The students’ community is stressed to find the right college and the most suitable programme option. For them, it is like standing at crossroad with thousand career choices to make. It is a difficult task.
With the declaration of most academic results, students are now looking for clarity on what programmes to take and which college to join. For some, this is a simple exercise as the subjects taken in 10+2 and marks secured, limits their scope and entitles them to certain colleges in certain subjects based on the cut-offs of the respective colleges. It’s the entry to the professional colleges and universities which becomes by far, more difficult to choose from various options, due to wide and varied difference in the professional standings of these professional colleges.
Students in this segment look fo expert guidance. A person with experience who could read the positioning of future businesses with fair degree of accuracy and guide the student on the course he or she should take. The expert takes into consideration the individual’s academic record, talent, passion, strengths and weaknesses, dreams and desires and he is able to fairly asses and analyse the individual’s suitability for a particular programme.
Passion first
When you select your area of study, do recognise the best in you and pursue the programme which meets your hearts calling. We all know this and yet we don’t hear our inner voice, or when someone tells us, “hey you are good at this!” We get drawn into the success stories of others, unmindful of what made them so, we wish to re-run their dreams, forgetting our own. We see the professions moving in a particular direction dictated by the market forces and start positioning ourselves ahead of time unmindful of our own strength and weaknesses, interests and innate special abilities. We somehow get into the herd by our choice forgetting we can thrive where our hearts are. Careers are not made on bits of this and bits of that; they are wholesome romance with one and the real one that strikes to the core of your gut.
Give subjects a try
The hidden talent or passion for pursuing a particular study should not be misconstrued and misinterpreted. Often students who are neither inspired nor passionate about their work, have the tendency creeping in them to take up easy subjects, find an easy course to studies and later blame it on their lack of passion or talent for the important subject which would require focus and time and thus end up their careers in mediocrity.
You need to guard against this tendency. If you are good at a subject, don’t leave it just because it demands time and commitment. This mindset of escapism from tough subjects is more prevalent currently in the western world where subjects as mathematics and science have few takers. This is not only impacting their research and development but has increased their dependency for human resources from the Asian countries.
Current assessment
Markets in the current times are volatile and ever evolving. A profession which may appear high in demand today could loose its sheen tomorrow. B Tech and IT which till recently was amongst the most sought after career for the undergraduates is no more a popular preference, as its larger part of mundane work doesn’t challenge the youth. Preference for HR is also taking a beating. You must look for a challenging career which allows you freedom to innovate and invent.
Some professionals who are expected to continue to call the shots, at least till the next few decades include engineers, scientists, managers, doctors, lawyers and civil servants; whereas, the professions which are of generic and unskilled types, not requiring special expertise could be low in demand. Skilled human resources would continue to be most sought after in the times to come.
The professions connected to financial institutions, sales and marketing, manufacturing, infra, power, service industry, health and education would continue to grow and thrive as long as India’s growth story is upbeat.
India, the second fastest growing economy would push up demand for a substantially large number of engineers and skilled force and therefore those students who have strong inclination towards technology, science and mathematics should stay on course and do engineering in their chosen fields. Arts, fine arts, journalism, retail operations, logistics, languages and sports management, industrial absorptions would be comparatively less than others, said above.
Chartered accountancy, economics and commerce would continue to create host of employable options.
A career in politics, films sports has a very little space at the top and those who do not make it to the top have struggling lower positions. Career in defense forces is now well paying and has its own unique challenges and respect.
Pre-requisites for selection
While selecting the university or institute for professional studies, take a look at the following from its website with special emphasis on:
- Its recognition by the UGC/AICTE-to be verified from the UGC/AICTE website
- Position in ranking by well recognised ranking bodies
- The quality of its faculty as also faculty to students’ ratio
- The placement record, companies visiting and packages offered
- The location and its easy accessibility from air and by road to see your convenience
- The physical and academic infrastructure-make a visit
Accreditation
- The quality of programmes and exposure to industry or foreign exchange programme.
- Extra curricular, sports and leadership building activities
- The fee and scholarships being offered
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