What are the things a teenager needs to keep in mind when preparing for a career?

• You can't wander into a career these days. You need to prepare, plan and equip yourself for it. Talk to your seniors in school and college who are already into their careers. How did they prepare, what does their job entail etc. Is there anybody specialising in the field you're interested in? Get all the information you can.

• What are the careers available to someone with your interests and skills? Do your research well. You also need to study the educational and technical qualifications required for that field. What are the alternative careers you'd like to look at? Compare and contrast the different fields. Talk to one or more career counsellors.

• You're interested in a particular field - but you're obviously not too sure - if that's what you want to really do. That's understandable. After all, one needs to know what exactly is involved, and kind of work would you really get involved in. Internships or training periods are good ways of gauging whether a particular career is really the right one for you. Whether it is your summer holidays or time between semesters - approach the right people - to let you have a training period with them. And at the end of your stint - if you don't fancy that as your career - there is no obligation on your part to take it up.

• A fact that cannot be overlooked in India - can you afford the education needed for a specific career? Could you meet the requirements for a student loan? Or are you just building castles in the air? Are there other courses that come cheaper? They may not be as good - but they could still take you down the same path - in due course. How much would you be willing to compromise?

• In today's world - you cannot afford to forget the rapidly changing job market. When you're planning a career a few years from now - you need to know whether that particular line would still be popular at that point of time. Would the skills you need change? How different would things be? Of course, one can never come up with the perfect answer - but it's necessary to keep these things in mind.

Whether you do or do not get the career of your choice - it isn't the end of the world. In this dynamic business world - you can change directions. Remember that many of those who have made it big - didn't always start off with the career of their first choice.

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