Career Path Exploration

To the UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT who is OVERWHELMED about what career to pursue Here’s the best advice I received as an undergraduate: 📌Treat your journey to CAREER CLARITY like a series of TINY EXPERIMENTS. Embrace as many opportunities as you can in the beginning. See each opportunity (the big, the small, the in-between) as a chance to learn about yourself. Approach it with the mindset of I’m just trying this out, I’ll give it my best, and we’ll see how it goes. JUST TRY THINGS OUT Some experiences will excite you, some won’t—but they will all contribute to building that database of what you like and wouldn’t like in a dream career. It might take days, months, or even years, but one day, you’ll have enough data to say, “I think I finally found THE career path…” But that clarity will not come from stressing and thinking about it and disturbing Google (poor guy). ✅ Clarity requires data. ✅ Data comes from experiences. ✅ Experiences come from doing and exploring—EXPERIMENTING. ❌ There is no secret career clarity formula. ❌ No career coach can tell you exactly what you’re meant to do. ❌ And you definitely won’t find your dream career path on the first page of Google. **************** When I joined the Student Finance Club in my third year of university, I had no perfect plan of, oh, I would then leverage that experience: 🟢 To secure my first CFA Access Scholarship. 🟢 To land my first graduate role as a Financial Analyst. 🟢 More importantly, I had no idea how those experiences were shaping my conclusion that finance wasn’t really for me. When I explored tutoring as an undergraduate, I didn’t know it would: 🟢 Land me a role at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University during NYSC. 🟢 Serve as teaching experience in my MSc application—the degree that ultimately gave me access to secure an Economist role in the Department for Education. 🟢 Help me prove my mentorship skills during my International Student Ambassador interview. 🟢 Most importantly, show me how much I love teaching and confirm that I’d return to lecturing economics someday (Insha’Allah). Eventually, everything made sense—some things are still coming together. But it all started with just trying things out…not knowing exactly where they would lead ************* My advice: Make your undergraduate years your "just trying it out" era; there is little at stake, and the pressure is low. ❌ Stop stressing and obsessing over connecting the dots from the start. ✅ Start doing, and trust that one day, you'll look at your CV with a big smile and say, "It all makes sense now." Cheers to clarity! Drop your best career advice below—let’s empower each other! 👇🏽 P.S.: If this inspires you, repost ♻️ to inspire another undergrad. ************* Baliqees, you might see this or not, but this post is dedicated to you. I hope it inspires you to trust your gut and just try things out to see where it leads. Thank you Aminat for the opportunity to speak with your community Sparcool Connect.

The most dangerous career strategy in 2025: Following a path that worked for everyone before you. Over the last few weeks, my inbox has been flooded with messages of strife and anxiety from brilliant people blindsided by layoffs. To be honest, there is very little I can say to many. Most played the game of life perfectly. They went to great schools, got good grades, landed prestigious jobs, and worked hard. Their stories raises a critical question: What if it's not just specific jobs disappearing, but a fundamental flaw in how we've viewed careers and success? The linear world we've grown accustomed to is abruptly being disrupted. The ladders that guaranteed safety and success no longer hold their promise. For decades, we've operated under the belief that: → Business success comes from perfect execution → Career paths follow logical progression → Expertise can reliably predict the future My friend Gaetan recently said: "What if success was always more random than we wanted to believe? What if strategic planning was always more about the illusion of control than actual causality?" Navigating uncertainty now requires us to: → Judge the quality of our decisions not just results → Embrace uncertainty over false certainty → Recognize success as probabilistic For individuals navigating this shift: → Build skill portfolios, not linear paths → Combine skills uniquely; avoid single specialties → Design for uncertainty, not control → Test multiple career options → Adapt quickly; don’t chase perfection → Diversify income streams Following these principles won't just help you withstand career shocks, it makes you antifragile, allowing you to grow stronger from volatility and stress. The human cost of layoffs extends beyond financial insecurity; it's the painful realization that playing by the rules perfectly was never a guaranteed protection. Yet within this destabilizing reality lies a massive opportunity: to redefine success itself. Success shouldn't be a singular path to follow, but the freedom to create multiple paths of your own design. The true cost of clinging to old models isn't just stalling your career; it's missing the chance to discover who you might become when you stop following and start creating.

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞. Many students say they want to study public health. But when you ask what they want to do with it, the answer is often unclear. That is normal. Public health is broad. And many paths overlap. Someone trained in epidemiology may work in global health. Someone with a health policy background may end up in health equity. Someone in biostatistics may move into health informatics, research, or pharmaceutical work. Someone who starts in community health may later lead programs, manage grants, or shape policy. So do not treat your specialization like a life sentence. Treat it as a starting point. ——- A few examples: → If you like disease patterns, outbreaks, and population-level risk ↳ Look at epidemiology or infectious disease → If you like data, models, and measurement ↳ Look at biostatistics or health informatics → If you like systems, governance, and decision-making ↳ Look at health policy, management, or leadership → If you like communities, behavior, and prevention ↳ Look at community health or social and behavioral sciences → If you like cross-border health challenges ↳ Look at global health, but remember: global health is broad → If you care about fairness, access, and structural barriers ↳ Look at health equity, gender and health, or maternal and child health ——- Choose a specialization that gives you useful skills. Then stay open. Your first role may not be your final lane. Public health careers often grow through exposure, projects, mentors, and problems you did not expect to care about. A degree can open the door. Your skills, curiosity, and experience will shape where you go next. Which public health specialization interests you most?

Back in 2020, being a Data Analyst often meant being a generalist — handling everything from reporting to modeling, sometimes even engineering tasks. But fast forward to 2025, and the landscape looks very different. Now, we’re seeing a growing demand for specialized roles like: ✔️ Product Analyst ✔️ Marketing Analyst ✔️ Risk Analyst ✔️ Power BI Developer ✔️ Healthcare Analyst …and many more. This shift reflects the increasing complexity of data challenges and the need for deeper domain expertise. As someone navigating the data field, I find it both exciting and essential to keep sharpening skills in specific areas while staying curious about the bigger picture. 💡 Tip: Whether you’re just starting out or already in the field — focus on a niche, but learn to collaborate across roles. That’s where real impact happens. 👉 Which of these roles are you working toward or exploring? I’d love to hear your path. #DataAnalytics #CareerGrowth #DataAnalyst2025 #PowerBI #SQL #ProductAnalytics #Specialization #LinkedInLearning

Almost every time I speak with juniors or college students, I get asked the same question: “I’m not sure what field I want to work in. How do I decide what to do?” It’s a completely normal feeling — and honestly, I’ve been there too. When I first entered college, I had no clue what specialization to take or what career path to pursue. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. What you need is a plan to explore and narrow it down. Here’s what I tell anyone who asks: 📍 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 List a few things you genuinely enjoy or find intriguing — like writing, data analysis, designing, or public speaking. Don’t worry about how they translate into a career just yet Action Step: Write down your interests without worrying about how they translate into a career. The point is to recognize your natural inclinations. 📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Try out your interests through short-term activities like joining a club, taking a beginner’s course, or volunteering for a project. Give it 2–4 weeks and see if you enjoy the process Action Step: Try something for 2–4 weeks and assess: Did you enjoy the process? Did it feel meaningful? 📍 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 Reach out to people working in fields you’re curious about. Ask about their day-to-day work, the skills they use, and what they enjoy or dislike about their roles Action Step: Message 3 professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask for a 15-minute chat. Most people are willing to help if you’re genuinely curious and respectful of their time. 📍 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 Identify the skills you want to develop rather than getting stuck on job titles. Whether it’s data analysis, storytelling, or management, skills are transferable and will shape your career regardless of the role Action Step: Pick one skill you’re curious about and spend an hour a week learning or practicing it. 📍 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. Reflect every few months to see if you’re still enjoying your current path. It’s okay to change directions as you learn more Action Step: Set a reminder to reflect every 3 months: Are you still enjoying your current path? If not, what’s next? The Bottom Line: You don’t have to know your exact career path at 20. Just focus on exploring, learning, and building foundational skills — the clarity will follow. To everyone feeling overwhelmed — take it one step at a time. And remember, not having it all figured out is okay — it’s part of the journey. What’s one career option you’re currently exploring? Share below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!👇 #CareerAdvice #CollegeTips #FindingYourPath #SkillBuilding #CareerExploration #EarlyCareerInsights

Without going too far out on a limb, I believe almost everyone would like two things from their jobs and careers: success and happiness. They want to do well financially, receive recognition for their accomplishments, enjoy their work as much as one can, and become happier as a person as a result. These are reasonable goals, but they can be a lot to ask—so many people, especially ambitious, hard-working leaders, simplify them in a logical way: They first seek success and then assume that success will lead to happiness. But this reasoning is flawed. Chasing success has costs that can end up lowering happiness, as many a desiccated, lonely workaholic can tell you. This is not to say that you have to choose between success and happiness. You can obtain both. But you have to reverse the order of operations: Instead of trying first to get success and hoping it leads to happiness, start by working on your happiness, which will enhance your success. Success and happiness are generally positively correlated, as many workforce studies have shown. From this correlation, many assume causation—from success to happiness. During my years as an executive, I found that people strongly believe that pay increases—especially big ones—will have a large and long-lasting effect on their job satisfaction. The data tells us a different story, however: Large wage increases have only a small and transitory effect on well-being. One study, for example, showed that if your job satisfaction is a 6 out of 10—not bad—then even if your boss doubles your pay, it will get you to about 6.5, and then it will fall back to about 6.2. Maybe getting a raise isn’t the best strategy to help you love your job. Much stronger and more positive results emerge, however, when researchers reverse the order, looking not at success’s effects on happiness, but happiness’s effects on success. Scholars in 2005 surveyed hundreds of studies—including experiments to establish causality—and concluded that happiness leads to success in many realms of life, including marriage, friendship, health, income, and work performance. Whether you are an employee or employer, it is a better investment to increase happiness at work and in life, rather than simply trying to increase measures of success.

If I were a 'Fresher' looking for a job in 2026, I wouldn’t spend my entire day refreshing LinkedIn and Naukri.com. I’d look beyond them. Because the right opportunity may be sitting on a platform you haven’t even created a profile on yet. Here are a few places/pages I’d kept on my radar:- 1. Michael Page Useful for curated opportunities across finance, consulting, banking and investments. Also, keep your profile updated so relevant recruiters can discover you for open mandates. 2. iimjobs.com And no, it’s not just for IIM graduates. One of the better platforms to explore roles across finance, strategy, consulting, investment banking and corporate development. 3. Foundit Formerly Monster, it has a large pool of corporate openings. Upload an updated CV, use the right keywords and set up alerts instead of manually searching every day. 4. eFinancialCareers One of the few platforms focused specifically on financial services careers. Worth exploring if you’re targeting banking, asset management, markets, fintech or other specialised finance roles. 5. VC Jobs Trying to break into Venture Capital? Follow this LinkedIn page. It curates opportunities across VC and the startup ecosystem that can otherwise be difficult to discover. 6. Indeed The sheer volume of listings makes it particularly useful for freshers. Instead of searching for “CA jobs”, try specific keywords like FP&A, Financial Analyst, Internal Audit, Transaction Advisory or Corporate Finance and set up alerts for them. 7. AmbitionBox Yes, it has a dedicated Jobs section too. You can search for openings and then use the same platform to check company reviews, salary insights and interview experiences before applying. 8. Instahyre Useful if you’re exploring startups and new-age companies. Build a strong profile and recruiters can discover and reach out to you for relevant opportunities too. 9. Follow VC funds directly If you want to work in VC, don’t just search for “Venture Capital Analyst” on job portals every day. Follow the funds you admire. Many share openings for their own investment teams and portfolio companies directly on LinkedIn. 10. Follow specialised recruitment firms AND their recruiters Pages like The LHR Group, Native, Intellectual Capital HR Consulting Pvt. Ltd., etc regularly share openings across finance, BFSI, investment banking and related roles. One more thing I’d do differently? - I wouldn’t apply to 100 jobs with the same CV. - Set up alerts for relevant keywords. - Track my applications. - Follow recruiters in my target industry. - And spend more time finding the right opportunities than blindly clicking “Easy Apply.” Because a good job search is not just about applying more. It’s about knowing where to look. 🔖Save this! You might not need it today, but you’ll know exactly where to look when you do. And if you know an underrated platform or page for finance jobs, drop it in the comments. Let’s make the list more useful for everyone.

Today I have been asking myself the question: What if we're solving the wrong problem - chasing AI disruption while the real opportunity for human flourishing lies in the green economy? AI is getting all the headlines, but here's what the data actually shows: 🔹 AI impact: Creates 11M jobs, displaces 9M → Net gain: 2M jobs 🔹 Green transition: Creates 34M jobs with minimal displacement That's a 17:1 ratio in favor of green jobs. 🤯 Yet 90% of workforce discussions focus on AI disruption while climate jobs barely make the news. Why this massive disconnect? ✅ AI grabs attention - ChatGPT created immediate, visible change ✅ Green jobs seem gradual - but they're happening faster than we think ✅ Tech giants drive the narrative - while green jobs are distributed across industries ✅ 40% of employers expect AI workforce reductions - creating immediate anxiety The reality check: 1.2 billion jobs depend on healthy ecosystems Green jobs are harder to automate Climate action is literally existential Green skills show 22% growth in job postings vs 12% in available workers. Our future depends on our ability to close this gap. For professionals: While everyone's learning prompt engineering, there's a massive opportunity to apply YOUR existing skills to green roles: 🌱 Accountants → Carbon accounting & green finance 🌱 Teachers → Sustainability training & green skills education 🌱 IT professionals → Energy management systems & smart grids 🌱 Recruiters → Green talent acquisition (fastest growing field!) 🌱 Project managers → Renewable energy projects 🌱 Sales/Marketing → Clean tech & sustainable products ... and many more Maybe we should focus our upskilling efforts where the real job growth is happening? What do you think - are we chasing AI shiny objects while missing the green goldmine? Data sources: World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025, International Labour Organization, Manpower Global insights sustainability and the rise of green and turquoise jobs

Two acquaintances of mine (Alvin Lim from Climate Bridge International and Izzat Hamzah from 3Degrees) who are experienced carbon services professionals are quoted in this Straits Times article. "For Mr Alvin Lim, chief executive of local carbon project developer Climate Bridge International, the challenge goes beyond qualifications. He looks for three things in a potential hire: First, the person needs to demonstrate interest in the carbon markets by reading avidly, taking courses and doing internships. This will be reflected in the depth of knowledge, including a good grasp of project types, UN rules on carbon trading, and carbon market policies in other countries. Second, the person must be intellectually curious, he said. It is the third trait that Mr Lim has been struggling to find in local job-seekers after months of interviews – the grit and willingness to work in remote countries to oversee and monitor carbon projects. Most of the projects Singapore is expected to approve are likely to be hosted in the Global South, which includes countries in Latin America, Africa and South-east Asia. “Some people see this as an adventure and others see this as a hardship trip. What if I tell them: ‘Can you please go to Ghana and live there for a month and help us monitor the project?’ And what if you need to travel 25 per cent of the year? “And this is not even the capital of Ghana, it could be two hours away in the middle of nowhere,” Mr Lim said. “We are looking for candidates with grit and the ability to be resourceful in finding solutions, especially when operating in unfamiliar environments with limited support.” Mr Izzat Hamzah from global climate solutions provider 3Degrees believes that sustainability is less of a domain and more of a lens – a perspective that someone aspiring to join the climate space should adopt. It is about having core expertise, whether in economics, law, engineering or computer science, and applying those skills in sustainability, he said. A sustainability professional should be a “Jack of all trades, a master of some”, said the Asia-Pacific lead for trading and origination of environmental commodities. “When folks ask how they can build a career in sustainability, they miss the point. The real question is: ‘How do I develop deep expertise in my current profession – be it law or engineering – and then gear it to sustainability?”" https://lnkd.in/gQ_ug7kz

Choosing a career after 12th feels like standing at a giant crossroad with 10 confusing signboards🤷♀️ Everyone’s shouting directions — parents, cousins, Sharma ji, and the neighbour who once cracked NEET in 1997. So how do you actually figure out which path to take? Here are 3 powerful frameworks/models that can help students or their parents choose a career path that makes sense for them(not just society) ✅ 1. IKIGAI Model (The Japanese Secret to a Fulfilling Career) Ask yourself 4 questions: -What do I love? (Interest) -What am I good at? (Skills) -What can I be paid for? (Market) -What does the world need? (Impact) Example: A student I mentored loved designing, was great at storytelling, and didn’t want a traditional desk job. Instead of engineering, she explored UI/UX design. 3 years later, she’s working at a design agency and building her own digital art page on the side. ✅ 2. Career Triangle:Passion – Potential – Practicality Don’t just chase passion blindly. Check if your interest, your aptitude, and the industry demand align. -Passion: Do you enjoy doing this? -Potential: Do you have the skill or willingness to learn? -Practicality: Will this pay your bills and grow in the future? Example A commerce student wanted to become a musician full-time. But she also loved marketing and storytelling. She found a sweet spot in music marketing – she now works with music labels promoting indie artists! How cool right? ✅ 3.The 3C Filter: Clarity – Curiosity – Coaches This is more process-oriented for those still exploring. Clarity- Start with a broad idea (e.g., "I want to work with people" or "I like solving problems"). Curiosity- Intern, shadow, take short courses to test waters. Coaches- Talk to seniors, professionals, career coaches who’ve walked the path. Example: A student I know thought she wanted to do law. After interning under a lawyer and taking a MOOC in psychology, she realised it wasn’t for her. She’s now studying psychology and plans to become a behavioural therapist. Career clarity doesn’t come overnight. It’s a mix of self-awareness, experimentation, and conversations. And it’s okay to not have it all figured out by 18. Instead of following the noise, choose a method that works for YOU. Your career is not a race. It’s a journey of alignment. Would you add another framework to this list? #CareerAdvice #CareerClarity #CareerFrameworks #Ikigai #Careercoach #dhairyadecodes