Interview with Ms. Kulpreet Kaur

Kulpreet Kaur is a skilled counsellor in Career Development, HR Consulting, Coaching, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Psychological Assessment. An academic consultant, Kulpreet is also known as a strong professional with a MA Psychology focused in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

When did you know that you wanted to be an academic counselor?

I liked teaching from the beginning. The first time when my grandfather held me in his arms he told my mother that he would want me to a professor. Somewhere the nature of the nurturance brought me in this field.

What strategies did you use to be successful in this career?

I have an intrinsic interest to learn and it is easy for me to express it in a way that the other person understands. This was the core quality and then these things added to my success.

What are the challenges that you faced while choosing this field?

Not much! It just happened for me, somebody was going on a leave and there was a casual conversation over a cup of tea where I expressed my interested for it and fortunately got selected.

Did your friends and family supported you in your decision?

My family including my parents and husband always wanted me to be in academics so I have always got lot of support from them.

What changes you advocate in today’s education system?

The place from where people come to study is not always an intrinsically motivational, they fall apart before completing their program. They are not sure of what they want to study sometimes there is just peer pressure or people telling them what to do. I think there should be a sufficient time wherein people should be able to explore of what is their inner calling then it will become easier for everybody.

Do you agree that new technologies have changed the map of education?

Yes! It is easier. Because the communication has become fast, we do not have to wait for the session to begin. Students can begin to talk on whatsapp and can communicate through email. They can easily send their stuff and get a response and proceed on. So yes, absolutely, it has become much faster.

What is the best thing about being a professor?

When students come to study something and sometimes they do not know the road map how to reach. When you see a person completing a project and being happy that happiness reflects on their life which in turn reflects on my life. So I think happiness is the most important thing I get out of teaching and counseling psychology.

Do you think mentoring students is different from teaching them? How?

Yes, teaching is a one way traffic wherein a teacher gets up and says or discusses a topic. On the other hand in mentoring the person is also an active participant in the entire process. It should be both ways there are times when a counselor has to become a teacher, likewise a teacher has to become a mentor. It can be changed between the two.

In your opinion, what personal and professional traits are desirable for mentoring students?

Begins from intrinsic motivation and then it spreads depending on the subjects. I do psychology and I have a motivation to do it for people then I am willing to learn, willing to adapt to wherever it goes in terms of counseling students. The knowledge of the subject is like a personal trait. Second thing is the knowledge of the subject sufficient information so that you can impart it to the students in a way they can understand. These things are necessary for the entire thing. From the students’ end we also need the person’s willingness, need and necessity to do it and for it to become formal stamp or system for them. Then the student can take it and use the knowledge in their daily life.

Would you like to share the success mantra among students?

Your interest to do it. Why you have to do it and the skills if you have them.  Of course your intrinsic variables, if these two things match there is no stopping for a person.

Do you have any special plans for your future?

I would do some research, post doc studies and I would publish some papers of what I have been thinking about. I don’t want to plan too much in advance as things change but yes would like to see myself doing post doc studies. Let’s see how it is destine for me.