Advice to 20 year old on career options (alternate education).

So, you are at the doorstep where you are wondering what next to do in life. Completed your 10+2 education and now whether a traditional B.Com/BMS/BBA/BCA is going to make sense or to pursue something that interests you. I know it is a dilemma. It is also influenced by herd mentality. I have been in the same boat and things look so much clearer in hindsight.

A few questions to ask yourself

1)      Are you really passionate about an alternate career like fashion, music, theatre, art etc?

2)      Would you go out of your way to research a topic related to your interest? Which would include working for night’s together, going out in the heat/rain to get the work moving, read about your topic without getting tired or complaining?

3)      Are you OK with not making a good amount of money as soon as you graduate?

4)      Will your parents support your thoughts and decisions?

5)      Do you a natural excellence at whatever you desire to pursue?

6)      Do you any experience of the said field and have seen how work gets done there?

7)      Are you passionate enough to keep trying if your work doesn't succeed once?

8)      Do you believe you are one of the people born to stand out and will do whatever it takes to do it?

I completed my MBA in finance and took up a financial job only to realise how unhappy I was. It paid me very well but I was bored every morning to go to work. I did not look forward to mornings. When you start your day like that, the rest is just left to be imagined.

Fashion/Designing always amazed me since childhood. I had seen my mom work as a fashion designer and I would love to attend to her customers and help them make choices. They appreciated me being around, and life was great that way.

However I did not have the courage to pursue a fashion course and wait forever for my career to kick off. Fortunately I got an opportunity and I am associated with an esteemed shoe brand now. Life is great once again. But the transition wasn't easy. A degree in design would have done wonders to my career and in hindsight I wish someone really pushed me to do it.

Don’t worry too much about the consequences if you have answered a ‘Yes’ to most of the question above, you will surely make it. Go for your dream.

A very famous quote I would like to share by Steve Jobs which sums up what I have been trying to convey.