It will not be out of place to state that the youth of today are, in a way, stuck in ‘caged syndrome’ with regard to making their choices in the career development scenario. Much of the problem actually starts with the limitation that they know enough with regards to the possible openings. What they actually miss out on are great opportunities that can eventually turn their whole life around, much to their surprise, in a very positive and prosperous manner. As a career counsellor and a human resource mentor, it is very disheartening to see young graduates lament that they are not able to find suitable jobs after completing their studies. It appears that they are carried away with the wrong notion that all graduates will get a job after their graduation.
They fail to realise that there is something called the cause and effect relationship that is fundamental to career development which is based on the aspect called ‘effort’. Without effort, they can never move even an inch in the professional world, let alone find a suitable job that is always a difficult proposition. What robs them of a very prosperous and professionally rewarding career is that they are not reflecting the intent to start early preparation for their career development. They wait for the last moment and then hurriedly start to put together the jumbled pieces of their career journey into some sort of shape, which often ends up in frustration.
Moreover, their understanding of the job market and professional prospects is rather poor and not up to the standard while looking at the present-day competitiveness and fast-moving world. One of the possible reasons could be that they are not adequately sensitised to the reality of professional career options, in a lot of ways. I would wish that the students start their career preparation even before they complete their course of study. This would enable them to make very definite and concrete attempts to seek out a career based on their interest, talents, skill and educational profile. When you open yourself to explore all the possibilities around you, only then can you leverage the advantages that come along with it.
Points to remember:
Start early on: At least start your career preparation during the final year of studies, if not earlier
Intern well: Make an honest and determined effort to get meaningful internships
Map it out first: Spend time in the career cell at your institution to broaden relevant search options
