Pathway to Choosing the Right Career



The Executive Director, Gemsland Nigeria Ltd/Gemsland Learning & Development Centre presented a paper to SS3 Students of Agidingbi Senior Grammar School, Agindigbi, Ikeja, Lagos today, 14th November, 2017 on: PATHWAY TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER.


The reason why many people go through life unfulfilled is because they made a wrong career choice when they were in school or do not pay the needed attention to their choice of career.
Your success or failure in life is largely determined by the career path you choose or you fail to consider. Some folks have considered choosing a career, but they have been counseled wrongly. Many career choices have been influenced by some competitive demands vis-à-vis fat salary, prospects and some other ‘juicy’ offers without giving heed to ‘career fulfillment.’

Determining which part you will follow in life is better made while you are in school and not afterwards. In finding the right career, many young people have often asked:
§  Which subject will I choose to pursue my dream career/vocation or calling in life?
§  What prospect (s) lies ahead of this career choice or vocation? That is, will I be able to make money at the end of the day? Will it pay off in the long run? Will it put food on my table? Etc.
§  Will I find fulfillment in this my area of calling or career?
All these are very important questions and the answer one gives will determine how successful or how unsuccessful one will be in life.
To guide you appropriately, we shall consider the following sub-topics:
§  What is a career?
§  How to choose the right career
§  Prospects of the right career
WHAT IS A CAREER?
A career is defined as “the totality of work one does in his lifetime, and as one’s chosen pursuit which one is interested and committed to.” (Ihejiaku & Ayobami 2006).
Examples of career or occupations are engineers, accountant, teachers, doctors, lawyers, comedians, architects, broadcasters, etc. When experts talk about career choice, they are usually referring to someone deciding what s/he wants to do for a living. A career could be seen as a sum total of paid and unpaid work, learning and life role you undertake throughout your life. The term career was traditionally associated with paid employment and referred to a single occupation. In today’s world of work, the term career is seen as a continuous process of learning and development. Contributors to a career can include: work experience, community development, life roles, enterprise activities, cultural activities, training, education, interest, sports, volunteer work, etc. As you gain more experiences in the world of work and undertake a variety of life career experiences, you are building your unique career path.
HOW TO CHOOSE A CARRER
Many students are finding it very difficult choosing the right career. While some do not have problem of picking a vocation, some are having problem choosing the right subjects which will align with their career path or choice.
There are many things to consider before choosing a career. Let us look at these acronyms:
T- Talents (what skills do you have?)
A – Aptitude (Your aptitude will determine your altitude)
P – Prospects (what does this career have in store for me? Will it put food on my table?)
S – Subject (The subject you choose should align with your career path)
S- Skills (What skills do you have?)
S- Sustainability (Will this career sustain me and my family? Will it put food on table?)
In today’s world, it is important to consider how sustainable your choice of career would be. If not, you have to think that appropriately.
PROSPECTS OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER
Considering your career prospect(s) is very important. Although a particular might not pay in the meantime, but it will definitely pay off in the long run. The most important thing is having career fulfillment at the end of the day. Can you confidently say I am proud being a doctor, lawyer, engineer, farmer, etc. This is apart from the fact that you are making something from it, but fulfilling your childhood dream of what you wanted to be. Money, material possession or job satisfaction should not be the only driving mission for choosing a career. Many people are engaged in a money-spinning career, but they are not finding fulfillment in it. Apart from job satisfaction, job fulfillment should be reason for choosing any career. It should answer the following questions:
§  What do I want to be in life?
§  What am I looking for in life?
§  Will I still be pursuing the same dream or career in the same 20 years or will I shift base?



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