Choosing a career

How to choose a career in life?

When I used to teach computer science courses, the first thing I would do is ask the students about their interest and why they chose “Engineering” career – especially computer science.  Unfortunately, the answers were quite unsatisfying.  Most of the students in the class joined engineering programme with the pressure from the parents or relatives.  In fact, courses should be selected based on your interest and mindset.  Before choosing the course, analyze yourself – direction of your thoughts, your deep inclination, and the topics of interest.  If your mindset has interest in multiple disciplines, better select a graduate specialization after an assessment.  For example, Mechanical Engineering has all the fundamental subjects in engineering, when compared with all other disciplines.  I have seen students ending up their career with IT industry, after doing their B.Tech / BE in Mechanical Engineering.  They are usually brilliant programmers or creative developers.

Truly speaking, an engineer’s life should not end with software development.  Software development is for those who complete computer science / application programmes like B.Sc. (CS), BCA, MCA, etc.  They are basically computer scientists and or computer application developers.  But not essentially engineers.  An engineer should be able to manufacture or assemble a computer by in his own.  He should have a good command over the latest technology and be updated in the field which he is employed.

Let me tell you, the number of years taken to graduate is less than 10% of your total life span. At the same time, it is the foundation for the entire life.  So, what ever you are in, you should be able to perform well.  Students get admitted into graduation irrespective of their choice or interest.  Finally what one can do is to perform well in the field of their respective graduation.  After graduation, you should be able to turn towards different dimensions in your area of interest.

How to choose your subject in graduation?

I would say that it completely depends on your interest.

Parents think in such a way that which subject is easy to earn a job.  But mind you, it is equally difficult to maintain a job too.

You should at least have a minimum of three options to choose from.  Given a situation, you should be able to choose one of these or a combination among these.  For any subject you choose, there are job opportunities, but it depends on your performance at the end of the day.

For an engineer after doing +2, he/she can:

B.Tech / B.E – > M.Tech / ME -> Ph.D-> Research Scholar / Teacher

B.Tech-> MBA -> industrial job.

B.Tech-> IT Company / Core Engineering company->MS in specialized subject-> Ph.D.

There are only two places where you end up with – academia or industry.

Effort of students is 75% and that of teacher is 25%.  Always try to achieve and then enjoy.  In a choice based credit and continuous evaluation system, the student's role is to learn for number of hours equivalent to number of credits registered.

Generally, first year is the basics courses in engineering, second year is the basics courses on the specialization, third year is the core courses in engineering and then with projects, electives, etc.

Assignments, Labwork, Mini and Major projects shall be given equal importance throughout.

Usually, there is a tendency among students to compare themselves with others.  Comparison is good in a way that it is with good students (good means comparatively a brilliant student in the class).  But just the opposite happens every time.  Students always compare themselves with those who are in a lower level.  This is not correct.  It is necessary that students compare one with their higher level and try to compete with them, a healthy competition.  Nothing to do with a kind of jealousy, hatred, etc. When I used to ask students about their marks, they immediately say that "class average is less sir".  But that is not the answer why they got less marks. When we study, it is for our own knowledge and not to dump information on the examination answer sheets.  If you are in a college just to vomit the information in an answer book after eating it from the text book, why waste money and your valuable time?  There are lot of other things a student can do! Just like Google / FaceBook CEOs!  Invent, Discover, Innovate!!  That is also not bad!

Be clear about your goal in the first year itself.  Mind you, your brilliance and talent can be developed only during the graduation. You have the energy and freedom only during this time and not after that.  Learn a lot, learn as much as you can and then put it in practice.  Have a short term goal in the first year.  What are you going to be after four years.  Always be ambitious, don't be sluggish!.  Aim for higher goals and struggle!  That struggle must be your inspiration to reach the goal.  Just like a mountaineer climbing to reach the heights.  Every work has its own difficulty.  But it depends on how you approach the situation.  Each and every situation can be tackled. It all depends on your.  Be deterministic.  Some times we lose, but never give up! So, first year, you have to struggle.  There is no other way.  This is mainly because when you are released after your +2, it is your turning point in life - new environment, new people, new subjects, teachers, new place, everything.  Self confidence is very much needed to approach this situation.  Especially for those who stay in the hostels...