Exam results

MESSAGE OF HOPE FOR HSC STUDENTS: “DON’T BE DISCOURAGED”

Students who completed the Higher School Certificate in 2013 will receive their examination results today.

Whilst many will be delighted and excited by their results, there will inevitably be many who have not received the marks they’d hoped for or expected to receive and will be disappointed.

Social researcher and founder of LeavingSchool.com.au, Jeff Gilling said: “Unfortunately, many of the generation of students leaving school today have been taught that it is possible to have reward without effort. This is the generation who when they played pass the parcel, there was a prize under every layer. It’s the generation who have grown up playing Saturday morning sport where the prize for ‘Best on Field’ was rotated around the team each week. By and large it is a generation who has not experienced all of the vicissitudes – the ups and downs of life – and have not learned resilience. So, for many these results could be the first major disappointment they will have faced.”

Mr Gilling added: “It is important that students understand the HSC is not the be all and end all of life. Although they may be disappointed with their results it’s important they not be discouraged, because life actually does have a way of working itself out.”

“It’s really important that you go and talk to your teachers and talk to your schools about what are the other options. There are many ways to get to where you want in terms of work and in terms of study. Don’t be disappointed. There are many pathways to get to where you want to go. You first have to know where you want to get to.”

However, many students do not know what they want to do next, in which case it might be really useful for them to do a careers psychometric test, a series of questions that will help uncover their likes and dislikes and assist them to make values-based decisions about what to do with their future.

Dr Gavin Didsbury, a Director Psych Press, Talent Management Psychologists in Melbourne agrees. Dr Didsbury said: “Research shows that the average adult will make over 7 career changes in their lifetime. But, how do they decide what they want to do?  A career assessment can help both students and adults with ideas about potential careers that may be a match for their skills and interests and allow them to explore how well-suited they might be for a particular job or career.”

A career assessment provides both an individual and a manager with the information they need to make better career decisions, and avoid spending money on the wrong training for a career which may not suit them.

The assessment won’t necessarily point out an absolute “dream job”, but it will measure things such as interests, values, personality or aptitude, provide a comparison with the general population, and indicate careers which are most likely to suit.  The results are merely suggestions based on statistics which indicate what sort of attributes most commonly are found in particular careers.

Doing work that is fulfilling can dramatically increase happiness, self-confidence, and productivity, and also improve a company’s performance. A career self-assessment is an important tool that can help identify possible career paths and avoid ending up in careers they don’t enjoy and are not psychologically suited to.

The idea is that if certain types of interests, values and personality enjoy certain types of jobs, we can scientifically predict what types of jobs someone is likely to enjoy.  A good example is CareeringAhead®.

It works by comparing a person’s interests, values and aptitude with thousands of other people, and thus identifying high preference scores with career possibilities that they are both likely to enjoy and be successful at. This career test provides a seamless gateway to a range of educational and career resources so that people can explore and learn more about potential careers using information such as tasks, experience, education and training needed that is tailored and specific to the individual.

Career tests open up possibilities by helping you uncover the tasks, experience, education and training needed for your next career or educational move. This enables you to make better career decisions, market yourself to your best advantage, and avoid spending money on the wrong education.

 

—Ends—

GILLING www.gilling.com.au is a strategic research, media and communications consultancy. Founded in 2003, Gilling has worked with many of Australia’s most recognisable brands. Its Principal, Social Researcher Jeff Gilling is regularly called upon by media to comment on the demographic and social trends that are shaping our changing world.

 

LEAVINGSCHOOL.COM.AU www.LeavingSchool.com.au website and eMagazine was founded in 2013 to provide resources for parents, teachers and students to best assist students make the transition from life at school to life after school. The first issue is available here: www.issuu.com/LeavingSchool

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, HI-RES IMAGES, COMMENT OR INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT:

 

Jeff Gilling, Founder, LeavingSchool.com.au          Mobile: 0432 011 600

                                                                                                         Email:    jeff@leavingschool.com.au

 

 

Dr Gavin Didsbury, Director, Psych Press              Mobile: 0412 535 913

                                                                                                         Office:   03 9670 0590

                                                                                                         Email:    gavin.didsbury@psychpress.com