What to do when you don’t know what studies (or job) to choose

mregadio Career development
Have you ever, or are you asking yourself about what studies (or job) you should choose from the millions that are offered in the World? Below you can find some tips that may help you get started, clarify concepts and reduce uncertainties.

1. Whenever you can, visit the centres, “spy” the people and infrastructures around, develop the situational awareness.

2. Ask for information and request an appointment with the (line) managers, organizers or tutors of the courses (hires). Prepare these meetings in advance with all the questions that come into your mind focusing on finding out more about, not only the programmes, but also the lecturers (studies-wise) or about the work method, division of tasks, duties, rights and responsibilities (job-wise). Go to the information sessions and the education fairs. Do not believe the myths, only the facts. Read carefully all the details in the curricula, webpages, leaflets and any document that you have compiled.

3. Analyze pros and cons for each course and give special weigh to both: those topics that you most like and the work opportunities that you have more chance of obtaining. It simply means letting go and being yourself, being free to trust your instinct and follow your passions. Life is too short and hard to do things that you do not love or that you cannot make a living from them 🙂

4. It can be important to include the Environment aspects in the previous point: public transportation, cost of living, support networks and workmates, distance from home-land, gender distribution, accommodation, countryside, communication, cultural shock, climate, friends, local industries. In fact, you can do this research during the first bullet pointed above.

5. If you are confused, think about your friends and talk to people that have passed through the same some time ago. Again, do not believe the myths.

6. Still in doubt? Make a spreadsheet, fill it with a quantitative scale and the highest score could be your answer.

Did you like it? Which one did you like the most? Do you dis-/agree? Would you add anything else? Would you change or comment any of those points? You can comment just here.

And, if you think that this would help someone you know to make up hir/her mind, you can resend this post using the menu at the top right of the screen.

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