Not happy with your job description? Despite your best efforts, you don’t seem to like your work. Having trouble seeing yourself in your boss’ (or his boss’) shoes. The thought of how to plan changing career paths must then be percolating in your head.
The majority of engineers in the world come from India. Being an engineer has evolved through time into a must for finishing your education, much like passing your board exams; after finishing your engineering, you are then qualified to follow your true interests. Additionally, how to plan changing career paths is not only happening among engineers; it is gradually spreading across all professions.
However, there are several considerations that one should make before switching careers:
- Do not mistakenly think that a transient interest is your passion: You won’t become a fashion, nature, or wedding photographer just because Madhavan accomplished it in “3 Idiots” and you seem to have a DSLR. You need to consider if it’s a serious passion or simply a passing interest; whether you really want to do it or are just doing it because you like the concept the movie presented.
- Similarly, avoid going along with the crowd: Do you still recall taking engineering merely because everyone else was doing it? You are aware of the consequences of that choice! You won’t have the items come out exactly the same way, just as you won’t fit into someone else’s outfit. Burnout isn’t long behind when you enter a field only because it’s hot.
- Try trying a few new things if you’re unsure about your area of interest: A new field internship, volunteer opportunity, or contract job are never too old to pursue. You may do internships in a variety of fields—some of which you may like, while others you may loathe—but what you’ll mostly get is understanding of various concepts and the ability to rule out possibilities rather than keeping them as open questions in your head.
- Don’t enrol in an MBA programme only for fun: Get an MBA when you don’t know what to do with your life next is a cliché that is overused, particularly in India. Don’t pursue an MBA unless you have a very precise aim that the MBA degree will help you reach since it is a costly proposition, both financially and in terms of time. The last thing you want is to pursue another unfulfilling employment even after earning your MBA. (Read which is a better instrument for a career switch: MBA vs. Internships.)
- Keep money out of the decision-making process: You must be aware from your current employment that if you are not happy with your work, no amount of money can make you happy. For working people, job stress and job discontent rank first in terms of health issues. Although you could make less money when you change occupations, don’t let that influence your choice. Once you get started, the cash will come.
In short, even if there are just a few issues to resolve, one shouldn’t be against the concept of changing careers.
We only have one life to live, therefore we must not allow anybody else to decide how it should be lived.
The greatest success, according to Ralph Emerson, is being oneself in a society that continuously tries to mould you into someone else.
If you are still looking for more career advice, click here.
