CHOOSING A CAREER PATH
Choosing
a career is a tough task at the best of Times .Today it is becoming important
to have a career path well defined. “If
you do not know where to go, any road will take you there”. One needs to choose
a career path that can twist and turn to meet the changing times technology and
economy.
Building career paths and practicing the art of personal marketing is an invaluable tool in choosing flexible career options. Students today have a common barrier, that is not being aware of his or her own strengths and abilities that translate into marketable skills. The key to a successful career is to be able to communicate the transferable skills developed through college courses, internships, professional organizations, work study programs, and part-time jobs.
Expressing his or her skills in terms of specific achievements, makes a person more credible in moving along the chosen career path. Today the need is for graduates who have the knowledge, skills, abilities and values necessary for continuous problem solving and lifelong learning, not people trained for a particular job. In addition, becoming a generalist in one’s field, keeping a flexible outlook regarding the workplace, and taking advantage of the continuing learning opportunities will be critical to one’s survival.
When
looking into career choices, one must realize that he or she spends more time
at work than at home. Personal identity, competency, status, and self-esteem
are all tied into the type of work a person does. An individual’s career is the
totality of his or her life’s work. If one chooses the right career path, it
can be creative, fun, challenging, lucrative, and a source of great pleasure
and accomplishment.
Steps to our Dream Career
What will make you Happy?
Explore the different
career options associated with the lines of work you find yourself most
interested in pursuing .Think about the aspects of different types of
professions that you find most personally rewarding and fulfilling. If caring
for other makes you happy, or you have an aptitude for science, you may be
drawn to the medical profession, and you may find your place in nursing,
medicine or physical therapy. If you think you might be interested in the field
of journalism, related fields to consider include editing, reporting, writing,
public relations and marketing career options. Decide what type of income level
you want to make. This factor can help you narrow the focus of your career
path. Money is important, but how much is the bigger question.
Finding your Potential.
Research the professions
of interest to learn the necessary skills and educational requirements for each
career path. Narrow the field to those options that best reflect your aptitude
and preferences. Obtain the training and education you need to pursue your
chosen career goals. Some professions require specialized training or
certification while others need a specific college degree.
When choosing a career
path that makes you happy make sure that you're good at it too. The probability
of something that you're not good at to create stress in your life is very
high.
Career Aptitude
Having
a potential is good, but what you need to find is your aptitude on the skills
required for your career path. These tests can and should be taken at an early stage.
The results from the tests would help you to improve on your abilities and
close the gaps in your chosen career path
Internship:
You need to actually do it to see
whether you enjoy it or not. You can always apply for an internship in a
company or a field that you think you will enjoy working for. This can be done
when you have passed school or are into college. In a worst case you might find
out that you are not too keen on continuing in the same sector. The advantages
of interning are far greater.
Shadowing or Seeking Advice
The
best way to prepare for a career is to talk to as many people as one can in the
profession. In career counselling, this process is called
"shadowing." When a prospective job seeker shadows a person in the
field of his choice, he or she spends an entire day or more with that person at
the work site, and observes the day to day activities associated with the job. Shadowing
is also helpful to explore salary ranges and the potential for growth and
advancement.
Have a Mentor
In
order to be successful in your field you will need someone from the same field
as a mentor to guide you towards making the right decisions in the career of
your choice. Once you have a mentor you are sure to get career advice along
with steps of how to achieve the things you'd like to.
Make your 10 year Plan.
It’s
not just the next year that you need to focus on, on a career path you must
constantly look at your next ten years, and you need to be working on that plan.
It is difficult to continue towards making the career growth in the right path
as it is to choose one. Make sure that you are sure of what you wish to achieve
and in what time period.
While
having a plan and asking for advice it is important along with having the
passion to work on it, there will be no substitute for hard work and
intelligent work.
Manu
Anand
Director
Alpha Mindz
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