thewiki

Choosing a career is a life-long decision, and if you are not clear about which field to choose, it may result in poor career choices, leading to less efficiency at work.

For several years, my followers have requested me to advise about choosing a career and if they can switch careers after working in a particular field. Today I am going to discuss the same to help you guide into choosing the best careers and also to ensure that you earn good money through the job as well.

Professional and Academic Degrees
First, try to understand that there are two types of degrees;

1. A professional Degree is a type of graduation degree that can help you make money directly after passing the institute. It makes you industry ready from the first day you step out of your institute.
   
   For example, Hotel Management, 5 or 3 Years LLB, or Doctor in Medicine, etc.
   
   Now, as you go through programs like these, you find that you are provided the tools to learn the skills that can help you in running your own business or work with someone who may require the skill sets that are taught in these professional degrees. 
   
   The money earned might not be on a bigger side initially, but once you can expand your skillsets and client base, you can make money on a larger scale and that is all because you have gained skill sets that industry ready and easily saleable as those skill sets are requirement of the day.
   
   A Hotel Management Graduate can start his or her business or can work in a hotel as soon as he or she completes his or her education. Similarly, an Advocate can take cases as soon as he gets his or her license to practice Law from the Bar Council of India, and then they can work with good lawyers to gain experience or open their law firm.
   
   Also, a Doctor can work to gain some experience under a good professional and then he or she can also start their clinic that will help them make money for their life.
   
   I am not saying that every single person that completes these degrees can start their businesses, but most of them have the option to do so. That's why we have titles that go along with each one of the occupations. For example, a cook that has done his or her education at Hotel Management Institute and works in big hotels is titled a "Chef". Similarly, a lawyer is titled an "Advocate", and a doctor has the title "Dr.".
   
   Also, one needs to understand that all these professional courses do not give an immediate huge amount of money, but one has to work hard to make their brand, and only after that one can churn out huge amounts of money (in the longer run). 
   
   One should only pursue these professional courses if you are passionate about the same. This is because these are demanding careers and if you are not passionate about the field, then you are destined to fail alongside. I had done my Hotel Management, and although I was not that much passionate about departments in hotels, still I was a good student and was able to gain experience in the Tandoor section as a Chef. 
    
2. Academic Degrees on the other hand do not give you the capability to start your career directly. You need to show your competence and work hard on yourself before you can end up having a good job opportunity. For example, Engineering is a very broad term that was used by several people in our community and most of the students after 12th used to go for Engineering.
   
   Having said that, most of them have to undergo MBA programs to land a good job after completing their engineering. Even government jobs are not enough to provide every one of them employment in their domain.
   
   Not only do they need to be good in their subjects, but in academic degrees, one also needs to be good at scoring projects and delivering those on time. If you are a computer engineer for example, or if you are learning coding or programming from a college, then you won't be able to get a good-paying job just because you have learned something. You will have to undergo different projects and develop applications to showcase your ability to your potential employers.
   
   Also, you end up working for companies throughout your life if you don't have enough ability to start your own digital business. But if you can get a good job, in that case, you can earn good amounts of money from the initial stage as well, because tech companies pay handsomely.
   
   Similarly, if you are undergoing BSc. or BTech. then you need to undergo internships or complete some projects to showcase your worth, and most people end up doing MBA or some Post Graduate Diploma to get good jobs. One brighter option is to go for Masters and then Doctorate programs, as these give you a good hold on your subject and you are also able to secure good jobs in the Teaching line.

So, which career should you choose?
From the above explanation, you may be thinking that Professional Degrees are better than Academic ones, which might be true to some extent.

This is because you end up having a good grasp of skills that are actually required in the industry. But one thing is clear you end up earning lower salaries than Academic Degrees in the initial days. After you have gained experience then it doesn't matters if you have a professional or academic degree. Then you earn a good salary or money in both types of degrees.

So while you are pursuing your 12th, you should try to figure out with your parents, which subjects you are good at and what are you interested in. But don't just go for a language like English, Hindi, or Sanskrit, just because you are good at it, because being good at something is different, and being passionate about something is different altogether.

Below are some guidelines to help you decide which degrees to choose as per your passion:

1. If you are good in PCM and are passionate about being an engineer, or if you like to work on computers and do coding to develop mobile applications or websites, or if you have an innovative idea and are constantly working on your projects, then go for an academic degree and computer engineering is good.
   
   Go for Civil Engineering if you are passionate to work for government jobs or if you want to work in road and infrastructure development. I have seen students taking Civil Engineering just because their parents wanted them to do engineering without thinking about prospects.
   
   Similarly, go for Mechanical Engineering or BSc, if you are passionate about building things or doing Research and want to become a Scientist. It hurts to see people doing BSc, and then going for MBA because there is usually no connection between the two. If you want to become a Scientist and want to do research then going for BSc, MSc, and Ph.D. should be your priority.
    
2. If you like to cook food and you are good at it, you can think of going for Hotel Management. Hotel Management is not a course that you should go for if you are not good financially because it is demanding during the course as well. LLB 3 Years or 5 Years maybe a 1 lakh rupees course in some of the universities, but Hotel Management institutes take at least 3 to 4 Lakh rupees for the whole 3-year course after 12th.
   
   I have been witness to the same, where we could have done a simple graduation for 1 lakh rupees, hotel management cost us a whooping 6 Lakh rupees, and if you are not that passionate about cooking or serving people, then you will not be able to survive in this industry for long.
    
3. Go for LLB 5 Years or 3 Years if you are interested in law or legal applications. Many students are unaware of the benefits of becoming a lawyer, and we should always help our kids to understand the weightage of the "Advocate" title. This is because as a citizen of India, we have to abide by the rules and regulations of the Indian Constitution, and also follow the law of the land. 
   
   Therefore it is always better to motivate your kids to go for law and legal studies as it will make them better aware of the laws of the country and they can also make money out of it. 
   
   Even if your kid is passionate about computers or blogging or vlogging on YouTube, encourage them to pursue law as they will be able to apply that knowledge in the content that they post on their website or YouTube channels. This in turn will help them in building their brand and they will also be able to find clients much more easily.
    
4. Go for Doctor in Medicine if you are interested in Biology and are also good at the same. Being passionate about becoming a doctor and being good at it are both required in this case. This is because you cannot risk someone's life. One of my sisters wanted to become a doctor so badly, but unfortunately wasn't able to clear the entrance exam.
   
   Most of you can also go for private institutes if you have good money and time, but being passionate about the same is also important in this case. I was not that much passionate about pursuing Doctor of Medicine and hence I chose something else.
    
5. Go for Analytics if you are good with Computers and Statistics. This is again important to understand because Analytics will also be an academic course. You can go for a doctorate in this field and then you can do wonders in this field because this field requires you to be good with statistics, and coding at the same time.
   
   I have been in this field for quite some time now, and have observed that the more you understand a subject, the more you can apply analytics to that field. Therefore, it is a constant work of studying and learning new technologies.
   
   Although a computer programer or coder is more sought after, but an Analyst is something that cannot be replaced, because you can ask a coder to develop an application or website but you need an analyst to understand the need and come up with unique solutions in the first place. 
   
   Having said that it also depends on the time you want to spend to learn new technologies because as a Data Analtics Expert you are expected to know most of the new dashboard making tools, and to implement Machine Learning and Big Data Sets into systems to gather insights that can help management to make critical decisions.
    
6. Going for BBA is also good, if you are not able to decide which field to choose, which is absolutely fine because BBA teaches you essence of Business and how you can set up your own business to make money. But most of the times, it requires us to go through MBA to understand the overall application.
   
   Having said that it is always better to combine BCom with LLB after 10+2 because there you learn both some commerce and law at the same time and you can also go for an honors.
   
   Only going for BBA will pitch you up for a general industry audience because most of the companies hire Sales People or HR People from BBA or MBA colleges. Depending upon the reputation of college and the hard work or knowledge you have your salary is determined.
   
   I basically believe you should go for MBA or PGDM from a good college with good placement record, and also try to have dual specialization. For example, I had my course in PGDM HR and Analytics, that helped me in exploring best of both the world and integrating my professional expertise from HR and Analytics.
   
   As I was passionate about computers and wanted to pursue my career in HR, HR Analytics made more sense.
    
7. Go for BPharma or BTech Cosmetology if you are interested in manufacturing of Medicines and Cosmetic products. But it is always better to be good at Chemistry in this case and apply for positions in Research and Development. This is because Research and Development helps you to be in control of the work that you do and you are always developing new formulations that have a greater impact across the world.
   
   Therefore, if you are good in Chemistry and Biology and also passionate about innovation, go for these fields, but try to steer yourself towards research and development or else you will always end up in sales department of big brands.

Can we change our field after Graduation or Post Graduation
Yes, you can always change your field after Graduation or Post Graduation.

I had done BSc. Hospitality and Catering Technology and after working for 2 years as a Tandoor Chef, I went for PGDM HR Analytics after consulting from my parents and right now I am working with organizations in Data Analytics dealing will all kind of analytical requirements like Finance, HR or Sales.

You need to understand what you are passionate about. If you love developing websites, just go for it even if it is not related to your field. You will always find a way to connect all your experiences together as life rolls on.

It's just a matter of being passionate and ready to take risk.

Most of the people are not comfortable in taking risk. It's not only about being a business man that you have to take risk, but as an employee also you will have to take risk now or then and these are the risks that will help you grow.

You will have to take decisions about being in your stream or changing it. You will have to explore new avenues. Currently HR is something that I like to work in and also provide consultation on HR, Analytics and Legal fronts to my clients, but it was not initially like that.

I was also confused as to take this step and change my field from Hotel to corporates, but once you have taken a ticket, the the bus will take you to your journey. You just need to ensure that you sit tight on the bus or else you will again divert from your course or direction.

Try to complete things. If you want to change, then do it properly by educating yourself about the course and taking proper courses. Then work in the field for few years to explore your trajectory. Not doing this and if you keep on searching for a new field after ever few months, then you will end up not reaching anywhere.

Spend some time in newly chosen career and focus on your tasks at the moment. Dont rush into conclusions or what people say, and you will definitely succeed.

All The Best!

Although you are studying in school, it is always fun to earn while you learn. You can make money in several ways even when you go to school, and it even feels great when you start making money early in life as it teaches you real marketing skills, and how you can use your talents to make a fortune when you study. Below are some of the ideas by which you can make money while you are studying in school.

1. Give your comics or movies on rent:
As a school-going student, you may be having some comics and story books or even movies that you may have watched several times. When I was a kid, I used to get one new movie CD on my birthday, which I used to watch and then those were just part of my collection.

You can rent out those comics or movies to your friends or your neighborhood for cheaper rates. This will help you earn some bucks without even investing anything upfront. You can even keep late fees or rent your comics and movies on a day-to-day basis, and hence you will end up having a constant flow of passive income.

This is awesome because you also learn how to manage inventory. For this, you can use a simple pen and paper to track your clients or can even create a spreadsheet on your laptop.

2. Check the stuff you don't need and sell them:
As a school-going kid, you usually have piles of notebooks or study materials that you may not need because you may have been promoted to new classes. You may even have clothes or some items that are of no use to you. In that case, you can sell them at a cheaper rate, which will help some needy students to get hold of those important study materials and you will also earn a few bucks.

Just ensure not to sell something that you may be attached to or your parents may be attached to. You can take permission from your parents before selling your stuff.

3. Create a blog:
Blogs are one of the best ways to build your empire as a student, and that is because as a student, you are always learning something new. Therefore, you can add those details to a blog or website. This may require you to ask for some funding from your parents if you are going for a professional website, or for some time you can also use free blogging websites like thewiki Network.

You can easily register and start writing blogs on your new learnings or your day-to-day experiences. This will be like a guiding star for new generations, as they may also have similar situations like you, and your solutions can help them, hence making their life easy.

To monetize this, you can either set up advertisements or can also write sponsored posts once your blog starts getting good traffic. To get more traffic, you can share your blogs with your friends and connections, and this will also encourage local vendors to connect with you for advertisements.

4. Sell newspapers or cans in scrap:
Usually, households have a lot of newspapers and cans or even glass bottles that get accumulated over time. You can sell those items into scrap and can make a few cents that you can save to buy something in the near future. This is one of the most efficient ways because most countries have scrap buyers in the locality, and you can always take your parent's help in doing so, and they will also be happy to help you.

This is because usually newspapers, plastic bottles, glass, and even cans get thrown into garbage collection bins in apartment or societies, which is not of any value to you, but if you are able to sell them, then you can make a few cents to meet some of your school requirements as well.

5. Take Tuition of Students in Lower Classes than You:
If you feel you are good in any of the subjects, you can take the tuition of the students that are in lower grades or classes for some tuition fee. I used to go for my maths tuition to one of my friends who was good in maths, and for that, he used to charge me around $5 per month, which was reasonable, as it helped me a lot and I was also able to pass the examination with flying colors.

6. If you are good with pets, then work as a pet sitter:
Pet sitting is one of the most underrated jobs. These days in societies and apartment groups, most of the families have pets and they need to take pets for a walk. If you love dogs, you can also work as a pet sitter or a dog walker, and this will actually fetch you some good amounts of money.

Also, it will help you make some new furry friends and you will always be happy and healthy as you will also make a habit of walking every day to take dogs for a walk.

7. Car Cleaning Services:
These days, car cleaning services have sky rocketed, and hence you can come to the rescue. You can advertise in your local groups that you can clean some cars in the morning or evening time for a set amount of money, and people usually are happy to pay a few dollars to get their cars cleaned on a daily basis. This will not earn you a lot of money, but at least you will have something for yourself and you will also be strong as it takes a bit of hard work to clean cars.

8. Check in your school for any open positions:
Schools usually have activity clubs or editorial boards, where they usually take students. You can apply for those positions and that can also help you make some money while you learn new things in your day to day life.

Someone has rightly said, saving a penny is equivalent to earning a penny.

So you can always try to save some money by;

• Shopping on discount - You can go to stores that offer good discounts, or can even look for coupons and promo codes online. This will again help you save some bucks every month.
• Open a Savings Account - If you already have some money or if you get some pocket money, then you should open a savings account, as banks provide some interest on your savings also. So if you have some money, you can actually make some interest on the save while it is kept in your savings account. It is not much, but it is still enough to get a new pen every month.
• Having a piggie bank - Piggie Banks are one of the best tools to save the coins and extra change that seem worthless and may fall down. So, what I usually do is that, I always put my change and coins in my piggie bank and after a few months when it is full, then I break it down and take all that money to buy the things that I want or I simply add them to my savings account to earn more interest.

Conslucion:
There are several ways by which you can make money as a student, you just need to figure out ways by which you can sell or market a service or product. This will eventually help you in making some money and also enhance your interpersonal and marketing skills, which is a mandate for most of the jobs these days.