In Kashmir, career choices have always been a matter of concern due to plethora of limitations like geographic reach, mindset, limited exposure, lack of options, relocation reluctance and conflict-ridden conditions. Historically, teenagers would opt for medicine or engineering as their first choice. Very few would go in for quintessential professions like law, academics or accountancy. The basic reason for this was either the lack of awareness and counselling facilities or limited opportunities, both from an educational as well as employment perspective. Of course, I forgot to mention the secondary professions like medical representatives and bank jobs, which started gaining popularity in 80s.
Even now, the first thing that comes to mind is engineering or medicine, which is, of late, supplemented by management. In these areas, the number of colleges and student intake has been constantly growing across the country. Last year’s statistics depict engineering numbers still way ahead of management and medical. Despite saturation and decline in job opportunities, these sectors continue to remain the prime choice during career selection. This can be attributed to peer and social pressure or ‘follow the bandwagon’ approach. Moreover, a lot of times the concerned person is confused enough and leaves the choice to parents, uncles or smart cousins, who either go by their own perceptions or pick up options in a random fashion. In almost all the cases, the major factor generally overlooked is the candidate’s own interests and aptitude. I can quote many cases where a person desirous of being a writer ended up becoming a banker or a person wanting to be a singer ended up as a software developer, the world is full of such wrongdoings.
That brings us to a very important aspect, the personal interests and aspirations of an individual and how that person relates it to his career selection. With the changing times, young people need to change their outlook, especially given the fact that there is a huge saturation in the conventional fields. Today, the spectrum of career choices is widening. The choice is not limited to just the traditional employment options. There are numerous avenues, which people do not consider. Globalisation, coupled with ease of communication and travel has further increased the availability of such options.
One could take into consideration a variety of fields. Administrative services have become quite popular in the last decade, so have paramedical and journalism. There are a whole lot of opportunities in food technology, media, content management, hospitality and event management. The growing economy and changing lifestyles are creating a profusion of options for entrepreneurship, which in turn generates employment at all levels. Ancillary and support systems for such enterprises are opening up diverse channels, the recent ones being in logistics, digital marketing, facilities and supply chain management. In the current scenario, there are limitless options and you will always find a choice to align with your interests.
The message is clear. Don’t get into something because of your neighbour or cousin. Choose your profession based on your personal preferences and your likings. I would say ‘Think Big and Think Global’. You will be much more productive and successful if you pursue something you like to do by mixing your passion and profession.
The author has three decades of industry experience in global delivery management. His expertise lies in career counseling, mentoring, and entrepreneurial strategy. He is currently acting as consulting advisor and mentor to several startups