One of the hardest and most confusing questions that we come across while we are only preparing to get off school is this one, what career do you want to pursue? I say it’s a very hard question because that is the time of our lives when we are barely focused on what do with our lives. It is the time when we are figuring out our own personalities, making new friends, going through emotional roller coaster rides, trying to follow fashion and trend, secretly stalking our crushes, having arguments with our parents, waking up to pimples every morning and everything else that has, sort of, nothing to do with our careers!
At such times, when somebody puts forward this question, we only get confused and the question rather turns into anxiety for us. I have been through this phase and to be honest, I have seen people who are undergoing their undergraduate degree but they still are not sure whether they want to pursue the respective career or not. A lot of successful people out there don’t hold a degree related to their careers but they’re making their name in the market. It’s all about doing what you love to do and what you excel in. However, it’s not that simple. With my experience, I only try to provide guidance to my younger cousins. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned throughout this journey. Hope it helps!
Whatever you are interested in, give it a try!
This doesn’t mean that you have to go off the board and take admission in the degree program and then decide. This simply means that you can take short courses related to the field during your summer break and find out if you are really interested in the subject. We often have a very different and sometimes even wrong perspective about fields. For example, one may feel like architecture is the most interesting and fun field in the world of art. The truth is that a lot of people have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. It’s a lot more technical and hard than one may see it as. This is the reason a lot of students drop out after their first year of studies. So try to practice related activities and internships during your free time to discover your scale of interest.
Talk to Professionals:
This is one of the most effective strategies and whenever someone wants to discuss their career with me, I always suggest people they could talk belonging to the same field. Even when someone comes to me asking about the career I follow, I give the most genuine reasons to go for it and also why not to go for it. I try to let them know of the ground realities, what to expect and what not to expect out of the field. While in guiding the young ones, I feel satisfied knowing that this information would be so helpful to them and how I wish I had done the same. Talking to at least two to three people of the same field further clarifies the concept and how it could be useful to you and your future. It is very important to understand the scope of the field to have in mind what you will be offering to the world once you step out in the market.
Listen to everyone, but follow your own decision:
You will come across a lot of people suggesting and recommending fields to you. Some may see some relevant skills in you and suggest you go for a related field while some may see what suits your personality. There is no harm in listening to everybody and talking about it with people, however, you should be strong enough to keep it limited to suggestion and not let it confuse you! In the end, you must do what you want to do, not what the world expects out of you. Even when you do make a decision, ask yourself one last time, if that’s what you want to do, or if that’s what is expected of you by others. Your heart should be satisfied with your decision and even if the field is very hard, you should know what you are getting yourself into. Once the decision is made and it’s completely yours, you would work much harder for it.
Identify your Talents:
Remember that in the end, your aim should be to be the best version of yourself. You must identify what your capabilities are and what you have to offer to the world. Everybody owns a certain set of skills that define the personality. It’s also in the working style and things that interest us, that eventually give shape to our career. If you know your strengths, it will be much easier for you to choose a path and shortlist the fields that could be beneficial to you and vice versa.
Research and test yourself:
Technology and internet have brought almost everything at your fingertips. There is so much research material as well stories over the internet that can help you real-time with choosing your career. I personally love going through TED Talks where people come forward to share ideas. A simple idea can generate so many thoughts and you never know what could interest you and make things more clear to you. Apart from doing your own research, you can also take online assessment tests that have made the process even easier! Online assessment tests let you answer questions related to your field and then generate a result based on your answers. It may not always be accurate, however, it can still help you to understand the concept.