human Resource Management, Masters in History or Pakistan Studies because my education background is in arts then I will do MPhil and PhD, and fourth MS in Project Management? I am also thinking about Hotel Management course which have scope in Middle East and Europe.

Please also tell me can we do MPhil in any humanities subject like History / Political Science/ Sociology etc., after BA (Hons) in Philosophy and also what is the scope of MS in Criminology in Pakistan. (Ahmad, Lahore)

A: Having gone through your academic profile, there are a couple of options that you can consider within the social science sector. Human Resource Management is an emerging area and if you do well you may find career opportunities both in the industry as well as in teaching. A masters in Hotel Management is also a good option to top up your degree in philosophy and try to make a career in hotel and tourism industry where social science, understanding of customer relation, public dealing etc., may help you progress well.

I don’t think so project management is going to align well with your degree in Philosophy and therefore, I will not recommend this option. I wish you best in your future plans going forward.

(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).