If I had a dollar for every time my mother told to me to try out for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, I would be a billionaire by now! There seems to be a general stereotype that the only careers worth considering are conventional options like engineering, medicine, civil service, law, accounts and the list goes on; but what people fail to realize is that it is time to step out of our comfort zones.
On to the Future
Nowadays, many youngsters are opting for new-age careers like social media management, graphic designing, and ethical hacking among others. After consulting many young students, it was evident that many are eager to do something different. Aakangsha Dutta, a student from Assam Valley School shared, ‘Job security and a heavy pay cheque don’t interest me as much as an exciting and adventurous life. I want to turn my passion into a career. I think new age careers are becoming the new convention because youngsters are looking for satisfaction. Personally, I would like to go for a new age career like freelance writing and blogging because it’ll help me maintain the work and fun balance.’ It is true that young job seekers are very particular about job satisfaction, something most conventional careers fall short on.
The Tree of Knowledge
Although young people are looking to pursue new age careers, there seems to be one big hurdle, that of adequate knowledge. Devansh Gupta, from Assam Valley School states, ‘The reason I feel a lot of young people do not end up choosing new-age careers is because they are not well-informed. This is the reason why only IITs and medical colleges are getting filled up. People are ready to settle for low pay, just so that they can become engineers or doctors. Instead they can go for new-age careers that offer more exposure and better pay.’
It has to be said that most schools do not host enough workshops or discussions on careers and future jobs. But it cannot be denied that students need to know what skills they need to have and what careers cater to their needs and requirements.
A Long Way to Go
There is still a great gap between conventional and non-conventional careers, in terms of takers. New-age careers still have a long way to go in terms of credibility and dependability, because like any new product on the market, it’ll take time for them to prove their worth. Aadhvick Pal pursuing economics honours from Christ University of Bangalore stated, ‘I think a career should be stable, something that will help you earn the daily bread. It should be safe. I think that trying new things is good, and I too have many hobbies that I love to spend my time on. But I know better than turning them into a career. Not that unconventional careers are incapable of bringing financial stability, but I just prefer things that are tried and tested. I am a little traditional in that sense I guess, and that is the reason I want to try out for the UPSC exams.’
It is safe to assume that it will still take some time for all young job seekers to take the leap of faith, but when the brave ones start doing well in their field, it is sure to inspire others. The day is not far when the ratio of takers of non-conventional careers will be on equal terms with that of conventional careers, because the turn of the century brings with it new thoughts and ideas as well as new problems and needs in every sphere, which can only be solved by unconventional and innovative methods.
By Divyana Das
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