Choosing the right career path

Till 1990s, it was relatively easy to make a career choice simply because there were not many options available anyway. When you have less options, decision making becomes easy.

But today it is a problem of plenty. There is a plethora of options to choose from for every student and that makes the decision making about career further complex.

When we want to buy a smartphone, we think and check so many aspects. In addition to its price, how much is the RAM and ROM, which processor, megapixels, UI, its looks so on so forth.
If we think so much before buying a phone which is going to last for say just 3 years, then just imagine how much we should think about our career which is going to have a lifetime impact for us!
But unfortunately, many don’t do that. And mind you, we have all the required information at our disposal today to take the right decision for our career thanks to internet and AI.

Ignoring one’s potential, interest, passion and future prospects, if one chooses the career path riding on some recent trend / wave or getting carried away by what peers are choosing or under the influence of someone else, it may prove to be a road to nowhere.

It does not mean one should not hear what others are saying or advising but taking decision solely based on that without introspecting and finding out what he himself wants to do is not right.

What is the point in joining marketing field if you cannot think creatively?

Will it not be senseless if you choose finance as the career if you hate number crunching? Will you be successful if you decide to make a career in HR and you do not have a flair for managing people?

And many of the times once the decision is taken about career, it may become very difficult to reinvent the wheel. Hence greater is the need to choose the path judiciously.

Do you get fascinated by the decisions which impact economy at large?

Do you love analysing the company’s financials?

Do you enjoy reading the news of company takeovers, joint ventures, company restructuring?

Do you have an expertise of deep financial modelling?

If the answers are ‘yes’,

Investment Banking may be the right field for you.

Do you like to explore various investment avenues?

Do you enjoy talking to people about wealth maximisation opportunities?

In that case Wealth Management may be the career for you.

Do you think you have persuasive skills?

Do you like to study any product in detail and then convince others to buy it?

Well, you may think of getting into Sales roles. You love talking to people, building the network? Relationship Management can be a career choice for you.

In short you need to identify your Strengths and Weaknesses, watch the market trends, do your own research, seek advice from the right people and then take a call. Never be close minded.

Remember, mind and umbrella both are useful only when they are open. Else they simply increase your burden.