WHAT
IS A CAREER?
As defined in the
dictionary, it means ‘one’s professional
progress through life’. Simply put, ‘it is that pathway by which an
individual has chosen to run through life’s course’.
Life is an adventure
and as such requires a certain approach. An adventure to a mountain requires a
different approach from an adventure to a forest. There are those who will love
the pathway to the mountain more than the one to the forest. This immediately
leads me to the next question…
HOW
DO YOU CHOOSE A CAREER?
It’s amazing that much
of what would have been a fantastic career path for some people has ended in
much unhappiness. For instance, some people love to talk but because the
society has condemned people who talk, they have tried to live up to the
society’s dictate. Some even use religion as a cover up of their true self-
forgetting that there’s no fruit of the Spirit called quietness. This has led
them to a lifetime of inevitable frustration and unhappiness. We see people in
our world today who are envied simply because of what they do-the very same
things they were rejected for while they were young but they discovered
themselves and stuck to it and now they are celebrities. e.g Oprah Winfrey,
Mother Theresa, Michael Angelo, Wole Soyinka, Beethoven e. t. c to mention but
a few.
There’s so much to say
but I have found that of all the important things to note, key to choosing your
career is to find where YOUR PASSION
LIES. What you love doing, what you always think about, what you love to read
about, what you dont get tired of doing and talking about are all
elements of your PASSION and hence
should no doubt be your career choice indicator.
KEY
POINTS IN CAREER ASSESSMENT/SIGNALS
I strongly believe in
prayers and as such would say everyone who is sincere enough in discovering
his/her career should do the first and most important thing which is seek the
One who knows it all and has our lives fashioned out. I hold to be self evident
and fulfilling that all who have truly sought the face of God in matters
pertaining to their lives always rejoice in the end. James 1:5 has this to say “if
anyone does not know what to do, he should ask God…(NLT)”
Secondly, in the
corporate world, there’s an analysis called SWOT that is used for businesses. Experts have agreed that this is
also an analysis that could be used amongst other things in understanding
oneself to help better choose a career path.
S-STRENGHT
W-WEAKNESSES
O-OPPORTUNITIES
T-THREATS
Example
Let’s take the case of
a young girl who is known to always talk, loves meeting people and showing them
care, never wants to sit in one place, can’t stop telling stories. At a point
in time, this girl was referred to as a nuisance by her parents and friends but
today she’s the world most celebrated and richest woman. Though everyone around
her seemed to despise her, she found her passion and decided to work at it.
This woman is none other than Oprah
Winfrey, who runs the Oprah Winfrey
Show; a program many the world over will do anything to be on.
SWOT
ANALYSIS-OPRAH WINFREY
STRENGHT-
talking, meeting people, showing love/concern
WEAKNESS-
Gets on people’s nerves.
OPPORTUNITIES-
Could host a TV show where she could channel her gifts to a mass of people
without being a nuisance to her family at the same time make more money and
live a better and more fulfilling life.
THREATS-
Would people listen to a talkative, would she have sponsors for it.
She kept at it and with
dedication, hard work and faith in God, she is where she is today. Many more
could be told about other people who pursued their passions as a career choice
and are celebrated today. Never despise who you are, its God’s gift to you.
Never chose a career
simply because its lucrative, or because your parents wants it. Your career is
not the same thing as the feelings of your friends about you. It is primarily a
function of you. When tough times come, which will definitely come for anything
you chose to do, it’s only your faith in God and your passion for the career
that will keep you going. I believe there will be no limit to what can be
achieved when we truly discover who we are and what we want to do with our
lives.
Olabiyi Olubunmi
Charles
Career and management
consultant
