How to Make a Career Choice When You Are Undecided
Most students in school when asked about the career they would choose simply give the job profile they are most impressed with. As they grow, they realize that choosing a career is a big decision and a big question too. However, as they approach high school, they are required to make the choice else they cannot move forward in the existing education system in India. In this article we look at how to choose a career, what career to choose, factors to look at and more…
What Career should I Choose?
With the changing trends and abolition of the caste system, family traditions and external influences have been key decision-makers in choosing a career path, forgetting what is most crucial in the whole equation- YOU! Selecting a career is not the easiest task but it is not the most difficult either. If you know the different parameters to be taken into consideration, the whole process of choosing a career can be exciting with an array of options for you to choose from.
To begin, let’s take a look at the different options available to you…
Choosing a Career- the Unspoken Hierarchy of Careers
In India, there is a fixed unspoken hierarchy of careers that gives Science the pivotal position with the maximum number of doctors and engineers produced every year followed by Chartered Accountants (CAs) and then lawyers mostly dictated out of the Commerce Stream.
The Arts and Humanities streams which have been looked down on for years on end are now back into the limelight. The massive shift in career choices and the variety of career opportunities in India have allowed students to look beyond what is known and explore the realm of numerous top professions highly regarded across the globe. With the number of choices increasing by the day, finalizing what is best fit has become one of the most daunting tasks in a high schooler’s life and a predicament for their parents.
With so many options to choose from and the many professions leading from them, it’s common for you to be worried about where to begin. Well, you’re at the right place to start your career journey here!
How to Choose a Career?
The most basic step to beginning your career journey starts with self-exploration. Every happy and satisfied professional will always tell you that if you choose a profession closest to your heart and the one that resonated most with you, then that profession will give you a happy life and immense job satisfaction too. But, in a world full of opportunities how does one know what is the right career and choice for them? A quick look at some factors that play an important role in choosing a career.
Interests: The ideal way to start looking for a career is to look within at your interests. A career of your choice should be based on your interests.
Find your niche: Now we may be interested in multiple things at once, but finding your niche within what makes your heart race, makes you feel calmer and more organized is the key. Both parents and students need to keep an eye on what piques their interest, or the willingness to go the extra mile for a task in a particular genre.
A look at your hobbies: Delving into your hobbies and how keen you are to turn that into your profession is another question that you may ask yourself. Couple that with some psychometric assessments to determine your personality and aptitude, and you will have the starting point to a journey of a lifetime!
How to Choose a Career? Tools and Methods
1. Assessment through Career Tests
When it comes to the question of how to choose a career, it is ideal to assess oneself before moving forward. One of the most common career tests used to assess the aptitude and interest areas are the psychometric tests. These are scientific methods of understanding your core values and abilities without any external influence or bias. They help determine your strengths and weaknesses in a factual and scientific manner, through tests developed over years of research on diverse population. Choosing an appropriate psychometric test online or offline helps you understand the best professions tailored to your needs. It makes the process of how to choose a career a bit simpler.
2. Career Counselling – Why and What?
India is slowly following the footsteps of the western world, mandating career guidance and counselling for students from a young age. Career counselling is to help them identify their core strengths and weaknesses while aiding them with their academic difficulties as well. Career counselling has been shown to be the most effective and realistic way of helping students delve deeper into an understanding of themselves and the skills they possess to push them one step forward in their career journey. It is also to choose the right profession founded on their skills and job expectations.
Career counsellors help put together your dreams and aspirations with a realistic view to the world of possibilities available to you to choose. They also open avenues to explore the top professions and courses tailored to your needs to get you there. The question of how to choose a career becomes easier with a counsellor who knows all about the process.
3. Career fairs and expos – Know colleges courses across the globe
Another great way to know about the different courses and colleges across the globe are the career fairs and expos. These give students insights about the colleges and most popular careers at the time. Representatives from colleges across the globe interact with parents and students to give them first hand information on the numerous courses, campus facilities and scholarships also which aid in effective career planning for the future. How to choose a career becomes easy when the study plan including course and college becomes clear.
4. Career Planning
Once you know what you want to do, planning on how you want to do it is crucial. A career in any field requires money and most importantly your ability to pay for your forthcoming expenses. Choosing the right country and college options that provide the course you aim to study is as important as finding the appropriate subject stream for you to pursue. One missing subject or one wrong choice of stream can shatter your plans forever. Hence, it is extremely important to start from scratch and work your way up to the top rather than the other way around.
Career planning involves looking at all factors and fitting them to suit you. So, checking the colleges, streams and courses, the budget you need, how to prepare for admissions are some important aspects of career planning. How to choose a career has been simplified below for you to start right away.
Career Planning – Dos and Don’ts
1. Personality over Popularity
Quite often we see families decide the profession for the student on the basis of their academic achievements without even determining their ability to perform well in the chosen profession. This is definitely a don’t in the entire gamut of choosing a career. While academics do play an essential role in furthering one’s interest in a particular career, factors like motivation, ability, and personality do play key roles in setting strong guidelines of how to choose the best career.
2. Income and Amenities
Choose your career based on your financial ability- yes, but also remember to take into consideration where you would like to study.
Where doesn’t necessarily mean India or abroad, but can also mean the kind of lifestyle you are willing to adapt to. India has a diversity of interesting career options available across different corners of its map, but each territory comes with its style of teaching, cuisine, local amenities, lifestyle, and cultural changes which you would have to keep in mind.
Going on holiday from the north to the south may be one thing but living there for years on end takes on a whole new commitment altogether. The same can be said when considering the possibilities of moving to a different country from India. So, keep this in mind when you consider factors on how to choose a career.
3. Research and Reliability
It is a good idea to indulge in an adequate amount of research before you finalize your decision. Make a quick checklist about-
Global ranking and affiliations
Talk to alumni
Check reviews on websites and student platforms
Get details about the campus including faculty, amenities, canteen/food and resources from those who reside there rather than rely solely on the college websites.
How to Choose a Career – Some Steps to Take
Check college websites thoroughly: It is extremely important to go through the websites of all the colleges shortlisted by you. This will allow you to get a better idea and pick a good college.
Understand eligibility criteria: Researching to see the eligibility requirements and the other courses offered by the many colleges will help you get firsthand information on whether you can apply for the same. You can also know more about the campus and its facilities through the numerous campus tours held virtually.
The whole process may not be as easy but it is quite detailed. It will enable you to decipher the most respected professions in the world at a particular time and also in the future to come. Starting to look at the variety of best careers available to you begins as early as you decide to begin preparing for it.
Now is a time as good as any to get the right guidance required to further your dreams. Always remember that a good counselor will help clear your mind of all the doubts you have and make you go through the right tests to bring out the best solutions to your career woes!
We hope that the tips on how to choose a career are beneficial to you and that you will make note of them while choosing the best career for yourself. In case you have any doubts, queries write to us at info@careers360.com.