By: Satyendra Kumar Singh, Executive Editor-ICN Group
Career is the base of your dreams; the dreams of the money, applause and any other materialistic or intangible assets you carry since your childhood.
LUCKNOW: It is your career that marks your identity. So, it is not just a career but your investments for the whole of your life and aspirations of your family, parents, yourself and generations to come. So, think wise and act wiser.
Most of us generally go for the conventional fields such as engineering, medical or management streams. Irony is that we later regret for the choices we ourselves have made during the process of career building. Then, what is the solution?
Happy reading!
Most of the careers actually go with the research to find the answers for the following:
- Why a particular career?
- Is it according to my interest?
- Does it suit my personality?
- Will it fetch me the income I aspire for?
While opting for a particular career after 10th or 12th, we search the opportunities in terms of educational, training and jobs. At this age, most of us are generally not aware of the process of analysing the best suited career path for ourselves. In fact, the analysis actually is done by the parents, teachers and friends. But the million-dollar question is that, are they fully aware of the answer to these4 basic questions mentioned above.
The technology and particularly internet has been a wonderful source of information for obtaining the desired know-how. However, such information generally gives the idea about the types of courses and institutions available after you complete your 10th or 12th. They generally do not match with your interests and personality.
Today, we are dwelling in a highly competitive world, thus a timely and correct decision is required for obtaining the kind of future and growth we are looking for.
In Indian scenario and in particular the urban areas, most of the career paths are actually planned after 10th or 12th. However, a major chunk actually lives in rural and sub-urban areas. While the urban population actually seeks further course of education, the rest of the masses do look for the jobs and wish to get trained for that.
It is highly suggested that you should know your abilities, aptitudes, interests and personality. Then search for the career options that match your attributes. Hunt for the courses, their eligibility and admission procedures of the institutions that suit you.
An effort has been made in this book to meticulously compile the list of, types & names of different courses offered by different educational institutes for different streams. This list is indicative and you should search the details of the institutions as per the constraints of the chosen career.
Let us first ponder upon the career options available. However, I would suggest that since every child is unique and has altogether different set of abilities and strengths; hence an expert analysis is required. This very exercise should go atleast between classes 8th to 10th. However, if such a facility is not available near you, try to analyse the inner abilities, hobbies, pattern of study, subject interests, and time management approach of the child. This would help in judging the future path of the student.
The 10th standard is the first crossroad in your career path. You have multiple options available and various illusions and peer pressure play a critical role in your choice. Most of the students opt for a particular course as his/her friend has opted for the particular stream. This is a misguided approach. Friendship and career path doesn’t go hand in hand for the reason that any incorrect decision taken at this moment may conclude later in a remorseful outcome.
So, lean towards that mentor who are into career related research and have open mindset. The current era has multiple and new fields of studies, hence is the difficulty. So, devote adequate time researching as this is the groundwork time for you. This research should focus on analysing the aptitude, verbal ability, numerical ability, mechanical ability, spatial ability and general ability. Psychometric profiling thus becomes a must at this stage.
The meeting with a career counsellor can help you to a great extent. Such a counselling sessions are recommended to be done in presence of parents and teachers, if possible. Further, teachers should also attend career counselling sessions to upgrade themselves in the changing world.
Opting Arts or Science or Commerce stream you must have graduated Senior Secondary level. Now you need to pursue higher studies based on your previous subject stream. In the current times we are fortunate enough, unlike older times due to accessibility of various vocational and online courses. So, one can easily opt for such add-on courses. If due to certain pressing situations you cannot take regular courses, you may go for distance education and pursue the course along with your job. Some of you may also want be an entrepreneur.
Determining career path is not only for the students’ fraternity but is equally applicable for the home makers and working professionals as well. The home makers can use their free time to do some part time job whether offline or online but it should be in lines of their interest areas and should make use of their qualifications and skills.
There are certain times in everyone’s work-life where a change is sought for. An adequate career counselling is suggested so that the remaining time of the active work-life goes without any hassle. This may need to have refresher courses to keep you abreast of the latest concepts and skills.
So, let us reiterate that the very first step happens to be the self-assessment which helps you to take a note of your interests and your personality. This should also deliberate upon your values and zeal to perform. The second step is designing the short term (around 1 year) and long term (more than 1 year) career goals. While looking into all this and correlating with your individual profile, there must be certain obstacles like finance or location preferences etc and you must find a solution for the same.
Believe me, certain inevitable situations in life changes the way we are moving on. Therefore you need to switch you career paths, which sometimes becomes a necessity. So, timely self-assessment should help a lot. Also, keep honing and updating yourself with the pace of the current job market scenario.
Good luck!
