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Thursday March 28, 2024

Career counselling: questions and answers

By Syed Azhar Husnain Abidi
May 02, 2022

Q1: I have done my Master in Economics from the University of Punjab, Lahore with 74% marks in 2016 but unluckily I failed to get a relevant job so far. Please guide me on what should I do now? If I do MPhil then which branch of Economics should I choose? (Khalid Murad - Lahore)

Ans: You did great and my advice for you is that you should get a few years of teaching experience in either a school or college and then opt for an MPhil. Practically MPhil alone will not help you to find a job. I am sure if you send your CV to different schools and colleges you will be called for an interview with such good grades.

Q2: I am doing MSc in Gender and Women Studies. Please let me know if it has any scope in Pakistan and abroad. People are making me confused by their different opinions; therefore, I want you to guide me in this matter. I am looking forward to your best advice. (Akhter Farhan - Peshawar)

Ans: It is an important subject you chose, with a built-in specialism. I am sure you would be able to find opportunities not only in Pakistan but internationally. However, you must have a very strong base in English. I would suggest you do an IELTS and TOEFL as soon as you complete your masters.

Q3: I am a Telecom Engineer by profession but now I want to study politics, history, current affairs, etc. but I wonder where should I start? Kindly guide me and send a short list of fine and reliable books to study.

Ans: Numerous books are available on amazon.com and other legit bookstores online and also perhaps in libraries across the country which you can consult. However, this should be only for your interest in this subject as there is no relationship between your engineering degree and a degree in politics.

Q4: I read your column weekly. So, I decided to write to you for some advice regarding my career. Sir, I passed my FSc exam with 918/1100 last year. I scored 931/1050 marks in matriculation. I appeared for the medical entrance exam twice but unfortunately, I could not achieve my goal and it’s very difficult for my parents to afford the fee and charges of a private medical college. So, I got admission in BSc with botany, zoology, and chemistry as my main subjects. I always wanted to be a doctor so I have also applied for DPT (doctor of physiotherapy) but people say it’s not an appropriate degree for girls. So, being a career guide, could you please help me by telling me what should I choose, being a girl, which will secure my future and will be helpful for me. (Razia Hameed - Bahawalnagar)

Ans: Physiotherapy is also a good subject of choice to study. However, to pursue this subject, a person must maintain a strong physique, which is not recommended for females. Better areas to do a degree would be molecular biology, microbiology, and biotechnology which all have good prospects for females in the future.

(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).