Career Guidance

The article in the last issue (November 2006) gave us an insight into Howard Gardner’s theory of Intelligence, highlighting Linguistic intelli-gence (Being word smart) and Logical-mathematical intelli-gence (Being number/reasoning smart). In this issue, let us know more about spatial, inter-personal and intra-personal intelligence


1. Spatial intelligence (Being picture smart)

Spatial intelligence is the ability of an individual to realise and mentally manipulate a form or object, and to perceive and create tension, balance and composition in a visual or spatial display. Spatial Intelligence is the ability to create visual-spatial representations of the world and to transfer those representations either mentally or concretely. People with visual /spatial intelligence are good at Paintings, Sculptures, Diagrams, Plans, Models, Mazes, Murals, Jigsaw puzzles, Drawings, Photographs, Maps, Cartoons, Collages, Flow charts. They learn by Visualising, Dreaming, Using the mind’s eye, Working with colours/pictures.


The strengths in a person with Visual/Spatial Intelligence:

1. Love to draw, build things and have a keen eye for detail.

2. Enjoy puzzles and are mechanically adept

3. Remember places by description or image, Can interpret maps

4. Good at imagining things, sensing changes, mazes/puzzles, reading maps and charts


Prospective careers

An artist, Architect, Urban planner, Explorer, Surveyor, Navigator, Mechanic, Ship’s captain, Cartoonist, Curator, Interior designer, Chess player, Photographer, Fashion designer, Florist,   Graphic designer, Web designer.


2. Inter-personal intelligence
(Being people smart)

Interpersonal Intelligence is the ability to understand other people, to notice their goals, motivations, intentions, and to work effectively with them. Interpersonal Intelligent people learn by Sharing, Comparing, Relating, Co-operating and interviewing. People with Inter-personal Intelligence do Group work, Mobilisation of people, (eg movements), Plays, Consensual decisions, Dialo-gues. Most of the Teachers, parents, politicians, psycholo-gists and sales people rely on interpersonal intelligence to carry out their work. Students exhibit this intelligence when they thrive on small-group work, when they notice and react to the moods of their friends and classmates and when they tactfully convince the teacher of their need for extra time to complete the homework assignment.



The strengths in a person with Inter-personal Intelligence:

1. Demonstrate empathy towards others, admired by peers.

2. Display skills of leadership and work with full co-operation.

3. Sensitive to the feelings of others.

4. Good at understanding people, mediating or counseling them.

5. Good at organising, communicating and sometimes manipulating people


Prospective careers

Be a teacher, Social worker, Receptionist, Salesperson, Entrepreneur, Politician, Nurse, Counsellor, Manager, Priest/minister/rabbi, Tour guide


3. Intra-personal intelligence ( Being self smart)

Intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to gain access to understand one’s inner feelings, dreams and ideas. Intrapersonal Intelligence is personal knowledge turned inward to the self. This form of intellect entails the ability to understand one’s own emotions, goals and intentions. A person with Intrapersonal Intelligence will Write poems, Family histories, Write Diaries, Do art works, write Autobiography, etc… Intrapersonal Intelligence people learn by Working alone, Individualised projects, Self-paced instruction, having own space.


The strengths in a person with Intra-personal Intelligence are :

1. Like being original and can easily communicate feelings.

2. Aware of strengths and weaknesses

3. Set appropriate goals and work towards ambition

4. Good at understanding one self and focusing inward on feelings and dreams


Prospective Careers

Be a Poet, Autobiographer, Writer, Artist, Counsellor, Psychologist, etc.

(The author is a Career Counselor working with MSWT, CIGMA Foundation Bangalore & member, Institute of Career Guidance, UK)

M.S.W- Career Guidance and Info Center, # 214, United School Building, Ilyasnagar, J.P.Nagar Post, Bangalore - 560 078. Timings : 5PM - 8PM. Email : careerguidance@mswt.org Phone : 080-26669784. Mobile : 98455 67687

Semester at Sea provides study abroad opportunities for the exploration and study of many of the people, places and cultures around the world.


• The Under-graduate study abroad Program is available to students seeking their first bachelor degree at any accredited college or university.

• The Engineering Cohort makes it possible for students in under-graduate engineering programs to enjoy the study abroad experience during the unique summer semester program.

• The Lifelong Learning program invites non-student and senior travellers who are interested in the Semester at Sea adventure.

• Students currently enrolled in High School are encouraged to plan for study abroad while they are choosing their college or university.


Semester at Sea’s voyages take place aboard the MV Explorer, a 24,000-ton passenger ship built in 2002 and equipped as a floating university. As the heart of the Semester at Sea program, the ship quickly becomes home to students, faculty, and staff. The shipboard campus includes classrooms, study areas, and an 8,000-volume core library that supports the itinerary and the global, comparative academic focus of Semester at Sea. Other facilities include two dining rooms, a student union, a campus store, a swimming pool, fitness facilities, a wellness center, and a health clinic.


The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) was established with the mission to provide programs in international education that incorporate direct contact with people and cultures. The central ISE offices will be located in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia. ISE has partnered with the University of Virginia to provide the acclaimed Semester at Sea undergraduate study aboard program.


For more details, contact: Institute for Shipboard Education, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400885, Charlottesville, VA 22904, info@semesteratsea.com, www.semesteratsea.com

Applications are invited from citizens and residents of South Asian countries for the ASIA Fellows Awards 2007-08 awarded by the Asian Scholarship Foundation (ASF), Bangkok, which is funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation. The ASIA Fellows Awards offer opportunities for outstanding Asian scholars and professionals to conduct research in another Asian country for 6-9 months. The ASF Board of Directors selects the Fellows, oversees the program and makes policy decisions.


Eligibility: Citizens and residents of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Republic of Maldives, Sri Lanka. Applicants who are not residing in their own country at the time of application are disqualified. Applicants must be 45 years old or younger at the time of the application deadline. However, those up to 50 years old proposing to do research in the field of Humanities may be given special consideration.


For Application Forms and further information, please access the Asian Scholarship Foundation Website www.asian scholarship.org


All application materials must be received by : January 12, 2007 at: University of Pennsylvania, Institute for the Advanced Study of India, India Habitat Centre, Core 5A, Ist Floor, Lodi Road, New Delhi-110 003. Ph: (91-11) 2460-4126/27 Fax: (91-11) 2469-8201 E-mail: upiasi@del2.vsnl.net.in