COLLEGE, CAREER, JOB!?? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

Are you at a loss when it comes to picking your career? Are you feeling completely baffled by the variety of options present before you? Don't know how to choose a major you're passionate about and that is perfect for you? Welcome to the club. You are now officially one of the thousands of students mulling their heads over The College Hunt! And it is terrifying isn't it? This is a decision that is going to significantly impact the rest of your professional career and hence it is not an easy one to take.

  

  My previous post dealt with a similar topic but as a kind reader of the post pointed out, it had very little information for people who were confused about their major, especially students who felt they didn't pass the conventional standards that society dictates for a person to be an academically achieving student or a "good student".  So here I am. After a week of scrounging the internet for you, I picked up a few interesting tips to make this decision easier for you.  This post focuses on choosing a suitable subject for your higher studies. If you have a difficult time staying motivated scroll down to  find a fun way to always bounce back each time you find yourself in a standstill.  

Stop putting it off : This is the most important part. It can be overwhelming and frightening when you begin to grasp the gravity of the situation and it can be very tempting to sit back and wait for things to happen by themselves but it is imperative that you sit down and start working. It doesn't matter if your admissions to select careers or colleges depend on an entrance test you are yet to take. Start predicting your scores and start hunting for your prospective colleges. Have a Plan B, a Plan C and a Plan D. I know at times you will keep getting stuck, but don't put it off!

  The next important thing is to have a positive mindset. Trust me, I'm the queen of, "Oh, it's not gonna work anyway. Why even bother?". But there are some things that you must do right now because you owe it to yourself to find out what's best for you and not let future versions of yourself be mad with the present! 

Career Aptitude Tests: Now that you are hot to trot and are in a determined mindset, let's move on to the next step. Aptitude tests are a fantastic tool, handy to have when you are researching careers. I've taken so many of them. The important part to remember about aptitude tests is that the results you get from them don't matter much. But while taking them you are posed with a lot of questions about yourself and by virtue of these tests, you will be in a position to highlight your preferences and dislikes, your wants and needs, and your strengths and weaknesses. My tip to you is to take a few of these tests while you are at it so that you can have a broader mind and are exposed to various sets of questions after completing them.

Set down your priorities:  Hopefully, after taking those aptitude tests, you have a vague idea about what your likes and dislikes are and what you would want to do. This is the time to set down your priorities. Some of the questions you could ask yourself are;

How much you are willing to study. (Number of years as well as how much you're willing to toil)

Are you comfortable relocating for your career if it has more opportunities elsewhere? 

Are you equipped to handle unique challenges that come with the job? For example, working more night shifts and responding to calls at odd hours if you plan on becoming a doctor.

How much you want to earn, etc.

  You have to get what you want but you shouldn't feel stuck. If money is your top priority and you think having a corporate or IT job is the best way for you to go but you dread the monotony of that particular lifestyle, I suggest you rethink your options. It is essential you don't burn out in the midst of your career and later regret your choice.

Research, Research, Research: I think there's nothing more to be said about this. With the internet comes loads and loads of information. Explore various websites, bookmark the ones that you feel are important and cross-reference facts with various handles.

Don't settle but be practical:  There's a very thin line between being optimistic and being foolhardy. It is paramount to chase your dreams but always have a safety net. Think about what the next big thing could be. But other than that, feel free to test the waters and have a taste of the most exquisite cuisines. The world is at your feet. You just need to bend down and take it.

Start Doing :Have you ever met people who thought they would like what they've chosen to do but then later realise that's not the case? I have. This is why my next step is to go out into the world and start doing. Look for internships, workshops and webinars, a lot of which are easily available online partially owing to the lock-down. This will give you an idea about what you will be doing outside a classroom and let you know if you're suited for the particular job. 

Talk to people already in the field: This step is an amazing way to get to know about the benefits as well as the challenges, not widely known, that come with the job. It will also prepare you for any academic or professional hardships you could face later on. You could also ask them why they chose the particular job and if they are content with it. I would ask you to not blindly talk to them about vague topics but have a set of questions prepared. Ideally, choose questions that are not easily available on the internet and which only a professional in the field can answer.

Introspect, Imagine, Envision :The world paints the picture of passion in a very fantastical way. But the truth is nothing ever comes out of the blue and just magically transforms your life. When you look at people talking about their passion and their almost incessant interest in their jobs, it's the result of years of persistent learning and engaging in that field, and somewhere during the process, the person would have fallen irrevocably in love with it. So this is the next step. Immerse yourself in the field you're planning to pursue. Give your everything to it. Find joy in learning about all the new things that enrapture you in the subject. Imagine yourself achieving milestones in your career and work towards them, and find yourself firmly in the grip of your passions.

Plan out your entire Career :  Now that hopefully, you have a few ideas about what stream you want to pursue and have a fair idea about which colleges to choose from, don't stop there. Plan out your future. Would you like to do a masters? Will you start working? Would you like to take a sabbatical? Are you planning to go abroad for your studies? 

  

    Trust me, it's extremely important to think about all these questions right now so that you can prepare properly for the future in case you have to prepare for a competitive exam or go through an intensive internship to land that dream job. 

  So take a few breaths, have a clear mind and let me know what conclusion you came to! Also, do e-mail me to the mail address given in my Profile if you have any questions. Comment and let me know how you liked this post if you found it helpful and if you have any new suggestions about what my next post should be! Also please do subscribe to my mailing list to get a notification whenever I publish a new post.

  If you are like me and need various fun, creative ways to keep your motivation up, I've created a simple 4 step flowchart of the above post in a nutshell which you can download and keep as your screen-saver or something similar to remind you that your dream profession is just 4 steps away!