How to get the best

TODAY is different from yesterday. This is evident in every aspect of life. Career planning is certainly no exception.

The career planning process has two distinct phases: career planning in terms of educational qualification and career strategies in the job market.

Aptitude is what matters most: There is no such thing as a good or bad career. In fact it is impossible to grade or rank careers, except according to demand. The ultimate question is - What are you most suited for?

Sachin Tendulkar's skill is in cricket. Bill Gates' in computers and information technology. What is yours?

The road less travelled: Do not make the common mistake of allowing existing societal norms or parental pressure influence your career decision. The current job market does not comprise merely of IT specialists and doctors as is popularly believed. There are successful web page designers, models, teachers and online journalists. Currently, 60 to 70 per cent of career aspirants want to be in Information Technology.

Know what you want: It is vital that you understand yourself and find out what it is you want from life and from a career. Your career decides your financial independence, standard of living and mental state. Understand that there is more to life than just money. Dr. Abdul Kalam could have chosen to settle in the U.S. There is no doubt he would have earned more money than what he does now. However, as an immigrant scientist in a foreign country, would he have enjoyed the kind of fame he does in India now? These are questions to consider. So examine yourself, find out your desires and wants and then decide on a career.

Focussed education: In todays' education scenario, a generic degree is being replaced with a more focussed course. A B.Com. with specialisation in travel accounting, is, for instance, more preferred than just a B.Com. In the engineering sphere, there were only 5-8 disciplines in the past; today there are more than 30 disciplines, including such innovative ones as fire engineering, mechatronics, ceramic technology and naval architecture. Therefore, plan your education according to your final career plan. If you want to join a multinational bank, for instance, it is better to do M.B.M. (Masters in Banking Management) rather than an M.B.A. with a specialisation in finance.

Additional qualifications: Apart from a clear career focus, one also needs to acquire additional qualifications. Part-time and correspondence courses, internships, summer projects in the relevant stream add to a candidate's assets. Computer knowledge is certainly one of the more important qualifications. But it must supplement your career objective and not contradict it. For instance, a student pursuing microbiology degree does not benefit from Java, C++ and Linux. On the other hand, a B.Com. student gains by learning to use an accounting package.

Choice of Institute: Increasingly, you are known by the institute that you come from. Hence, the choice of the institute has a big role to play in your career. Years ago, the choice of institute was just a function of choosing from its reputation.

Stay in tune with the changes: The only thing constant in today's career marketplace is change. Hence, the ability to stay in tune with the changes matters a great deal in the race for career survival. I know of many advertising professionals who are finding it extremely difficult to survive in the industry because they are not equipped to cope with the electronic media. Irrespective of the field you choose, it is crucial to keep yourself updated with the latest.

Hard work pays: The rewards for hard work have certainly risen. A number of young executives in today's job market take home a monthly remuneration in excess of Rs. 50,000! Organisations are looking for talent and are prepared to pay well for the same.

Options are plenty: The options for talented and qualified people are plenty. Apart from high paying full-time jobs, there are also several part-time and freelance options. Telecommuting is also becoming popular in today's work culture. This is certainly serving as a boon for women who are struggling to find a balance between professional development and home life.

Professional help: I must mention that the quality and quantity of help available in career planning have significantly increased in the last decade. "The Internet is an information storehouse and it offers a wide choice for career seekers. Information on jobs, courses, institutes and organisations are all available in many career sites," explains Shirley Premsingh, manager of careerindia.com (a site that offers career-related information).

Apart from online help, there are also plenty of other sources where career related information is available. "More and more students are now looking at diverse and unconventional careers. They are no longer just looking at engineering and medicine as the important career options. This change has actually called for a lot of research on career related information. Just to provide this, we have designed a career cell", say Mr. Suganth Ponnaiya and Mr. Avinash, brand managers of Reynolds Pens. "We are spending a substantial amount of money on the career cell because we know that the information provided by this cell could mean a lot to the students", adds Mr. Avinash. The career cell starts in services right from the stage of identifying the students, aptitude and extends upto choosing an institute. Aptitude tests along with the required analysis, detailed information of 200 diverse career streams and an access to the databases of institutes offering these courses are all given free to the student at the Reynolds Career Cell. A student who needs any career related information can contact careercell@Reynolds- India.com or call (044) 6289355.

Careerindia.com Ltd., Chennai is another institution that offers professional help for students and career seekers.

Make a wise choice: Career decisions are extremely critical and cannot be decided upon in a day. So, give it careful thought, beware of common errors and understand there is professional help and plenty of information available. Use them all and make a wise choice. Planning a career is like drawing a picture without using an eraser. May yours be a masterpiece.

SEKKAPPAN V. AL

email id: medeff@vsnl.com

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Melbourne live