As a student in India, choosing a career after 10th standard is one of the biggest decisions you will have to face. Thanks to the system of Entrance Exams in our country, it is automatically ensured that you will spend the next two years of junior college behind closed doors with books as your best friends. As kids in all your youthful exuberance, you are drawn to the glamour exuded by Medical and Engineering fields. Sadly, many of you remain unaware of what you are getting into. This scenario needs to change; and it won’t change, unless as students, you take notice of other career options that are open.
Choosing a career after 10th standard:
Choosing a career after 10th standard is one of the most important decisions that will shape the upcoming part ofyour life. At 15 years of age, it’s easy to let the glitz and shine of money stun your eyes and senses. However, choices made on the basis of the amount you earn are seldom correct. There are various factors to be taken into play before taking that ultimate plunge, to take all this into account requires time- a resource as valuable as it is scarce. One of the big factors to take into consideration is job satisfaction. Doing something that makes you happy automatically infuses in you a contentment and warmth that is unachievable from anywhere else. Being content at your heart will keep you hale, happy and increase your productivity multiple times over. Where you find most satisfaction is something you learn through experience. Remember the golden lines for this: Where your heart is, there shall also be your treasure. Another factor to take into account is your short term and long term goals. You may be too young to figure out the itty bitty details, but having a rough idea would be a good start. Your short and long term goals can include what undergraduate course you want to pursue, where you want to do it, how long is the course for etc. It is also important to remember that your work is an extension of your personality. Your happiness in doing your work is reflected in your everyday behaviour on the contrary if you are stressed and unhappy it could have a negative effect. So, for the sake of all of this, it’s important that you decide your career with much thought. It’s important to do what you love or learn to love what you do.
Now, how do you accomplish this seemingly monstrous task of check-listing all the abovementioned factors at such a young age? The key lies in knowing yourself well enough. Every student, in the process of growing up, develops a definite set of skills and interests. It is there that you need to focus. Based on this, here’s a little something that should help you out of this tight situation:
1) Give heed unto your interests.
Explore them, fiddle with them and see whether you can make a career out of them. A career based on something you love is going to work out splendidly, despite the occasional ups and downs.
2) Keep track of the best of your skills.
If you are good at managing things, you could go for an MBA in the future. If you are good at writing or speaking in public, they will also open up various paths your career could take. All these skills need to be honed, nurtured and grown over a period of time. The quality of your skill set will ultimately determine the quality you give in your chosen profession. Hence, keep growing and improving.
Apart from knowing yourself, there are also a lot of practical methods to help decide what career option is best for you. Here are a few practical tips:
3) The best way to experience something is to do it yourself.
Keeping this in mind, go out and grab some internship, do work of different nature, with different kinds of people. There are a lot of internship options available out there. Go out and explore them. Nothing will give you more insight than practical, hands-on experience.
4) Approach people, and talk to them.
Besides the aforementioned, you can also approach knowledgeable people who have been working in the particular field that you are interested in. Talking to them will give you a fair idea about what is happening in your field of interest and what you need to do to prepare for it.
Choosing a career after 10th standard involves quite a lot of hard-work. It can get frustrating sometimes, especially when you try out something that you eventually don’t enjoy as much. However, bear with it, because your experiences are important, relying on it will help you make a more informed decision. Ups and downs will be experienced aplenty; but don’t let that dissuade you from following your passion. Relentless pursuit is the key to success, braving the odds to reach your ultimate goal.
Many of you, under peer and societal pressure, might be looking to opt for Engineering stream. However, you should know whether Engineering is for you first before making that head-long plunge.
Wishing you all the best in your choice!
