Entrepreneurship

2.2: Importance of Choosing Careers in Life

• Develop professional goals: Choosing a career path can help you set professional goals and develop a strategy for getting where you want to be. Choosing a career involves making an honest self-evaluation of your talents, abilities and interests. While elements of your path may change over time due to choice or circumstance, having an overall professional objective with which to guide yourself will help you make critical decisions with greater clarity.

• Utilises your strength: Choosing a career that uses your best skills prevents a situation where hard work only leads to frustration. What you’re required to do in a job is not always what you’re best at, even if you eventually succeed. Often, people know what they are good at but never utilise the opportunity to apply those skills. Selecting a job that you will enjoy doing ultimately lets you simply follow your interests in pursuing a career path.

• Develops innovation: Enterprises benefit when their people have a genuine interest in the field they work. In addition to day-to-day motivation, employees are more likely to see their work from a variety of perspectives and bring fresh ideas to the table. This is how innovation occurs. You also benefit from this tendency toward innovation in a career that you enjoy.

• Leads to high performance standards: Successful people are required to meet high performance standards. This pressure comes from employers, corporate culture and when you are an entrepreneur in the marketplace. The necessary time, energy and intellectual capital is easier to expend when you love the work you do. From the most basic gauge of job happiness, getting up in the morning to go to work because you love your job, to pushing yourself to go further in your career, remaining engaged is key to continued success.

• Career choice will help you find meaning in the job you are doing and view the job as a ‘calling. This will help you enjoy your work and your life as well.

• Acts as a motivation to remain committed. During the early phases of a career, you develop fundamental skills and complete tasks that may seem divergent to your ultimate professional objective. Few people, however, can dive right into the meat of the career they feel they were born to do. So an in-depth understanding of what the career entails and the knowledge that your life’s work will ultimately be fulfilling, adds to your motivation to remain committed, even when the rewards seem distant.

• Career choice leads one to much greater heights in terms of happiness and success.

• Career choice helps one enhance the skills he/she has and also learn more skills as one grows in the job.

• Career choice provides one with a platform to make all the difference and also support the employer in developing the business.

2.3: Fields of Career Opportunities

ACTIVITY 2.3

Give examples of careers one can take in each field by filling in the table below.

Facts: “We all go to school because we want to have a bright future. When we were young, our parents might have forced us to go to school. However, at the moment, we have seen the need of going to school. The main reason most learners go to school is because they want to have a good career in life.

There are very many careers in the world. The main fields include:

1. Education field for example; headteachers, teachers, school administrators, bursars and university lecturers.

2. Medical field for example; doctors, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, gynaecologists, dermatologists, physicians and so on.

3.Agricultural field for example; livestock farmers, dairy farmers, crop growers, etc.

Cross-cutting Issue: Environment and Sustainability

Individuals involved in agro-forestry activities greatly contribute in protection and sustainability of the environment and its surroundings and at the same time making money.

4. Engineering field for example, electrical engineers,civil engineers, telecommunication engineers, mechanical engineers, land surveyors and so on.

5. Political field for example; presidents, vice presidents, mayors, ministers, members of parliament (senators), community leaders and so on.

6. Construction field for example; construction engineers and so on:

7. Commercial and manufacturing field for example; wholesalers, retailers, vehicle manufacturing, textile production, bakeries and confectioneries.

8. Transport field for example;freighters, cargo couriers, pilots, air hostesses, drivers, captains and so on.

9. Legal field for example; lawyers, judges, juries and attorney generals.

10. Finance field for example; bankers, accountants, Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), money changers, finance consultants and so on.

Cross-cutting Issue: Financial education

Financial activities are very important in the success and survival of the business.It plays a very important part in a business to operate for a going concern.

11. Security field for example; police, military and army, secrete service/intelligence, etc.

Cross-cutting Issue: Peace and values

Security maintained in the country greatly leads to peaceful operations of the businesses in the country. This greatly leads to increased efficiency and productivity of such businesses leading to improved standards of living.

12. Media field: This involves people working as news readers, news anchors, television and radio presenters, journalists and so on.

Cross-cutting Issue: Gender education

Men and women should consider choosing a career that best suits their interest. This will greatly increase their performance and positively affect their lives.

13. Hotel and tourism field for example; barristers, waitresses, waiters, chefs, tourist guides, and so on.

                                  

Test skills acquired 2.1

1. Julienne is a lay person who needs to know the difference between a career and career opportunity. As a senior three learner who has just acquired knowledge about career opportunities, with clear examples, explain to Julienne the difference.

2. Read the sentences in the table below and indicate true or false.

3. For numbers 3 to 7, circle the wrong alternative. The following are importances of choosing a career in life except;

              (a) Enhance skills

              (b) Become a lawyer.

              (c) Develop professional goals.

              (d) Lead to high performance standard

4. A career is sometimes known as;

          (a) A good choice

          (b) A profession

          (c) An occupation

5. A career is composed of;

     (a) work accomplished

     (b) titles earned

     (c) Good luck

     (d) Job held

6. The following are examples of careers except;

    (a) Teacher

    (b) Medical

    (c) Lawyer

    (d) Journalist

7. The following are fields of career opportunities except;

     (a) Finance

     (b) Civil engineer

     (c) Security

     (d) Media

2.4: Sources of Career Information

ACTIVITY 2.4

Discuss various ways you got information about your school. Present your findings to the class.

From activity 2.4, the sources of information about your school relates to sources of career information. You can get career information from the following sources:

1. Parents, friends and relatives: Families and friends can be extremely helpful in providing career information. While they may not always have the information needed, they may know other knowledgeable people and be able to put you in touch with them. These contacts can lead to an “information interview; which usually means talking to someone who can provide information about a career. This person should have the experience to describe how he or she trained for the job, received promotions, and the likes or dislikes of the job. Not only can the person advise what to do, he or she can advise what not to do.

2. Professional societies, trade groups, and labour unions: These groups have information on careers with which they are associated or which they actively represent. This information may cover training requirements, earnings, and listings of local employers. These groups may train members or potential members themselves, or may be able to put you in contact with organisations or individuals who have been in that career for a long time.

3. Personal skills, talent and passion: The first places to start when looking for business ideas or opportunities is to look within you. Most people miss this greatest source of career information because of ignorance, laziness and self-doubts. If you are talented or having a proven track record in a specific field, then it is time to analyse that skill or talent. You can discover what you are good at what career to take by asking yourself the questions such as; what skills or talents do you possess?, what are your hobbies?, what are you passionate about?, do you possess a skill that people are willing to pay for?

4. Mass media: This is a wonderful source of information, ideas and opportunities. Magazines, TV stations, Cable networks, radios, newspapers and internet sites are all examples of mass media. A careful look at the commercial advertisements in newspapers or magazines, you will discover information on careers, as well as the skills and education level required to join the desired career.

5. Guidance and career counsellors: Counsellors can help you make choices about which careers might suit you best. Counsellors can help you determine what occupations suit your skills by testing your aptitude for various types of work, and determining your strengths and interests. Counsellors can help you evaluate your options and search for a job in your field or help you select a new field altogether.

They can also help you determine which educational or training institutions best fit your goals, and find ways to finance them. Some counsellors offer other services such as interview coaching, resume building, and help in filling out various forms.

Counsellors in secondary schools and post secondary institutions may arrange guest speakers of different career fields, field trips, or job fairs to equip you with detailed information about careers.

6. Local libraries: These can be an invaluable source of information since most areas have libraries they can be a convenient place to look for career information. Also, for those who do not otherwise have access to the Internet or e-mail, many libraries provide this access. Libraries may have information on careers locally and internationally; potential contacts within occupations or industries. Libraries frequently have subscriptions to various trade magazines that can provide information on occupations and industries. These sources often have references to organisations which can provide additional information about training and employment opportunities.

7. Tertiary institutions such as colleges, universities frequently have career centres with libraries of information on different careers, listings of related jobs, and alumni contacts in various professions. Career centres frequently employ career counsellors who generally provide their services only to their learners and alumni. Career centres can help you choose a career, build your resume, find internships and co-operations which can lead to full-time positions, and tailor your course selection or program to make you a more attractive job applicant.

8. Exhibitions, expos and trade shows: Another means to get career information is to attend exhibitions and trade fairs. These are usually advertised on the radio or in newspapers. By visiting such events regularly, you will not only find out new products and services, but you will as well meet sales representatives, wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and franchisers. These are always excellent sources of career information.

9. Listening to customer complaints: Complaints and frustrations on the part of customers have led to prospective career opportunities. Whenever consumers complain badly or bitterly concerning a product or service then, you have the potential for a career opportunity. This will prompt you to acquire more skills at a career opportunity and also to provide better and competitive services or goods.

10. Surveys: You can carry out a survey online or offline. One can visit different people of different career fields and find out the advantages and disadvantages of each career field. This helps you to compare and make an informed decision on which career to undertake.

2.5: Steps Taken in Choosing a Career

ACTIVITY 2.5

There are various training opportunities of different learning areas in London. Write down the steps you will take to choose the best training opportunity for you.Use that information to come up with steps taken in choosing a career. Present your answers to the class.

From activity 2.5, the following are steps taken in choosing a career.

1. Asses yourself: This involves looking at your skills, values, interests, personality and analysing where your strengths and weaknesses lie. This is important both in choosing the right career and also for success in applications and interviews where you will find many questions which test whether you have been through this process. Begin by thinking about where you are now, where you want to be and how you’re going to get there.

2. Make a list of potential occupations: You should have an idea of your career preferences and research the specific skills and qualifications required for the career. This requires a lot of research on the various careers for better decision making on the occupation of your interest.

3. Explore the options that interest you and ask yourself, how your skills and interests match up with the desired career. Here you ask yourself questions like, where are the gaps? What options do I have to gain these skills or qualify for the desired career? What skills do I need? Where is the work or how is the job market?

4. Narrow down your list: This is where you think about what suits you best at this point in time. You look at different aspects such as, your best work or training options, how they match with your skills, interests and values, do they fit with the current labour market, do they fit with your current situation and responsibilities, the advantages and disadvantages of each options, what will help and what will hinder you and finally what can you do about it?

5. Set goals: A career goal can be a specific job you want to do such as doctor or teacher. It can also be a particular field you want to work in, such as medicine or education. A career goal provides the means and the direction to accomplish your career, act as action-steps necessary to actualise your dreams and may also help you discover career possibilities you would not have thought of otherwise. There are several job possibilities with any chosen career. For instance, if you choose a medical career, you may want to be a scientist, nurse, doctor, dentist, surgeon, pharmacist, etc.

6. Create a career plan: This helps you to manage the direction you want your career to take, the job skills and knowledge you will need, and how you can get them. Here, you plan the steps you need to take to put your plan into action. It involves using all you have learnt about your skills, interests and values together with the information you have gathered about the career you have chosen. A career plan will increase the likelihood of success.

7. Obtain training: This is the final stage of choosing a career. Individuals train so as to specialise in various areas under a specific field. Training in a specific career can be for a long term or a short term. Short-term training includes any class or program that lasts less than two years. All short-term training can help you get career information, find a job, get a promotion, or earn more money. Many programs lead to a certificate, which can give you a helpful edge in the job market and it enables one to be a professional.

Unit Summary

Meaning of a career, opportunity and career opportunity

• A career is the type of work, job or profession that someone does for a long period of their life and in which they hope to gain advancement.

• An opportunity is an occasion or situation that makes it possible to do something that you want to do or have to do. It is the possibility of doing something.

• A career opportunity is an occupation chosen as one’s work for life. One usually undertakes a course to qualify for the desired career opportunity.

Importance of choosing careers in life

• Develops professional goals.

• Utilises your strength.

• Develops innovation.

• Leads to high performance standards.

• Acts as a motivation to remain committed.

• Find meaning in the job.

• Leads one to much greater heights in terms of happiness and success.

• Helps one enhance the skills that you have and also help us in learning new skills as you grow in the job.

• Career choice provides one with a platform to make all the difference and also support the employer in developing the business.

Fields of career opportunities

• Education field

• Medical field

• Agricultural field

• Engineering field

• Commercial and manufacturing Field

• Finance field

• Political field

• Security field
  
  

Sources of business ideas and opportunities

• From personal skills, talent and passion.

• From our parents, friends and relatives.

• Mass media.

• Professional societies, trade groups, and labour unions.

• Guidance and career counsellors.

• Local libraries.

• Tertiary institutions such as colleges and universities.

• Exhibitions, Expos and Trade shows.

• Listening to customers complaints.

• Surveys.
  

Steps taken in choosing a career

• Asses yourself

• Make a list of potential occupations.

• Explore the options.

• Narrow down your list.

• Set goals.

• Create a career plan.

• Obtain training

Unit 2 Assessment

1. (a) Define the term career.

    (b) Explain the factors you would put into consideration while choosing a career.

2. (a) Discuss the sources of career information.

    (b) Briefly explain the steps you would take in choosing a career.

3. What questions would you ask when choosing a certain career?