What to do when you choose the Wrong Career Path?

Choosing the wrong career path is one thing and rectifying this decision we made is another big task. Let us revisit the number of scenarios that one could come across while choosing a career.

What Could go Wrong with Wrong Career Path?

There could be a lot of reasons as to why people choose the wrong career. Some key factors could be that employees are lured by their peers and their standard of living (monetary status), so they tend to choose a job that is in the same line of profession as their peers.

But the catch here is perfect only if you are skilled enough to take up that job and if you will be happy performing those responsibilities. This is one reason why employees may choose a wrong career.

The other reason could be that employees may have made a mistake about choosing their career, and they are even aware of the fact.

But the problem here is they do not want to accept this feeling and come over it with a solution. The other reason could be that they don’t want to waste their degree they have had.

Therefore since they are already in the line of their education they do not want to deviate from it whether it has been a stressful journey or an anxious one.

For most students who are yet to make career decisions, they go wrong for a number of reasons too. Students tend to pick up any job that comes their way.

Especially if all their classmates have a job and that one person doesn’t.

Secondly, the stream of education they choose may also be influenced upon by their parents, peers or relatives.

Yet, again that leads them into a well of mess. Thirdly, most of the times it so happens that students are in a state of confusion and due to lack of knowledge pick the wrong career.

In this article we are going to assume that yes, we have understood the above problems and we shall now further read upon and quickly understand what one should do when the above situation occurs to either us or our beloved ones.

So, what should you do?

1. Don’t panic:

First things first. In cases of uncertainty, emergency, stress, anxiety or any such exaggerated moments, one should learn to keep his calm. Never panic. It only makes the decision making power weaker, which is not our objective.

So basically, when you are not panicking and the mind in a state of alertness, you can think and decide what should be your next steps?

Basically, to solve any problem the thought process should be sound. That way one can analyze the situation, find out the root cause of a problem and begin to strategize for a solution.

It could be changing your line of profession, or going back to the scratch as a fresher or even retiring for a while here in our case.

2. Step back:

Take one step back to see where you missed your bus. Take this one step back to see where actually your interest lies and what was that interesting thing that you wanted to do.

Once you realize the career that you missed is say for example ‘x’ and you are in a career say for example ‘y’, then your next steps are to count the amount of steps it will take to reach career ‘x’.

What I am basically asking you to do is, ascertain the amount of energy required in terms of money, knowledge, skill and flexibility that you will need to change to the career of your interest.

That way you have a certain amount of self knowledge as to where you stand in the current situation.

3. Self knowledge:

Here is a very important thing for all of us to understand and retain with us for the rest of our lives. For students, do not hesitate to seek advice from your teachers, peers, parents, mentors and well – wishers etc when you feel the need to do so.

In many cases, we observe that as students the lack of self knowledge leads to making hasty decisions. Note that here we ask you to seek advice and implement a course of action that you think is suitable and enjoyable by you.

But this doesn’t definitely mean that advice is to be perceived as pressure to do what the other person is saying.

Similarly, for experienced employees and job seekers, it is not a shameful act to ask your mentors for help. Speak to them about your likes and dislikes.

Engage them a little more in your life, so that they can help you overcome this situation of being stuck in the wrong career. Bottom line is, try to gain knowledge about your inner interests and what the current market looks like.

Another solution to this scenario could be that we could also go to a career counselor and get counseled. They seem to have the in and out of the industries up to date.

4. The Degree:

After having made the mistake of choosing a wrong degree, we then go about making another mistake of not accepting it and moving over this obstacle.

Some of us choose to stay in the same line of profession as we feel that we may not want to waste that education we have had after all that we paid for the course.

Yes, it is hard to step away from something that you have invested so much in, in terms of time, energy and money.

But when it is a wrong choice and you know it, then there is no point in trying to win a losing battle.

5. Others:

We shall discuss miniature things here that still would help us win this situation. Do what your heart says and not what your mind wants.

Do not commit silly mistakes like turning other’s dreams and wishes into your own.

Don’t feel depressed. And lastly, don’t keep hopping onto new jobs every now and then, then that will lead you into looking like a job hopper.

Now that we have read through the above pointers, let us get into action and implement them without any bias. We all understand that layoffs and job eliminations are so unpredictable and are always around the corner.

In such times of a volatile market economy, it is not safe being caught in the wrong career since it only makes it that much easier for employers to give us the pink slip.

In simple words, it is clear to all of us that being in the wrong career can not only mean a dead end for our career path but it is also walking into the lion’s den knowing that we are going to be unhappy about the decisions we have made.

Without much adieu we must inculcate the act of spreading the above pointers to as many people as we can outreach. And make sure that the ill effects of choosing a wrong career is known to one and all.

Here is yet another opportunity for all our enthusiasts to throw in their experiences. And for those of us who want to share reviews and feedbacks, this is just the place. Let us spread a word of caution to help many more make informed decisions.