KURNOOL: Finding job satisfaction is one of the key aspects that determine the productivity of an employee. With the job market revival in the slow lane post-Covid, it is more important now that young graduates and post-graduates choose the right career. S Rajasekhar, a career counsellor from Kurnool, has made it his life’s mission that the youngsters make the right choices.
“Career planning at a young age is an important aspect that every youth should keep in mind. I have counselled hundreds of students so far, and conducted job melas, placement programmes and other similar events,” he said. Rajasekhar, an MBA graduate, has earned the goodwill of the young and unemployed in Kurnool and neighbouring districts. Rajasekhar started counselling in 2001 and launched ‘First Step’, an initiative to help the unemployed find a job, in 2009. His institution now helps job-seekers understand what education provides versus what corporate expects, he said. ‘First Step’ is now ISO certified.
Rajasekhar has organised at least 800 workshops and sessions so far, giving career guidance and preparing the youth mentally ready for a job they had secured or an exam they were about to take. He also discussed self-employment opportunities with them. The counsellor from Kurnool offers his services to the poor for free. His efforts didn’t go unrecognised. In 2002, he signed an MoU with the State government and trained 150 unemployed youngsters to cater to the IT sector’s needs.
In 2004, he signed yet another MoU with the youth services department and trained 2,100 unemployed in customer relationship management and business process outsourcing (BPO) and helped them get jobs with TCS, Aegis and the like firms.
He signed a similar deal with Rajiv Udyoga Sri Society (2006), and a year later he helped another 300 young men and women secure jobs in the hospitality industry under the Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu programme. At present, he is preparing the unemployed, under MEPMA, in urban areas for IT jobs. He has been given the best counsellor and best life skills trainer awards.