Things to consider before choosing a career

1. Things to consider before choosing acareer • Standing at crossroads to choose a career path, how often have you been confused and torn between “following your heart” and “choosing the job that payswell”? • We often get to hear two extreme ends on this argument – that money cannot buy happiness, or, that one cannot be happy without money. Should you follow your dreams, or should you be smart enough to choose a path that will provide a secure and well-paid job? How should we find out our career opportunities?Let us consider five questions to ask ourselves before we make thecall. • Competition in the field: Sure, many of us have watched movies where the protagonist battles all odds and follows his/her dreams and becomes a successful sports person or a musician or an actor. And how many times have we wished that we had taken up sports or singing or acting as a career, because we love that field? One thing to keep in mind here is – sure an actor or a sportsperson can be earning a fortune, but it is easy to overlook that only the best of them earn that amount! Let’s consider a cricketer for example. Unless one is among the best 100 in the country, he cannot dream of that IPL contract. A singer – unless he or she is among the top 1000 in the world – they will not feature on television or billboards or their songs be played on the radio. Though the lives of celebrities may look lucrative to us, it is prudent to choose a career where you wouldn’t have to be under pressure to be among the best 100. Yes, a computer engineer or a doctor too will be paid more if he/she is among the best. But even if he/she is average, one can still earn enough for a living. This is not to discourage anyone from following their passion. If you believe that you can be among the best 100 in the country in sports/acting/singing, it is always advisable to follow yourdreams. • Futureprospectsinthefield:Tillsomepointinthe18thcenturypeople were still trading horses on a large scale, as horses were the major mode of transport. Then, railways came along and professions related to horses took a downward slide. The same happened with handloom weavers, when the spinning jenny came along. With changing technology and with each industrial revolution, some old jobs are phased out, and new jobs are created – ones that are concerned with the new technology. Today, we are looking at the fourth industrial revolution taking over, and whether we like it or not, new technologies like – blockchain, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things,Digital Marketingand smart devices are undoubtedly going to replace a few existing jobs with new ones. It is important to have the foresight – research on whether the career you are taking up willstill

2. be relevant after 10 -15 years. Sales and marketing management is offers a range of prospects in thefield. • Things that motivate you to give your best: You may be tempted to answer money, but we are all going to be rewarded for a job well done. What matters is, after spending that bonus or achieving that quota, what is that feeling that stays with you? Are you choosing a job that will satisfy you? Do you see a meaning in your job like – serving the people, feeding the hungry, or adding something beautiful to the world? Something that you could reflect backupon? • Know what you are ready to put up with: It is important to know your limits and the kind of things you need to sacrifice for your career. Many jobs today have long working hours, with employees getting little sleep. There are jobs where one’s family life or safety may be compromised. We would recommend that you set your boundaries early – have avision of what you are willing to pay or sacrifice, in order to follow your passion. • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Investing in your career is like investing in a business. Have a vision for yourself, and set your goals. Check on your milestones. It takes an understanding of what drives you and setting goals accordingly, backed by hard work, sacrifices, and a bit of luck, in order to be successful in anycareer. • RMS School also offers Post graduate diploma in HR & administration, and Certificate in HR/Recruitment managementwhich are qualifications in demand in today’s fast changing jobscenario. • Sales and marketing is another booming sector in this consumption driven economy. Post graduate diploma in Sales & Marketing Management, and Certificate in strategic marketingare two courses from RMS School that opens the doors to jobs in this lucrative sector for you. While, Certificate in Digital Marketing moulds you for today’s cyber economy and gives you the indispensable skills of sales andmarketing. • Overall, it takes a balance of passion and pay, of dreams and plans, to make it big and leave an example behind. Goodluck!