The need to work to earn a living is normal and biblical. This is the reason why humans always strive to earn a living through different careers. Nature and the Bible dwell so much on the necessity of earning a living through hard work, and this has made the issue of understanding career choice for one to enjoy a good life.
As human beings, we cannot afford to be indolent because our existence depends on daily work. The presupposes that no one can truly enjoy the goodness of life they desire without hard work.
Another important thing is that the work one does determines what happens in a person’s life and career. Therefore, choosing a career is so crucial that it cannot be handled with levity.
From ancient times, we can see that we need to make choices in life according to our individual preferences, which were dependent on education, personality traits, and many other factors which may determine one’s success in life. We shall be discussing the meaning and types of careers.
Definition of Career
Career is the same thing as vocation, job, occupation, profession, or the business people do. People have defined a career in different ways, but with the same meaning.
For instance, a career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “An individual’s course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life).”
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines it as “Long-term or lifelong job: a job or occupation regarded as a long-term or lifelong activity.” It further describes it as “somebody’s progress in a chosen profession or during that person’s working life.”
Another source described a career as a series of jobs or positions through which one earns a living. When we consider all these definitions, a career is considered a person’s occupation through which they earn a living.
The Bible dwells so much on work and career. In Genesis 4:2, the Scripture says, “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.” This is a highlight of the occupation or career paths chosen by Abel and Cain.
Abel chose a career in animal husbandry (tending of flocks). Cain chose a career in agriculture (tilling the soil to cultivate crops). It shows that from the early stage of human history, people have engaged in different occupations for self-sustenance, provision for their family members and contribution to society at large.
The passage serves as a reminder that choosing a career or occupation is a personal decision, which can be influenced by factors such as talents, opportunities, and the needs of society.
It encourages individuals to find fulfilment and purpose in their chosen careers, and to use their skills and resources to support kingdom work, family members and the community they live in.
The passage also emphasises the diversity of career choices and the importance of individuals finding their respective roles or callings based on their skills, interests and circumstances.
Steps towards Developing Interest in a Particular Career
Self-reflection: Understand yourself, your passions, strengths, values, and the activities that inspire you most. Consider also the type of work environment or lifestyle that aligns with your preferences.
Research and exploration: Conduct thorough research about different career values and the activities that inspire you most. Consider also the type of work environment or lifestyle that aligns with your preferences.
Research and exploration: Conduct thorough research about different career options that align with your interests
Read books and articles and explore job descriptions, educationalrequirementsst and potential career paths. You can also talk to professionals or seek information to gain insights into the day-to-day realities of specific careers.
Gain experience: Seek opportunities to gain experience in your chosen field. It can be in the form of internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, or freelancing.
This will provide valuable insights, relevant skills, and a clearer understanding of whether the career aligns with your interests andgoals.
Networking: Connect with professionals in your desired field through networking, conferences, or online platforms. Building relationships with individuals who are already established in the field can provide mentorship, guidance, and potential job opportunities that will expand your network and expose you to opportunities.
Skill Development: Identify the skills and qualifications required for your desired career and work on developing them. These may involve pursuing higher education, attending workshops or trainings, partaking in online courses, or acquiring certifications. These will upgrade your skills and prepare you for your chosen career path.
Have a plan and set goals: have specific, measurable goals and create an action plan. Consider timeless, resources needed, and any potential obstacles you may encounter along the way. Having a well-defined plan will help you stay focused and motivated.
Adapt and be open to new opportunities: Remember that career paths can evolve and change over time. So, be open to new opportunities that embrace lifelong learning and continue to explore areas of interest in your chosen field.
Challenges confronting career choices
Making career choices can be challenging, particularly in Nigeria. The reasons are as follows:
Inadequate infrastructure: Lack of adequate infrastructure in Nigeria is a major problem that has hindered people from making good career choices. For example, irregular power supply, bad roads, and the hike in petroleum products can make it difficult for people to pursue the careers of their choice.T. may easily give up when they realise the difficulty they may encounter along the way.
Quality of education: The quality of education in Nigeria does not measure up to international standards. This can make it difficult for some graduates to compete with their counterparts from other countries.
Gender bias: Women are often discriminated against when it comes to career opportunities in Nigeria; it is sometimes difficult for some of them to pursue their career choices.
Lack of capital: No career can thrive without adequate funding. Many young Nigerians do not have access to the capital they need to pursue their desired careers, and the few who have access to loans cannot cope with the high interest rates.
Lack of mentorship: Many young Nigerians lack access to mentors who can guide them through the process of choosing and pursuing their careers. The few who make attempts to get mentors often get discouraged along the way.
Socio-economic factors: Socio-economic factors, such as poverty, lack of quality education or soft loans, can limit an individual’s ability to pursue certain careers of their choice
Nepotism: Today in Nigeria, the challenge of “Who you know” plays a significant role in career advancement. Young people can easily be discouraged because they may not have influential contacts or connections.
Lack of proper career guidance: There is no proper career guidance and counselling in Nigeria today. This can result in uninformed and mismatched career choices, which can in turn lead to dissatisfaction and unfulfilled potential.
Insecurity: Nigerians have been facing security challenges in some parts of the country. It has hindered many from making good career choices. Young entrepreneurs may not want to establish their businesses in areas with high levels of insecurity.
Possible Solutions to the Challenges of Career Choices
There are no challenges without solutions. The following are some steps believers can take to proffer solutions to the challenges of career choices in Nigeria.
Continuous learning: To be successful in career choice, one must engage in lifelong learning, attend workshops and acquire relevant skills to meet the standard.
Training: Regular training is key to solving the career choice problem. Seek opportunities to gain practical experience and skills through apprenticeship programmes.
Career counselling: Seek guidance from career counsellors or mentors who can provide insights into the skills and qualifications required for specific career paths.
Good government policies: People should rise and advocate for policies promoting economic growth, job creation and skills development to be put in place by the government.
Partnership: Young entrepreneurs should collaborate with other entrepreneurs to gain visibility and reduce the cost of production of their goods. Collaboration between the government, the private sector, and civil society groups can address the socio-economic challenges of career choice.
Standard education: Career guidance programmes should be included in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools to provide information about various career options and requirements.
Advocacy against gender inequality: There should be consistent promotion and awareness against gender disparity and some societal norms/biases that hinder women from making career choices.
Parental Roles in Career Choice
The voice of the author of Proverbs in the Bible sounds like a father who wants his children to succeed in their career choices. He consistently pleaded that they should listen to his instructions and gain understanding so that they would live.
An average African man believes that he has total control over his children, even their profession, and so an attempt by the child to resist imposition is seen as rebellion.
In Nigeria today, it is common to find parents who technically guide their children towards studying courses such as Medicine, Engineering or Law, which are seen as prestigious and financially rewarding, even when such children are not inclined to do so.
While it is good for parents to properly guide their children in their career choices, it is important for parents to respect their children’s unique talents, passions and interests.
By supporting their children’s decisions and allowing them to explore alternative career options, parents can help them find fulfilment and success in their chosen field. AlAlthoughounds strange to some parents, this is the best way they can accomplish their desires in life. This is the focus of today’s lesson.
What Parents Should Do to Guide Their Children in Their Career Choices
Parental roles in their children’s career choices are very crucial. This implies that children should not be left to decide what they want to be in life without the support of their parents. The following tips can be helpful to parents.
Prayer: Parents should not relent in seeking the face of God through prayer when making important decisions, even career choices for their children. When we pray, we know the mind of God and His will for our children.
Know their talents and abilities: Children are gifted differently. Parents should endeavour to identify each child’s gifts and give meaningful support. Observe their interests, strengths and talents, and provide guidance, support and nurture them in those areas.
Encouragement: Encouragement is a powerful tool to succeed in life. When parents identify their children’s aptitudes, they can encourage them to pursue their dreams and ambitions through higher educational opportunities and other relevant skills.
They can also encourage their children to explore their interests, passions, and strengths from a tender age. They can provide opportunities for them to engage in a wide range of activities that will allow them to discover their talents and preferences.
Guidance and not command: Parents should be able to strike a balance between guidance, allowing too much freedom the imposition of decisions on their children.
Parents should be ready to guide their children, especially at the early stage, with the expectation that as they grow older, they will be able to make their own decisions without making errors.
Friendship: When there is a real relationship between parents and their children, they will freely listen to the views of their parents. They will understand and obey their parents.
Exposure: Parents should be willing to expose their children to opportunities that will help them fulfil their dreams. For example, if a child expresses their passion for music, an average Nigerian parent may initially disagree. However, when the child is exposed to musical lessons and opportunities to learn more, they will find fulfilment in life.
Open communication: A friendly environment can lead to open communication, which can aid children to freely discussing their thoughts, aspirations, and career choices with their parents. By actively listening to them, parents can offer guidance.
Early preparation: The government can include subjects that centre on career choice in the school’s curriculum from primary to secondary schools, so that the students will be well prepared to make the right career choices.
Provide resources: Parents can expose their children to different career options and provide resources such as books, documentaries and online platforms that showcase a variety of professions. This exposure will help broaden the children’s knowledge about different career paths and opportunities.
Exploration: Parents should support their children in exploring different careers through internships in relevant workplaces. Such experiences will enable them to gain insights and make more meaningful decisions.
Emotional support: Making career decisions can be challenging for children. Parents should be ready to offer emotional support, reassurance and guidance during these times. They should also believe in their abilities and help them overcome obstacles.
Be a role model: Parents can be positive role models for their children when it comes to making career choices. They should share their success stories with their children and help them to pursue their passions, dreams and aspirations.
Seek professional guidance: It is the duty of parents to seek the help of career counsellors or educational consultants who can provide valuable insights into various career options for their children and themselves.
Reasons Some Parents Do Not Care about Their Children’s Choice of Career
Some reasons have been attributed to parents who undermine the importance of guiding their children in their career choices. They include:
Ignorance: Some parents are completely ignorant of the importance of guiding their children in their career choices. Such children are prone to falling into the hands of people who may likely mislead them.
Assumption: There are different types of parents and their parenting styles. While some are ignorant about what they should do, others assume that the children are old enough to know what is good for them. Therefore, they are left alone to decide what they should do in life.
Poverty: The level of poverty in some families has made some parents leave their children without guidance for their future. Such parents are only concerned about what the children can contribute to the family’s well-being from their young age.
Illiteracy: Lack of adequate education is a major problem in society and the family. Most illiterate parents are not knowledgeable, nor do they value the importance of guiding their children in their choice of careers. Such children may end up frustrated and unable to achieve any reasonable goals in life.
Background: Some parents are not interested in the career choices of their children because of their upbringing. They believe that with or without parental guidance, their children will surely be whatever God wants them to be in life.
Family influence: Some parents do not have the final say over the general interest of their children, in some contexts. Rather, the family members decide what a particular child should do, how and whthey it itto i,t so that the family will not be offended.
Dangers in Failing to Guide Young People in Making Good Career Choices
Danger looms when we fail in our responsibilities to guide young people in their career choices. Some of the dangers include:
Financial constraints: Young people can be great assets to others when they are properly guided in making career choices. But on the contrary, we suffer some financial limitations when we fail in our responsibilities.
High crime rate: There will be an increase in crime in the community and society at large when we fail to help young people in their career choices. Young people who have been supported by the people to make good career choices will not be involved in crime because they are already established.
Frustration: Cases of suicide are common these days among young people due to frustration. It is one of the dangers that loom when we fail to guide them in their choices of careers. They easily opt for suicide as the best way to end life because of challenges.
Unfulfilled dreams: Young people have dreams and aspirations, and they often talk about them. By their nature, they want to be where they ought to be and enjoy life to the fullest. Sometimes, things do not work that way, especially when they are not guided rightly in the choice of their careers. Read the similar post on this page.
Editors
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