Career Focus

Logic dictates “what you learn is what you do”. Is this the phenomenon in the real world?

A random survey of undergraduates once resulted in vague answers of why they take on their degrees. The reasons given range from family pressure to tradition and the degree being the “it” degree. It is not surprising therefore, to find graduates working in areas that have little or no relation to the discipline they have acquired in university.

Career decision-making becomes easier if you think of the future as a development from what you have already been doing, rather than a great leap into the unknown. The starting point is YOU. Where are you now in terms of your own personal development? What is the basis for your career choice? A sensible way to go about solving these two questions is to write down what you consider to be your major attributes, which can be categorized into your:

• individual abilities;
• individual weaknesses,
• interests;
• career needs; and
• ideal location

After completing this exercise, go one step further and think laterally. With the current competition in the job market, every skill or knowledge unrelated to the degree you hold helps to give you an edge over others.

The challenge most graduates today face is getting rid of their so-called tunnel vision once they made up their minds on what kind of degree to earn. It is imperative that one should not create such self-imposed barriers because such narrow-minded thinking may lead to other dormant talents dying natural deaths long before they can be discovered along with your chance for a successful career.

It is strongly encouraged that one should diversify his talent if not for the company’s benefit, then for personal enrichment. Do not turn down a job offer just because you were not trained for that sort of work. Treat every job offer as an opportunity because that is what it is – an opportunity to build up your knowledge assets. If you have sampled several different jobs already, it is useful to compare your experiences and narrow the choices for the career that is best for you.

You may be unaware of it but there are various skills and interests you may have acquired in the form of hobbies or everyday chores that appeal to your potential employers. Have you discovered that you have the inherent ability to sweet-talk anyone into funding your school activities, so much so that you can sell ice to an Eskimo? Never ignore such talents as these may be the tools you need in lucrative areas such as sales and marketing.

Do you remember the time when you were asked what you want to be when you grow up? If taken realistically, your answer then may be a vital clue to your future.