By Janis Lai | Co-founder & Director (Account Service)
In our years of experience as admissions counselors, we have seen many students pick an undergraduate course or even a career based on invalid (or even ridiculous) reasons. We hear things like “because my parents wanted me to do that” or “because my friends all wanted to be doctors/ lawyers!”.
So we hope to give you some tips on how you should find the right path for yourself!
What are some challenges when identifying the right career path for you?
Lack of awareness: You simply can’t figure out what you’re passionate about or want to pursue your career in a particular field but don’t know where to start or how to proceed further.
Various options/interests: You may find yourself interested in several areas and can’t shortlist your choices and map out your professional future.
Expectation vs. Reality: A discrepancy between your expectation and the reality of what your desired career actually looks like.
We understand this might be a stressful and confusing process. Here’s some advice on what you can do.
Knowing Yourself and Finding Your Passions
No matter what stage you’re at now, it’s important for you to take time to build self-awareness. Here are three key aspects to look out for:
Interests: What are you passionate about? This can be as simple as hobbies, sports, subjects you studied, etc. Understanding what you enjoy doing can help you to craft your possible future career plan and, more importantly, to keep you motivated and engaged.
Skills: What are you good at? Identify skill sets you have developed during your studies, internships, in-school/out-school extracurricular activities, and life experiences. With a good understanding of your skills and strengths, you will find it easier to find the right path.
Personality: What’s your personality like? Certain personality traits are better at certain jobs. For example, a person with a creative mind may excel in a marketing role!
Do Research on Your Desired Career Options
After you identify your career options, you can start researching these professions and build an understanding of job duties and the skill set required in each of the roles. Through adequate and effective research, you can narrow down your choices and choose the career path that is the best for you.
Look for Intern/Part-time Jobs Opportunities
One further step you can take to understand and evaluate your chosen career path is to look for job opportunities and work in that field. This allows you to learn and grow in your chosen field, in addition to giving you a chance to build your network within the industry, which can benefit you over your entire career!
Stay tuned to more of our insights articles, or reach out to us today!
Ms Janis Lai
Director (Account Service), the Aspirers