“How does one overcome the pressures of society while planning a career?”
This burning question was asked by a student at a recently organised educational webinar for youths and parents.
“First, believe in yourself and your goal. Then, convince your parents and get them behind you. Once your parents are backing you, no one will be able to stop you,” said leading career consultant, Dr Amrita Dass, Founder-Director, ICS in reply.
Event Report By: Ms Sanchita Dwivedi
Addressing the audience during a session of ‘Zindagi MasterClass’ — a series of webinars being hosted by Institute for Career Studies (ICS) and Study Hall Educational Foundation in collaboration with UNICEF — Dr Dass reinforced the message that there were infinite careers today and multiple professional innings for many individuals.
“What you need to ensure is that your choice is based on your personality, career interests, aptitudes and talents. It’s a combination of these that will ensure both happiness and success,” she told students.
Why Early Career Planning is Recommended
To parents, she said, there was no ideal age for taking career guidance for their children. “There are child prodigies — who do exceptionally well at a very young age. What’s important is to recognise your child’s talent as soon as possible, develop it and encourage them to explore possibilities at a young age. Is your child arts-oriented? Tech-oriented? Or both? It’s important to get out of the stereotypes of the past years. These days, most careers are open from any subject stream or combination,” said Dr Dass.
Emphasising the importance of starting career-planning early, she said, “Till Class 8, all subjects are studied. For Class 8 students, we encourage balancing their academic and co-curricular activities, without taking any pressure or stressing themselves out. This is the time to explore possibilities and interests, which can be fine-tuned to their unique frequencies later. Starting early gives both students and parents the time to explore and learn.”
Post-Covid Careers: Opt for ‘Flexpertise’
Advocating ‘flexpertise’ or developing multiple skillsets, here’s what Dr Dass advised a participant who is currently a teacher and is pursuing post-graduation in management but is also interested in economics: “Develop a career portfolio that brings together all the building blocks of your talents. It’s about making your passion your profession. Once you complete management, you can be both an academician as well as a management consultant. Also, while pursuing management, take up courses in financial economics or mathematical economics, which can help strengthen your profile as a consultant.”
She also suggested building a strong career portfolio by showcasing one’s talent in creative fields such as writing, film-making, performing arts, etc.
For students appearing for tough competitive exams like the civil services, Dr Dass also suggested strategies for fallback options and how to optimise preparation for related entrance tests.
The session — ‘Changing Employment Scenario due to Covid-19’ — attracted a wide range of queries by students and parents. So much so that the webinar went into overtime, necessitating a follow-up session, which has been planned for June 23rd.
Some other queries asked during the session
- Dr Dass gave detailed responses to each of the following questions:
- How to pursue international law at the graduation level?
- How to launch a career in content writing?
- What happens if you drop a subject but need it later to pursue a career?
- Questions on career prospects with unconventional subject combinations such as geography and psychology or biology and law.
- What could be rewarding careers for students good in biology but weak in physics and chemistry?
- What if you realise late that you’re in a profession you don’t like? When is it too late to plan a career shift?
- How to be a doctor, a writer and a singer — all together?
- Does pursuing arts limit one’s professional scope, especially in tech firms?
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