Academic or Non Academic Career : Which is Better?
10 Jan, 2024
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“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." —Confucius
All students are not capable of doing everything in life; some are only good at studies; others are only good in certain subjects, such as math, computers, or chemistry and physics; and still others are good actors, dancers, athletes, or singers.is a popular saying that "All the five fingers are not equal". So we should not expect everyone to be good in every field. Choosing a career is one of the major decisions we make in our lives. This decision is not supposed to be taken in haste; either we are choosing academics to pursue our career or we are choosing non-academic career options.
What is academic and non academic career options?
The term "academic career" is used to describe things that relate to the work done in schools, colleges, and universities. It includes work, which involves studying reasoning and practical and technical skills. For instance, to make a career in the banking field, BBA and MBA certification are a must, which are studied at colleges and universities.
A non-academic career is defined as things that are not related to formal education. It includes the training of any sport or any skill, which may include dancing, singing, painting, etc. For example, to pursue a career as a singer, there are a number of training centres where you learn the art of singing.
Options available in academic career
Academic career have vast number of options in it , prusuing one course can open number of pathways for you . Following are the career options available in an academic career:
- Doctor
- Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Flight Attendant
- School Teacher / Professor
- Nurse
- Sales Representive
- Database administrator
- Lawyer
- Scientist
- Pilot
And there are many more such options available in the market. To know more about the best choice available for you, you can take advice from a professional career counsellor, who will anaylze you and give the best advice on the basis of your interests and skills.
Options available in non-academic career
The following are the options that one can do without having any academic career. One must have skills and abilities to pursue non-academic careers as well.
- Singer
- Actor
- Model
- Dancer
- Influencer
- Motivational speaker
- Yoga trainer
- Painter
- Photographer etc.
Why to keep an academic career as an option while working on non academic career
In today’s world, there is high competition in whatever field one chooses to pursue their career. As we discussed above, a non-academic career is not related to studies or any formal school education. To pursue a non-academic career, one must have pure skills and abilities to do things. For instance, if one wants to become a dancer, he/she must have knowledge about the art of dancing, and it's not about just having knowledge; he/she must be completely trained in that field. But sometimes life doesn’t give us what we expect from it.Sometimes we have to leave or change our paths from non-academic to academic careers for many reasons. For instance, a person has given 10 years of his life playing cricket, but at the time of selection he fails, then if he has knowledge to persue an academic career, he can get a government job using the special sports quota just by clearing an exam.
Considering another example, What if a dancer had an accident and lost his legs? At that point, he would have nothing left. His whole career will be ruined. Similarly, we can consider any person whose career solely relies on one's skill or any art only. Another scenario in which a good singer wishes to launch his singing career with a song but is unable to do so due to a lack of funds. In that situation, a person must have an academic career option so that he can earn money from it instead of sitting idle and waiting for funds. Once he gets funds, he may be able to start his singing career and grow successful in fields. There are a number of singers, actors, and players who have graduated in different academic fields just for another career option and are successful in their non-academic careers. And just for that, one must keep an academic career as an option while working on a non-academic career.
How to keep an academic career as an option while working on non academic career
It’s not a hard task to keep an academic career as an option while working on a non-academic career. It will not be considered wrong by anyone to consider a non-academic career as a primary goal. But along with that, one can learn or pursue formal education from school/colleges, which in the future might help that person to earn good money and to live a good lifestyle. If the individual is unable to grow or continue his non-academic career, he has the option of pursuing a successful academic career.
Myths related to non academic career
- One can grow in a non-academic career field without proper training and knowledge.
- Non-academic career fields are easier in comparison to academic career fields.
- One can’t make good money in a non-academic career.
- A few non-academic career are not considered as a respected career.
Impact of family supports in career
Humans' backbones are always provided by their families. A person's family may have a big impact on their career choice and give their children a lot of emotional and financial support in the beginning of their careers. The ability to make effective career decisions is positively impacted by family influence. According to research, people’s self-efficacy in making career decisions is profoundly impacted by their families. You can overcome any obstacle and manage things with ease when you have a family at your side.
How to make a career choice
Making a very well decision about your future job will help you discover work that you are happy with. To pick a career you can excel in, take into account your hobbies and special skill set when you make your decision. Follow these guidelines to choose the ideal career:
Examine yourself
Learn more about yourself before choosing a career to make sure it's a good match. Think about your personality type, values, talents, and hobbies, for instance. Finding the ideal job for you is made simpler by taking each of these into account. A professional career counsellor can help you to examine yourself.
Compile a list of possible career paths
Make a list of the professions you want to research more. You should have plenty of vocations to research between the careers you were previously considering and the outcomes you get from a professional career counsellor.
Examine the professions on your list
After creating your list, reduce it to 10–20 professions. Find out the basics of each of these professions. For instance, look for job descriptions and the training, education, and certification requirements. Additionally, you should check at the chances for progression in each of these fields and pay information to get a sense of potential earnings.
Cut your list down
Once you have sufficient background knowledge on these professions, further reduce your list to two to five professions. Eliminate any professions in which you have lost interest.Consider which vocations you find undesirable, which include tasks you don't find fascinating, and which you no longer wish to learn more about in order to assist you eliminate professions. In order to avoid difficulties in the future when seeking for work, you should also reject any vocations with a negative job outlook. Also, cross off any professions whose standards you are unable to satisfy.
Consult with others who work in these fields
Plan meetings with persons who work in the final few professions on your list that interest you. An informative interview gives you the chance to converse with people who have first-hand experience in these areas. Before deciding on one of these vocations, you may meet with them and ask any questions you have about it. Look through your network to locate people you know who hold these roles.
Academic career is used to describe things that relate to studying and reasoning rather than practical or technical skills. Non Academic career is defined as things that are not related to the studies, to a school or formal education. Options available in non academic career To pursue a non-academic career, one must have pure skills and abilities to do things. A non academic career is not related to studies or any formal school education. Along with that, one can learn or pursue formal education from school/colleges which in the future might help that person to earn good money and to live a good lifestyle. After creating your list, reduce it to 10–20 professions. Consult with others who work in these fields to get a sense of potential earnings. Consider which vocations you find undesirable and which you no longer wish to learn more about.This decision is not supposed to be taken in haste; either we are choosing academics to pursue our career or we are choosing non-academic career options.
As we are all aware, there are a number of academic and non-academic options available, among which some are mentioned above, but the fact is that it is not always simple to make the best decision just by reading available options articles or getting to know about them from friends or family. Many parents, students, and professionals in the workforce struggle with this issue since every situation is unique. So, in my opinion, the greatest help for your career concerns or career confusion is a professional career counsellor. I firmly suggest you connect, clear up any confusion, and improve your vision for the future to have a successful professional career life ahead.
