When it comes to choosing a career, one is often guided by many external factors including family, friends, and even the Community at large. However, according to experts there are far more important factors to keep in my mind. Below are the four stages one should consider before settling on a career path.
The First stage is Self-assessment- here, the student looks at his/her skills, abilities, knowledge, interests, values, strengths and weaknesses. This will create self-awareness and enhance decision making.
The second stage is career exploration, where one needs to discover occupations that interest them. To better equip him or her, one can conduct research on the potential organizations and the existing workforce.
The third stage is the decision making process, where the student decides on the career that best fits them based on their self-assessment. At this point, the student needs to think seriously about the career he/she chooses and the advantages and disadvantages of that particular career. Also if the first choice cannot be met, the student should have two other choices to fall back on.
The final stage is action. This involves applying to Colleges or Universities. if necessary, it involves; developing job strategies, writing resume, identifying potential employers and composing cover letters and preparing for interviews.
“It is in career counseling that the students are empowered”-Selline.
Selline Okumu, a counseling psychologist says she would recommend career counseling to every student. “It is in career counseling that the students are empowered to conduct self-assessment, career identification, explore opportunities and be able to make better educational and career choices. This in turn helps them to make clear decisions on the best course of study that will enable them to get into careers that fit their personalities and interests”, she said.
It is also equally important to check the quality of the College or University one would want to study at. This means checking the student performances, size of the institution, the campus and its location, accommodation types and the reputation of the institution in terms of the quality of education.
He or she can further research on the course content and attend open days in the institutions to learn more about the course of study for example; mode of study, learning styles and examination procedures. Learning about the duration of the course will enable the student to psychologically prepare to commit time and energy into his or her education.
The cost of study is a critical element in pursuing the choice of study. This dictates whether the student will have enough money to cover the tuition cost and other expenses or if will he/she will require a loan. If so, one should research and find out where to apply for student loans.
The entry requirement is another important step in choosing that desired career. If the student does not meet the expectation, he/she should rethink in order to come up with another plan. The student should therefore be psychologically prepared in case they do not make it. Career opportunities requires the student to research what kind of careers match the course they aspire to study and in order to do this, the student needs to know whether the career interests him or her in the first place.
“You know that a course is right for you when you can talk for ten minutes about the course”-Selline.
So how does one know that they have chosen the right career? Well, according to Selline, the most important thing in choosing a course to study is driven by personality and passion.
“You know that a course is right for you when you can talk for ten minutes about the course when asked, what you like about it,” emphasized Selline.
Her advice is for one to follow their dreams no matter how big or small they may be, as long as they have a plan. “Always focus on what makes you happy, success lies in your happiness” she said.
By: Leila Adam
Writer at iwomantoday
Edited By: Fatma Adam
