CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, career is a job or profession for which one is trained and which one intends to follow for the whole of one's life. Every human being was created with a special ability or gift known as Talents and Endowments. This special ability when discovered and developed at an early stage in life produces a fruitful career. One becomes successful in a career choice when one discovers one's talents and endowments and aligns one’s career to them.

Many people due to ignorance choose careers that hardly benefit them in life. Some people think that they can become rich and influential by choosing the career of some celebrated professionals and millionaires in the community. Some others may choose their careers because of their love for big titles like Dr(Doctor), Engr(Engineer), Arc(Architect).

It is also sad to note that some human beings like to live without any career at all. Whatever the day brings satisfies them. There were two children born and nurtured under the same roof by the same parents. Equal opportunity to do well in health and wealth were made available for them. One of these children,Valiant, discovered his talent at the early stage of his life by listening to his parents’ advice while the other, Prince, stuck to an opposite opinion. Spending time in studies and schooling appears to be an effort in futility to Prince; it sounds strange to him that one should sweat and labour for tomorrow which is still far and uncertain. All efforts the parents made to rescue Prince from his foolish opinion was like pouring water on a stone. Valiant unrelentingly ascended height of academic achievement, aiming to become an Engineer. Before long through sound guidance and God's grace the feat was attained. Few years later he became a happy owner of cars and estates. Meanwhile Prince spent his youthful energy on irrelevances. Total dependence on the wealth of the parents no longer supported him. Happiness and peace began to dwindle, giving way to regret and poverty. Lack and hunger taught him to choose truck - pushing as a means of livelihood; he learnt in a hard way to choose a painful career in life. His choice not to struggle and suffer early in life brought him tears of sorrow and regret later.

Though these brothers were born and grew under equal care, were given same condition and opportunities, their choices in life have differentiated them. Your choice of career can make or mars your future. Being born into a wealthy home is not the criteria for making a right choice but an opportunity to develop your talent with ease. On the other hand, being born into a poor home is not an excuse for making a wrong choice but a challenge for greater achievement.

Below are five effective helps and guides in choosing the best careers.

1. God through His Word and the Holy Spirit can help one in discovering one's career. The Bible says in, "But when he, the spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13).

2. Observant parents having known the natural abilities of their children can suggest specific careers to them and children have their duty to listen and obey their parents.

3. Self-discovery of gifts and talents can also be helpful to one in choosing careers.

4. The environment in which one is reared naturally can shift one's interest to certain fields of endeavour. Moreover some people were born into a harsh environment by divine arrangement so that difficult times can be the whetting stone to sharpen their hidden talents and potentials.

5. The Guidance counsellor from one's academic performance over a period of time can help in choosing career one will not regret in life.

Acknowledgement: Excellent Career, a book by @reverend-fidelis