We wish to reach the pinnacle of our career but we are always haunted by one question, “Have I chosen the right path?” 

Many of the employers are hesitant to offer employment because they are not convinced about the candidate’s career goals. The scenario has become quite complex in recent time as people seem to sail with the wind and run on whims when it comes to career decisions. 

“Ideal career” is not a Genie that pops out of an oil lamp. It is a continuous journey that one has to undertake from the beginning. Nevertheless, it is never too late to prepare the appropriate plan for your career path. 
Our preferences and visions keep changing and that can directly affect our professional career. Still we see the young generation following the traditional career path. If they would streamline their desires according to what career experts call, “the career pyramid”, they can thrive in any field.  

Self-Exploration

Most of the newbies are at this stage. This is a preliminary stage where one is unaware about what career to choose. Values, beliefs, strengths and weaknesses are not yet properly discovered. Self-exploration could be very difficult to execute since many of the preferences could collide without giving you any concrete output. You need to locate your emotions to properly adjust and take control of the situation you are in. This could be time consuming, but as you explore yourself you will have a clear career preference. For instance many enter the banking sector because they are attracted by its glamour, but when they realize it’s not their cup of tea, a career switch is inevitable.

Research

Once it’s explored, it’s exposed. Here you have narrowed down your career interests. But you are still in a dilemma. You are overwhelmed by all the possible paths you could take. After you’ve self-explored the possibilities, you need to gear up to research about the right profession. You need to double the time in learning about new avenues so you become clear on the things you want to achieve. Just take a look at the people, who have exceled in their career path, they invested a lot of time doing research.  

Interact and Investigate with Industry Experts

During the process of choosing the perfect career, talking with industry professionals can come handy. Their expertise will guide you in your next step. Gaining knowledge from industry experts will help you develop good public and personal relationship. Many have benefited from interacting with business consultants, economists and venture capitalist.

Observation

Your ultimate vision is slowly getting clear but your decision to pursue the right occupation is still the central question. Till now you have done your research but it’s only on paper, you want some practical tools. You need to cross check all your notes that you have gathered from the previous steps.

 Set goals, have a success-oriented mind-set and have a vigil sight. Go through the interviews and the success stories of the people you admire. Closely study their struggle and success so that you can incorporate some elements in your own career strategy.

Act and Implement

It always feels good when you sense that victory is near. If you know what to do and how to do it, it will automatically fill you up with confidence. You now know how the industry functions. You are better equipped with negotiation skills to make an impact on your employers. You know the right thing to do and you are moving forward to make your strategy work. 

Choosing an ideal career is not an easy task. It is as wary as it looks from outside. Many times a minor misrepresentation could lead to a big disaster but there is always a way back to the start.

Never feel bogged down if it doesn’t work out the first time and always remember: “Worrying about tomorrow’s problems stalls today’s solution.”

The author is an HR Expert and career adviser. He can be reached at sharma.abhinav2001@gmail.com. 
 

 
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