When I started writing this article, my childhood memories flashed and tears started rolling from my eyes. It’s been almost 20 years, still I can feel the breeze of my school days. I request every student to cherish every minute of your school life. And also I request parents to make you child understand the importance of school and making best use of school days.

The first war of life is class 10th boards exams. We can simply say that 10th class is the first ladder of a student’s life.  10th standard is a very important point in a student’s life. In India, it is usually after 10th that most students start thinking seriously about career, professional courses and other high stake decisions! Its really a wonderful, memorable and challenging experience of life.

Until now, all the major life decision, even your own name was decided by your parents. Therefore, ‘What to do after Class 10?’ will the first major decision that you have to take in your life. And with so many career choices and opportunities before you, at first, you might feel intimidated by them. But, upon closer examination, you will understand that choices are good and they empower you to pick the career option that you think is the best for your future.

After 10th results are out, there is one common question that strikes in every student’s mind “What next after 10th”? Science, Commerce or Arts? This is a common confusion which most of the students & their parents face. Every field has a lot of career opportunities but choosing the right stream which students are interested should be the main concern.  It isn’t that easy to decide on career option that will determine the rest of your life for you, especially at the tender age of 16 or 17. The confusion a student faces is huge and varied in nature. Often many parents are left confused about the right advice to give to their children.

Class 10th is the most important and confusing crossroad of your career. A right decision can help you blossom in your career. And if you make the wrong choice, you will have to face the consequences for the rest of your life. Picking the right stream is extremely important as everything that happens thereafter will depend on it. At times, students follow the herd mentality and pick the stream which their friends opt for or the one that their parents suggest. This is a wrong and dangerous practice and will lead to flawed career decisions.

Sachin Tendulkar failed in 10th. But he was very clear what he wanted from his life. But are we? Few students are very clear about what they want in their life. But there are many students who are confused about their career path. Many students pick the stream without actually understanding what lies in store for them after joining it. Therefore, proper understanding and knowledge of the stream you opt for and the future career options they offer, is very important.

Taking up a job right after 10th is not something that I recommend to my readers! If you aren’t facing financial/other difficulties, you should continue education after completing 10th! So don’t run after a job right after 10th, unless it is unavoidable! Because if you look to get hired after 10th, you’ll end up landing an entry level job with low salary. Otherwise you should try to land a Government job after 10th (Army, Navy, Railways etc).

How to pick the right Career Option?

Now that we have gone through why this decision is so important in your life and what each of the streams holds for you in future, it’s time for you to take the right decision. Still wondering how can you take such a major decision on your own? If yes, you are right in doing so! Deciding what to do after Class 10 is a crucial decision and should never be taken in haste. To simplify this process, you can follow a few simple guidelines that are provided below:

1. Assess Interests & Passion

Ever seen a working professional crib about their job or the daily grind? Trust me; you don’t want that once you start working. To avoid this, you must follow your interests and passions. And the first step in this process is identifying which subject, topic or career option excites you. You can do something for a lifetime and still be happy and satisfied with it, only if you truly enjoy it. Therefore, irrespective of which stream you pick, make sure that you find the subjects covered under it interesting.

2. Analyse your Strengths & Weaknesses

After assessing your interests, the second step for you is to assess your skills and abilities. If you choose a stream merely on the basis of your interest but do not have the right skills and abilities to deal with the subjects that it covers, it will pose a big problem in future. For instance, you might be interested in elementary science but the science subjects that are taught at Class 12 level are much detailed and difficult. Or if you are good with basic arithmetic and opt for PCM combo in Class 12 where Mathematics is of a much-advanced level, you will not be able to cope with it. Therefore, you must do a thorough analysis of your skills and abilities, determine your strengths and weaknesses and pick a stream that is in accordance with your strengths.

3. Identify the Right Career Choice

Once you start identifying the things that you are interested in or passionate about, you will realize that the list of long and varied. Not everything that you like or are interested in can be transformed into a great main-stream career choice. For instance, you might love kite flying and may be one of the best kite flyers in the school, but building a career in it that too a lucrative one, might not be a great idea. Therefore, you need to identify which of your interest areas can offer you good opportunities, in which you can build a lasting career. You can take help of professional career counsellors who can help you analyse your skills and help you choose the right career option.

4. Seek Help from Others

If even after the first three steps, if you still feel you are confused and undecided about the stream you should opt for after Class 10; consider getting the right exposure from a parent, professional counsellor or a senior. Today, there are many other career options and opportunities that await you post class 10, but you might be familiar with them. Professional counsellors or parents might be able to guide you in the right direction and help you make the right career choice.

5. Give yourself time

Do some detective work to find your true calling. You could do a career personality test online to find what work environment and career best suit you. Although they won’t give you concrete answers they’ll help you narrow it down by giving you a few options to consider. The Myers-briggs personality test is a great way to find out about yourself and help you make the best career choices for you. Take the time to do research on different careers so you can see if they are the right fit for you or not.

Choosing a career is generally not a one-time decision; it’s a series of decisions, made as you progress through different stages of life, experience, and responsibility. Whether you want to be an astronaut or want to be a teacher make sure the path you take fits your personality. Before you spend tons of money on tuition fees ensure you do your homework. Make sure your capabilities align with this career prospect. Sometimes people choose a career but they don’t do proper research on the particular field and they end up in a job they hate.