Careers can be defined as the journey through life. The career is the person’s metaphorical ” Journey” through various stages of learning, occupation and other facets of daily life. There are many ways to define a career and the word is commonly used in various ways. The scope of careers may include academic careers such as professors, legal professionals, doctors, engineers, etc., or other non-academic careers like salespeople, teachers, journalists and others. Careers offer individuals flexibility, creativity, independence, an option for growth, and unlimited earning potential. Thus careers provide for individual growth, fulfillment and satisfaction.

Careers in India are varied in scope and choice. For example, IT careers, which include BPO, Information Technology, and IT graduates looking for entry level positions, are very popular. Career options are also diverse for those who want to break into a high paying profession such as accounting, insurance, aviation, banking, manufacturing, etc. Another common career cluster that can be found in Indian careers is within the health care sector. Medical careers encompass the entire gamut of occupations from nurses, medical technicians, physician assistants to administrators and managers.

Choosing the right career path is always a decision. It is never easy. One can pursue a particular career path because it is fulfilling, in terms of personal satisfaction, pay scale, social status etc. However, not everyone will enjoy the same level of satisfaction in every career. Thus, while choosing the right career path it is important to consider other factors such as salary, job security, potential growth opportunities, overall impact on company’s bottom line, benefits available, travel and living expenses etc.

In general, the more unique the occupation, the more unique the pay, benefits package and prospect of career growth. However, this is not true in all professions. Those occupations, which offer great stability and are well paying have little scope for diversification. The reason is that in such professions, there will always be a pool of workers willing to work in the same organization. Thus, the scope for career growth is limited.

On the other hand, those occupations that involve lesser risks and allow job seekers to develop their professional skills and acquire necessary skills on their own have greater scope for career success. Those careers which help in providing job seekers with on-the-job training and development have a better prospect of success. In addition, job seekers who have access to high quality career guidance have a better chance of progressing through the ranks and ultimately achieving career success. There are numerous career guidance and training institutes across India that provide quality career support and advice.

In today’s market, most people want to change their careers. However, many people are unsure about how to go about it. Those who have opted for a long term career change or those who have decided to enter the workforce after working for years in one particular industry often find themselves confused about what to do next. Some try to retrain or take part-time jobs; others opt for self study or pursue higher education. For those who have done well in their previous jobs, choosing another career may seem like a difficult option. However, those who have taken the time to do proper research and understand the nature of the labour market are likely to make a good fit for a new career.