This is one question I often keep asking myself and yet have an ambiguous opinion. As a kid, I always dreamt of becoming a doctor and biology was my fav subject. Gradually, as I approached the end of my schooling I didn't even realize how Mathematics counted as one of my areas of interest and why I chose my career to be Engineering (no qualms as such). My career choice was not a tough decision to make (it was more like an obvious decision.....as it is the case with most of the youngsters in the recent past)....n I didnt face any opposition frm my family for this because I wanted to become an 'ENGINEER'. They wouldn't mind even if I chose to become a 'DOCTOR'. Guess why I stressed on these two terms........u r rite!!!...these are the two sole professions which I feel most of the parents consider to be d best for their children. I often think what if I said to my parents that I want to become an interior decorator, a teacher, a fashion designer etc or go for degrees in event management, hotel management, mass communication, economics etc. Would they oppose me?.....well, may be........they would have definitely tried their best to convince me not to go for those career options.
I have come across many situations where the younger generation choose their career not by choice but by pressure (let it be frm family or friends). It might look like a small decision but it's really difficult to make, especially when the person is highly ambitious and determined. So why do these differences in opinion regarding career occur?
- Looking from the parent's perspective, they would always want their children's lives to be better than theirs.......and their views goes like....'We are advising u with experience..........Finding a good job with a decent pay is more feasible in the IT industry.....Becoming a doctor is another good option...but takes time for you to settle down.......dere is not much future in event management, financing fields........doubtful abt the scope for jobs in Mass comm, Interior decoration or Fashion designing etc....What if u don't get an appropriate job in this field?.......Engineering is best and safest option for you.....go for it'.
- From the younger lot's perspective, 'What's wrong in being different? I'm interested in 'so-n-so' field.......I have the confidence n will try my best to excel in this field.....jobs may be less in this area of study but I'm sure I can do it....etc'.
I feel both may be right in their respective ideologies, but I'm biased towards the younger lot. One can definitely notice the difference between the things we do with interest and those which we do with hesitation and lack of interest. Let it be the case of academic or extra-curricular activities or anything in life. Apart from the outcome, it is also the satisfaction and happiness that counts when you choose the career that interests you. The journey in achieving the goal is equally important to achieving it. There may be risks in choosing Civil/Mechanical/Petroleum/Production Engineering, Event Management etc but why not be positive, hope for the best and support them. Who knows they may shine beautifully in their fields. Why to unnecessarily discourage and pressurize them? Every field has its own significance........and every individual should be given the freedom to take their own decisions. Why don't people realize that the significance of profession in the society is not important........why to always follow and make others also follow the trend......why not encourage people and allow them to choose what they want to do even if it is different from the usual track......why not support them even if they fail in their attempts instead of criticizing them for going against the 'experienced views'..........At the end of our lives.......we may gain a lot of experience to advise people but it is more important to attain satisfaction.....Though parents are right in thinking that experience matters most, I opine that it is not true especially in this aspect.
