April 06, 2022 , Choosing the right career path..

This write-up is contributed by Mr. Sugato Roy.

Choosing the right career path..

General George Patton, one of the most successful combat generals in US military history once exclaimed about career and success that success is measured by how high one can bounce back after hitting the bottom. Walt Disney, one of the greatest animation film producers ever, when asked about choosing a career remarked that if one can dream of making big, he can positively achieve it. But the most prolific statement was by Confucius, one of the best known Chinese philosophers and thinkers who had rightly said that if one diligently chooses the job he admires and respects, he would never have to work for a single day in his life!

What a wonderful observation of career and growth and that too almost 2500 years back !!

Filtering all options available, zeroing down and choosing the best career options is one of the most important decisions that a student has to take in high school or college. It is always preferred that the career aspirant is guided by his mentor or parents. Choosing a career path means selecting and finalising a profession in which one will tend to become self-reliant and an expert on the job over time through practical experience and by gaining in–hand knowledge.

There is a common saying that an early bird catches the worm first and it is prophetic as far as choosing one’s career is concerned. One must start planning right from the high school level.

• Proactiveness and self-examination are two key parameters in deciding the right path to a career option. If the student is proactive himself, he will look into various options either through talking to the mentors or in his peer group. It is the student himself who only knows what are his likes and dislikes. He should always perform a SWOT analysis of himself.
• The career aspirant should also seek what are his innate talents and skill. If he thinks he is good at bargaining and convincing people he should go for a sales and marketing career. If he feels he is good in maths and arithmetic calculations he should opt for a career in accounts. If the aspirant thinks his knowledge of languages, and creativity is sound, he may opt for a career in writing and advertising copywriting.
• Another important sector is knowing one’s character traits. The applicant or the contender should discern whether he can handle stressful or emotional situations in life, whether he can make himself snug in any corporate ambience, and how comfy is he in meeting people and negotiations.
• Today there are lots of excellent career guidance institutes who are having corporate honchos and senior executives as their faculty. If need be, the students and their guardians can attend the various counselling sessions organised by the various institutes where expert guidances and discussions on career options are extremely beneficial.
• After having done his self-assessment, the aspirant knows where he stands with his traits, inborn talents and skills. A long term career objective plan needs to be well crafted and formulated. A person can be a very good guitarist or superb in cricket and at the same time be very good in linguistics and history. This is the juncture where the person has to decide whether he wants to be a professional musician or a cricketer aspiring to play in the national team or at the state level or should pursue his interests in academics and look forward to a successful career as a teacher or in administrative services. Thereafter he has to follow his dream so that he is on the right track.
• The career aspirant should be aware of his core values, interests and skills and should have a very fair and transparent view of the same. Since this is the question of one’s career, the judgement should be crystal clear because if by any chance there is a wrong decision, it will turn out to be distressful in his entire life.
• The contender should be very logical and rational regarding the jobs he wants to pursue vis a vis his educational qualifications.

Remember, these right judgments and preferences at the early stages will determine one’s destiny for the future.

Mr. Sugato Roy

GRADUATE FROM ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE AND POST GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, SPECIALIZING IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF 24 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.  HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR  LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY MANAGEMENT.

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