For many, the path to career options really begins with choosing what school you go to for college and of course, the degree you decide to take. Typically, the parents have a big influence in the degree their children pursue particularly if the parents themselves have had a reasonably successful career or livelihood. Most often, parents want to have their children follow in their footsteps.
Does this make sense? It certainly does for many practical reasons. As children grow up, they usually have their parents as their role models and familiarity with the job their parents do has an impact on being comfortable with that kind of environment. As I was growing up, my father was an entrepreneur running his own business and on my weekends I would always help him out working at his store. To a large extent, I have always been entrepreneur. In the same fashion many of my classmates went to medicine because their parents were doctors.
Naturally, parents only want the best for their children and are always looking at helping out. If their children decided to pursue the same career path, they would certainly be in a position to help them. The parents would know the people in the industry, how to do the job and be able to coach their child and get them started on their career. This is also true for entrepreneurs where they always hope their children help them out in the business and eventually take over.
In a number of cases, the career path is dictated by a particular skill or talent. An example of this would be musicians who discover their gift at a very early age. This could also be true for certain types of sports such as golf and certain names would be top of mind. An interest in a particular type of job such as cooking could also have been encouraged by the parents, grandparents or other relatives, leading to a career in the culinary arts.
Admiration for a popular or famous person, a successful relative or other role model could lead a young person to follow in their footsteps. Perhaps, they find the lifestyle, the accomplishments or environment something that they like and aspire for and wish to achieve it for themselves as well. Hence, they want to have the same career.
However, there are a number of things to remember in choosing a career to ensure a better chance of success. It is not enough that you are interested in something, you must also be good at it to succeed. Some things can be learned with the right education and training, but physical and mental ability is also important in excelling at your chosen profession.
In choosing the right career, you must consider your interest, the role of your parents and relatives in being able to guide and help you, what skills and talent you have and your own physical and mental limitations as well. In addition to all of these, how much effort you put into your career and a big dose of good luck will determine how well you succeed.
(The views and comments of the author are his own and not of the newspaper or FINEX. Dr. George S. Chua was FINEX President in 2016, FPI President from 2010 to 2020, a regular member of the National Press Club, an entrepreneur with investments in Broadcast, Media, Telecommunications, Fintech and Properties. Comments may be sent to [email protected])