Choosing a career can be a tough job, especially when you don’t know what you want to do. A survey shows that only 7% of Indian students between the age group 14 to 21 are aware of more than 7 career options.
Another survey conducted by Mindler demonstrated that approximately 93 percent of Indian students know about only 7 career options even though more than 250 options are available in the country. Law, engineering, medicine, accounts and finance, design, computer applications and IT, and management– these were the career choices majority of the students knew about.
Most of the people in India are unable to choose the right career path for them. Remember, the career option you opt for will give you the job to work on 7 to 8 hours every day.
When you reach the stage of choosing a career option for you, it can be terrifying and intimidating. You can be worried about taking incorrect steps or pursuing the wrong path. Moreover, parental and societal pressure can be another factor contributing to your stress and anxiety.
So, if you are facing the same uncertainty and helplessness in choosing the right career path for you, the following are some essential steps you should consider to decide what career is best for you –
1. Know Yourself.
The first step to selecting the right career for you is knowing yourself. It can be hard to figure out what you want to do if you only consider your passion. It would help if you recognized your strengths, weaknesses, talents, and skills. This can be accomplished by taking a personality assessment.
Also, you will be able to know the kind of environment you prefer. Eliminate all the career paths that do not fit your personality type. This will enable you to short-list 10 to 20 career options that are appropriate for you.
2. Explore the career paths on your list.
The next step is exploring the career paths you have short-listed. Then research about the educational qualifications, training, courses, and job requirements in different career options. Remove all the career paths that do not interest you a bit or are unwilling to meet any of the requirements.
You can take a career assessment test to help you further. To get a deeper understanding of the vocations, try interacting with people who already work there. This will earn you first-hand information about the career. You will also get familiar with the obstacles you might face.
Use platforms like LinkedIn to discover people to have these discussions with.
3. Chose the right path for you.
After thoroughly analyzing all the career options, pick the career choice you feel is the most suitable for you. You must be ready to commit and push yourself towards the career path selected.
It may appear complicated at first but building a career in the field you are passionate about is the best gift you can earn in your life.
You can begin developing your career action plan. Fulfilling your long-term goals will require your commitment and hard work. You can further break down long-term objectives into short-term goals, so it is simpler for you to pursue. You can hire a career coach to provide you with guidance in your quest to forge the career you prefer.