5 Mistakes Students Make While Choosing A Career

Choosing the right career is one of the most important decisions which you have to make all by yourself. You might take help from consultants, friends, family but then, the final decision lies in your hands. After you come out of school, you have 3 years to decide where you are going to go in life and how you will achieve the path of success. Mistakes can be made throughout the journey which is nothing to fear but, trying to learn from them will make you a better decision-maker. Here, we have 5 common mistakes you should avoid while choosing your career:

1. Going where your best friend is going!

Well, this is the most common mistake students often make, and find themselves in trouble after realizing what they did! Being in the same class and sitting with your best friend is not possible when you decide careers on which your life depends. You think you can spend some more quality time and have loads of fun at college but, what after that? When you realise you hate working in the same field and that it is of no match to your personality?

Though you and your friends love each other's company, you need to realize that you are two different people with different personality traits. You can't select a mainstream subject depending on someone else's decision. They are doing the right thing by choosing individually and you should do the same.

 

2. Chasing glamor and money

Well, if you chase something, it will never chase you back! So, the formula to get money is never to chase for it. There are a lot of career options that promise you money, but what if the insiders are different? There are a lot of students who want to select the media industry as their career choice but, you should know that there is tons of hard work and it is not as easy as it seems. The media industry might look super shiny from the outside but, when you see it from the inside you know how hard it is to get the “perfect” you see on the screen or in the paper! Just clicking a few photographs, makeup, and outfit selection are not the only things you will do over there.

 

3. Letting your parents decide for you

There are still a lot of students who are simply following their parent's steps or doing what their parents want them to do. Career selection depends entirely on what your interests are and what you like and if someone else tries to tell you which way to go, it may result in a disaster! You will have to stand against this deed and help yourself out from following your parents' dream. There is nothing wrong with telling them that you have different interests and want to follow a different career path! But then, if you also love what they want you to do ahead in life, there is no looking back. You just have to know what is right for you and that the decision is solely yours to make.

 

4. Ignoring the prospects of a particular industry

Looking at prospects is one of the most important things in the career selection process. A student has to think it through and invest a good amount of time researching the future perspectives of the field they are in. Have a close look at the industry and try to figure out the latest trends and whether it is steady or going to grow. A very good example to explain this is newspapers or radio channels, they are surviving today through e-newspapers and podcasts but, what is the future going to be? Would you like to have a job that uses old technology and methods? Think about it!

 

5. Taking rapid decisions

One should always invest a good amount of time before deciding the most important decisions in life. Career selection looks like an easy task but when you sit and think there are a thousand options for you to select from. You should sit and dig deep to find out which one you are interested in. Simply take a pen and paper and start shortlisting step by step according to your interests, future perspective, financial stability, etc.

 

No man on earth can continue his life without making mistakes, but it is our duty to avoid what we can and learn from other people's mistakes. So, sit back and relax, take a deep breath, and start thinking of what you have to do in life.

5 Tips for Career Planning

Students find it difficult once they are through with the schooling and have to start working towards their future. We understand that these times are really confusing. The only best way to get rid of the pressure is to have a plan before the time comes. Career planning can help you map out everything in advance and acts as your guide for you right from the beginning.

Career planning is not something you can simply think and pursue ! It takes lots of effort and research to get to the right path. Any kind of mistake can impact your future so, here are a few tips that can be helpful to you while you are planning your career.

1. Research is the key!

The first thing which any kind of planning requires is research! The right kind of research will fetch you the right kind of results. Many students do not look into the various job opportunities which their field of education is providing them. Once you select which field of study you are going to opt for, try looking for job opportunities that are unique and different. Take a pen and a paper and start exploring different job opportunities out there, with every job option jot down the positives and negatives as well. This is going to help you process a better selection.

If you think you can’t find the latest trends online, then try catching up with a magazine or visit a few agencies for a career counseling session.

 

2. Self analysis 

To know your future and flourish in one, you need to recognize and learn what you love. Your interests play a very important role in the career planning process. Self analysis is one of the best ways to get to know where your interest lies. Performing a self-assessment test once in a while will help you decide what's best for you!

There are many self-assessment/ psychometric tests offered by various career counselling service providers which you can take to understand your core strengths, weaknesses and capabilities. 

 

3. Achieve step by step

One of the best strategies to accomplish your goal is to divide your entire journey into small achievements. Let's say Sasha wants to do Event Management at Wizcraft World (one of the leading Event Management Companies). So, the best way she opted to reach her dream job is to divide her entire journey into small achievements. She started off with the research where she gained knowledge and got to know the map for her to achieve her goal. After that she started off with her course, gave exams and gained experience. These were the next steps of her achievement which brought her closer to the goal. She divided her entire journey into small achievements and reached her dream job. She got motivated after achieving each step which she mapped. The best way to reach out to your dream is to divide the entire path into short-term goals. Trust us, reaching one step closer to your goal gives you immense amounts of motivation and happiness. You will never feel demotivated to reach your dream if you make a few short term goals and reach one step closer every time you accomplish one short term goal! But, with short term goals, knowing your long term goal is also very important. You can not forget your aim and indulge yourself completely in the short term goals you’ve built for your betterment.

Long term goals give you a clear aim of how much time you will need to accomplish your dream.

So, both of them have equal importance in career planning.

 

4. Gaining experience to achieve your dream

You can never achieve anything without having knowledge and experience about it. To have a dream and convert it to reality, you need to have a plan, and to accomplish that plan you need experience. If a person has an interest in setting up his own business, without experience and knowledge you will not know where to start from and how to market your product in the right way. So, try a few things first, gain experience, and try to accomplish your dream by adding more weight to your job profile as well as personality. You can start off with internships which is the best way to gain experience in a real time setting. You will know how things work when you will be allowed to work within the staff and observe how the work takes place. Your first job after an internship is also going to get you tons of new experience as it will be different from an internship with a lot of new responsibility on your shoulders.

 

5. Find yourself a mentor

If you have someone to guide you through right and wrong, give you advice and increase your knowledge it can help you grow better and bigger. You can achieve your goals even better because a mentor will not only be an inspiration but, help you out achieve your goals without letting you fall into the wrong pit. With the guidance and knowledge of a mentor, you will learn a lot of new things throughout your journey which will also help you become a better person.

 

These are some basic tips for career planning that will help you climb the stairs to success. Planning is just a blueprint to achieve your dreams and a way to know how you will achieve them. When you are through with  the pre-execution period (planning period) you will have to work on over the plan and carve yourself with experience and knowledge. The amount of hard work you put into achieving your dreams is the only way to know if the planning is right or not.

Top 5 Career Counselors in Delhi

Counselling requires a safe and trusted environment for you to get the best of results out of it. The same goes for students' career counseling! Until and unless you can open up about your problems and stresses regarding your future and goal, you can't receive the right result out of it. There are many career counselors are ready to provide you with the best counseling in Delhi. However, we are sure a list of the top 5 counselors will help you select the right one with ease.

1.      iDreamCareer

A lot of students must have heard about iDreamCareer. It is India's largest unbiased platform providing the right direction to fulfill every student's dream. Offering customized career counseling and guidance service, they have helped around 2.5 million students and have a network of more than 1000+ career counsellors. The best part about iDreamCareer is that they not only provide aid to schools and colleges but also help a lot of NGOs. They also have contributions to organizations like UNICEF, UNDP, Central Square Foundation, etc. You can rely on them for services like stream selection counseling, Psychometric assessment test, College admission guidance, and post career counselling support. If you are looking for the best career counseling in Delhi then, nothing can be as good as iDreamCareer with a direction to your dreams. They also give two days Free Trial to their career dashboard.

2.      Mindler

Mindler is another platform that can help you get through the tough phase of your life. They aim to provide the best career counseling in Delhi with the help of artificial intelligence combined with man-made strategies. They provide services like online test assessment, career guidance, and counseling to help you get in the right direction in life. If you are facing any confusion regarding careers, then Mindler is simply going to sort things out and set a path for your future.

 

3.      TuCareers

TuCareers believe that choice of career is one of the most important decisions in your life, so why put it in danger? TuCareer helps students out by making the right decisions based on knowledge and experience. They have their services in a toolbox which includes learning style assessments, career aptitude tests, maladjustment assessments, MBTI personality tests, DISC personality test, personality profiler, resume analyzer, career spark light, and basics, and a lot more. You can learn about the toolbox in detail when you visit the website.

 

4.      Edumilestones

Edumilestones started its journey in 2008 and was India's first platform specifically dedicated to career counseling and assessment. They begin with about 10 counselors to provide the right career guidance to every student in the nation. They have a special curation of career assessments for Indian students according to their abilities and mindset. Today they have around 1600 counselors working day and night, helping students achieve what they deserve and are capable of. They have helped around 1.5 lac students and given them the right direction to their career.

 

5.      CareerGuide

CareerGuide claims to be your one-stop destination for all the career guidance you need. With a team of 9 members, they work day and night to help students achieve what they dream. They have a special team for psychometric assessments who help students of class 9th to 12th get to the career which suits their interests. They also help students who are going to graduate and step into a world full of opportunities.

 

Everyone is capable of achieving the dream they saw that night! All you gotta do is follow the right direction and take the right advice from the people around you. There are times when your well-wishers may not be able to get to the right decision for you but trusting a counselor will always get you in the right direction in an unbiased way. Keep Growing!

Preparing for your dream career? The time to invest in skills is NOW!

The distance between dream career and skills can now be bridged at an early stage. For young students there is now an opportunity to learn at their pace from industry experts and leaders with iDX education. 

The 2019/2020 Global Skills Gap Report by Udemy shows that the majority (92 percent) of employees in India agree that there is a skills gap in the country and two-thirds (76 percent) of them feel personally affected by it. Many either don’t get their dream job or are not able to rise in their career because they lack the necessary skills. 

Here’s why the skill gap is more alarming than ever before:

The gaps in education 

The truth is that the academic curriculum lacks industry exposure and focuses a lot on theoretical knowledge. This gap leads to more challenges for young individuals when they go out there in the job market. Even the New Education Policy 2020 acknowledged these gaps in the current system and has proposed to make it more practical. However, when will it be implemented and when will its impact be visible is hard to tell at the present. 

To build a better future, young students have to go beyond their textbooks and learn critical skills outside the curriculum as well. This means additional investment of time and efforts. There are a plethora of platforms available online to help students. For instance, iDX.education, an initiative by us at iDreamCareer.com (iDC) to get students the relevant industry experience, exposure to practical assignments, and opportunity to learn from the experts in the space. 

The uncertain future

The pandemic has further disrupted business models, and jobs and the world of work now evolves more rapidly than ever before. Given these rapid developments, it is hard to predict the future and what skills will be relevant. The lack of ability to find your aspirational job leads to anxiety, you are either stuck in a job you don’t like, or you are left unemployed. It is not that you don’t have the potential. You are full of possibilities. All you need to do is identify the relevant skills and invest in building them. 

But the good news is that there are some skills and competencies that shall remain to be relevant and critical across sectors and functions. 

For young individuals who are yet to get into the job market, this is the best time to invest in skill building and get a headstart at an early stage. iDX education, the microlearning platform focuses on skills like problem solving, design thinking, effective communication, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy, among others. 

The fierce competition 

India claims to have a young demographic. There is a plenty of talent out there that if given the right opportunities and platforms can create a better present and tomorrow for themselves and the country. But the lack of skill gap holds back both the people and the country to live up to its full potential. The unemployment rates continue to be on the rise and the employers complain about the lack of job-readiness among youngsters. 

But this job-readiness gap can be bridged if the students, their parents, and even educators take the baton and invest in skill development from an early stage. Further if industry specialists and experts join the endeavor and help curate more relevant learning solutions for youngsters, the problem can further be solved. For example, at iDX, the microlearning courses are led by industry leaders like angel investor Rishab Malik, economist Kumar Anand, UX Consultant Kanika Kohli, and journalist turned entrepreneur Shweta Khanna Bhandral, among others. 

Man vs Machine

In the report by Udemy, the majority of the respondents feared that automation may replace their jobs. 82 percent agree that automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are taking away job roles. The threat of rapid digitization has been there for a while now and now as the pandemic accelerates the use of tech, it further increases. But most of the reports have repeatedly emphasized that it is only the mundane and repetitive tasks that are most likely to be automated. Other strategic and human skills like problem solving, entrepreneurship, consulting, and effective communication will, on the contrary, be even more relevant. 

Hence, iDX education focuses on building the more relevant skills for the now and the future of work, which are required to excel in life, irrespective of the education background and degrees.

“The illiterate of the 21st Century are not those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

― Alvin Toffler

So kickstart your learning journey NOW. 

Distinguishing Features of the New Education Policy 2020

For several years now, the education system of India was questioned for its effectiveness.

Both the government and its people have been well aware that the global education

development agenda requires to rethink, restrategize, and redesign the entire education

system. Further with the rapidly changing employment landscape and global ecosystem, it is

becoming critical to assess what the young minds learn and how they learn. To solve these

challenges and reconfigure the education system, on 29th July, the government introduced

the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP).

Let’s take a look at some of its key features:

The 5+3+3+4 design: The 10+2 structure gets replaced by the 5+3+3+4 model. As per

NEP, the curricular and pedagogical structure of school education will be reconfigured to

make it responsive and relevant to the developmental needs and interests of learners at

different stages, corresponding to the age ranges of 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years,

respectively.

Choice Based Credit System: The young minds may get a break from traditional career

paths. The NEP proposes that students will be given increased flexibility and choice of

subjects to study, particularly in secondary school - including subjects in physical education,

the arts and crafts, and vocational skills– so that they can design their own paths of study

and life plans.

Development of the creative potential: NEP aims to move away from the culture of rote

learning as is largely present today. The policy states that curriculum content will be reduced

in each subject to its core essentials, to make space for critical thinking and more holistic,

inquiry-based, discovery-based, discussion-based, and analysis based learning. Experiential

learning at all stages will also be introduced, along with art and sports integration.

Multilingualism: The NEP proposes, wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at

least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/mother

tongue/local language/regional language. Multilingualism and disseminating learning

concepts, especially at the foundational stage, may help bridge the gaps that exist between

the language spoken by the child and the medium of teaching.

Focus on essential skills: In recent times the need for behavioral competencies like

resilience, agility, innovation, and adaptability and the demand for digital literacy has

increased. NEP has hence proposed to enhance the scope of learning beyond subject-

matters and made learning these skills essential. These skills include scientific temper and

evidence-based thinking; creativity and innovativeness; sense of aesthetics and art; and also

vocational exposure and skills; digital literacy, coding, and computational thinking, among

others.