If you are the celebrated 90s kid, I’m sure the next sentence will hit very close home to you “My parents asked me to take up Medicine/Engg and I took it. I’m not working in the field I got a degree from” 8 out of 10 people in their early to late 20s will relate way too much to this. Because, close to a decade ago, taking a career path that is “safe” was the norm. It didn’t matter if you liked the subject or no. However, the trend has slowly begun to shift. The current set of high school students are more interested in taking up a career that they love and look forward to. However, if you are one of those people whos still unsure about where to go or what to do post-school, here are a few directions to help you analyze what you need

1. Get involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities from high school

Nothing gives you better exposure to the outside world than extracurricular. The more you involve yourself in camps and competitions; you will discover new information and talents about yourself that will help point towards the direction of your career

• Do not go by marks

Getting centum in Science or Math may not necessarily mean you love Engg or Medicine. Detach your marks from the subject and analyse if you are still interested in learning it

• Map a rough career path

If you have zeroed on a career path that is offbeat or new, make sure you have all the necessary information related to it in order to navigate your way to success. You need not necessarily have a foolproof plan in hand. But make sure you have a through knowledge of the pitfalls and ways to avoid them

• Get help from seniors

Though this might sound clichéd, it always helps to have a third person opinion on a course you have an eye on to get a holistic idea of what to expect

• Do not be afraid to Explore

An amazing aspect of this decade is the wide variety of courses and careers that are available. Invest ample time early on to understand the different courses that are offered and try attending demo classes to get a feel of the course. It would help you understand if you would want to pursue the course full time

• Do Reverse Mapping

You know you want to be a successful stylist but have no clue where to start. In such cases, check for top fashion houses and their expectations from a stylist. Once you have gathered the data, start applying to corresponding courses

• Understand the Monetary Returns

Though it is an amazing idea to follow your heart, it is highly advisable to take your brains along. Do not jump into a course just because you like the subjects taught. Get a good idea of the career options and the monetary returns once you complete the course. Make sure the returns can cover your basic needs.

• Take a personality Analysis

A personality test like Good.co will help you find out your personality type from the existing 16 types. Based on your results, you will be provided career path suggestions. You can take this route when you are completely blank about how to go about your career decision

Taking a career choice is a huge step; Mainly because the choice remains with you for the rest of your life. Though it is never a bad option to switch careers once or twice, it is always a good call to take the pains to do the initial analysis and find a career that makes you happy.