Career counselling: questions and answers

Syed By Azhar Husnain Abidi

Q1) Respected Abidi Sahib, I am a little bit confused in choosing study destination abroad for which I need your help. I did Civil Engineering from National University of Science and Technology. I am offered scholarship by HEC for Italy, Turkey and South Korea. Your suggestions in choosing suitable country and university shall be highly appreciated. (Jaazib Rizvi, Karachi)

Ans: I need more details if you wish to avail proper guidance. For this purpose, at least I need your grades/GPA of your NUST degree including your area of interest that you wish to follow as specialization related to Civil Engineering and your future plan after completion of your postgraduate degree. I would advise you to short list the institutions according to courses offer by those institutions and your course of interest. Faculty, research and rankings can be a key factor in finalising a university/institution.

Q2) Dear Abidi, I have got admission in International Relations at Punjab University. Previously I did BA with History of Islam and Pakistan, Journalism and Arabic. Now I want you to please guide me as I have a plan to appear for CSS exam after passing my masters. (Rauf Amjad, Lahore)

Ans: Doing International Relations (IR) after a bachelor in social science shows that you are on right track. I would not recommend doing Mass Communication and only suggest doing IR with such academic background. To attempt CSS you need to be fluent in English both communication and comprehension. Furthermore, you need to have extensive knowledge of current affairs, politics both local and international and up to date knowledge of social and economic factors of the region. Having good command over basic science coupled with the knowledge of above mentioned areas, I can say you will have brighter chances of success in CSS.

Q3). Dear sir, I wish to take up BS Accounting & Finance. For this I request your expert advice and guidance about it is future scope in our country? (Mehwish Shakeel, Gujranwala)

Ans: Please note that the subject you have chosen for your BS is one of the most important and key areas of management and social science domain. However, studying a degree is not worth it if you don’t have enough vision and choosing future career /profession to specialise and would advise you to put to work your qualifications towards a specific area of specialty whether it is BS Accounting & Finance or any other area of specialisation.

Q4). Dear Abidi, I did O-levels exam in 5A*and 4A, now I am student of A levels which I am doing with Chemistry, Physics, Math and Computer Science. I have done my As. I have developed interest in different kind of subject areas related to Physics, Computer Sciences, Management and Art and Design. I want to pursue a field that offers more job opportunities, pays well and is suitable for females. Your guidance in choosing a specific future career should by highly appreciated. (Riffat Gohar, Faisalabad)

Ans: I’m pleased to note that you are a high caliber and a high achiever student. I would like to say that you should keep the good work going. As far as the combination of Physics, Computer Science and Management is concerned, it’s very lethal and ideal for several emerging professions especially for females. However, I would like to meet you at some point to provide you further guidance after a one to one counselling session. I think that you should start searching and investigating the following degrees: Internet Security, Cybercrime and Investigative Management, Management Information Systems, Digital Forensics, etc.

(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).