METAVERSE-BASED CAREER COUNSELLING AND NETWORKING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

This study examines the prospect of the metaverse as an online platform for career counseling and networking in the context of higher education. The goal is to see how virtual settings can help students connect with the industry and make it easier for their search for jobs. The study analyzes the integration of metaverse in career services, such as virtual career fairs, online networking, and mentorship programs. This study adopts a qualitative methodology involving semi-structured interviews with three groups: college career services personnel, students, and industry representatives. Also, focus groups and participant observations of user experiences and perceptions in virtual career events provide rich, in-depth, qualitative data. The study also features case studies of colleges that have adopted metaverse-based career services to uncover best practices and hurdles. Results show that students are more engaged in Metaverse based career services and can network with professionals at a more affordable rate. It offers better working profiles and job opportunities along with significant inconveniences of technology challenges and the need for digital literacy training. The study provides evidence of the potential benefits of metaverse platforms to career development but cautions that careful planning and support mechanisms will be needed for successful roll-out. This research suggests that colleges can better serve employers by integrating virtual career services into their organizational structures and emphasizing user-friendliness and technical support. The research further emphasizes the novelty of metaverse based career services and warrants the need for more studies about how metaverse based career services will form the students and employability in longer term perspective.