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Career Decisions
Posted on June 15, 2020 at 12:00 PM
When Is The Right Time To Pick Your Career Path?
Many students believe the right time to decide and pick their career is midway through the university when they move on from the general curriculum to more specialized fields. Although this is partially true, it does not portray the whole story. Is it the end of high school or the beginning of college then? Well, that’s what research on vocational education claims. Studies show that job plans in high school are the strongest predictor of student’s declared college majors. This means that the students’ option in terms of selecting a career path is very limited once he is enrolled in a university program. A large chunk of students, 33 % to be exact, change their university major at least once. Although it is possible to change career tracks after starting university, it is highly inefficient financially.
Therefore, it is essential for students to plan their career paths early. There is a need for students to find the career they are most compatible with, not only in terms of their interest but also their skillset and traits. This is obviously easier said than done. Potential ways for students to find out about their suitable career is to take aptitude tests. These are standard tests used to determine an individual’s personality and cognitive ability. The downside to this approach is the student’s interest or passion is not really taken into account. The other approach includes practical learning such as workshops or internships. While this sounds great, it is not very practical, and opportunities are often limited. The financial requirements are simply too high. Recent studies have shown that Experiential Career Exploration Technology is an effective method in helping students understand their traits and skills, makes them more decisive in selecting careers, and also increases their confidence in their ability to succeed in a career. Using interactive narrative-based games, students can experience any career they wish. Therefore, it is important for students to consider career exploration as a serious tool as early as they transition from middle school to high school. Based on the promising results of initial research, it is highly likely that schools will incorporate such tools into their career education programs in the near future.
Career Paths
Posted on June 16, 2020 at 12:00 PM
How Are Careers Selected?
The Japanese concept of Ikigai conveys this wonderful idea that a person's "reason for being" is realized with the union of what you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for and what the world needs. In today's world, a world with increasing technological development and evolving requirements in the global markets, it is increasingly difficult to maintain Ikigai or find a perfect career.
Now, choosing a career has always been a tough decision, with an elusive selection process. Sometimes we pick one because we are good at it, often times its because it makes the most money, and other times it is because we have a real passion towards it. There is the matter of identifying interests, aptitudes and knowledge and mapping this to relevant employment opportunities. There are also too many factors to consider, too many specializations to choose from, and too many good opportunities everywhere. Very few lucky individuals are able to achieve the delicate balance when finding career, and these are the people who not just survive, but thrive. Selecting a career that is only satisfactory, as a means to an end usually leads to higher levels disillusionment and lack of purpose, as people tend to feel like they have not contributed to anything larger than themselves. While many people are in fact content with this lifestyle, it is noted that this phenomenon is common among developed countries.
Now, imagine this world 10-20 years into the future, and it is more likely than not that job markets and employment trends are going to be in a state of constant flux owing to accelerating technological dominance of traditional markets. The uncertainty is unnerving, isn't it?
According to the UN, MIT, Oxford University, and , one of the best strategies for the future of work is to develop and hone core human competencies, and adapt to a world of changing careers by self-learning, upskilling and reskilling whenever the global paradigms shift. Finding a person's place in the world of tomorrow, starts with the finding of their own unique characteristics.