The career is basically an individual’s journey through life, learning and other various aspects. There are many ways to explain career and in various ways the term itself is also used. In its broadest sense, career simply refers to one’s occupation or vocation. This can be an occupation that you are actually interested in but for whom you have not received formal training. It may also be an occupation that you have always had an interest in but for which you have not pursued formal education.
Many people do not understand what career planning is all about. For many people it has something to do with getting a boring nine to five job so that they can pay the bills. However, career planning involves making sure that a person is actually interested in their chosen occupation or vocation. This entails both intellectually and emotionally preparing oneself for a career.
Many young people embark on what is called a journey within career which essentially is a sort of self-discovery. It takes them from their normal daily occupations or occupation that they feel satisfied in to more stimulating career paths such as, teaching, the performing arts and so forth. They may decide to go into teaching as a profession or they might take up an administrative role in an educational institution. This does not necessarily mean that the chosen career path has to be in a university.
In terms of career success, one’s aspirations can determine where one’s career goes in life. Broadly speaking, there are four career paths that individuals can take: the technical route, the creative route, the leadership route and the service route. With regards to technical careers, those requiring graduate degrees in computer science, engineering or some related field, often find themselves in administrative or managerial positions. Those with degrees in arts and sciences may work in acting, directing, production and/or marketing, which all involve different aspects of the creative industry.
On the other hand, the most commonly occurring career paths involve leadership, performing arts and so on. The reasons for this are that these careers require individuals to be intensely creative and have a broad range of skills that they need to bring to their occupation. On the other hand, the technical career involves the employment of a limited set of skills. The good news about technical careers is that it is possible to master the skills required for any given occupation.
Ultimately, career development means realizing that life experiences can have a significant impact on the success or failure of a career. Young people should be encouraged, if not compelled, to explore the alternatives that lie beyond the traditional career paths. If individuals feel dissatisfied with their current occupation then there are numerous career alternatives that offer the chance to discover new horizons and exciting challenges. The important thing to remember is that, while a particular career may have been the right one for someone else, it may not be the right career path for a person.