Part One: Before you choose, chapter 2
Know yourself
Interests, strengths, budget and the risk you can carry
Six kinds of interest
Start with what you enjoy, because enjoyment carries you through the hard years. Career counsellors worldwide use a model of six interest types built by the psychologist John Holland, called RIASEC. Here they have friendlier names. Most people are a mix; your top two types point to the chapters to read first.
Makers
Enjoy building, fixing and working with tools, machines or the outdoors
Engineering, Architecture, Creative technology, Merchant navy and NDA
Thinkers
Enjoy studying how things work, from cells and stars to human behaviour
Medicine, Science and mathematics, Data and computing, Economics
Creators
Enjoy drawing, writing, music, film or making something original
Design, Architecture, Fine arts, Animation and film
Helpers
Enjoy teaching, caring for, advising or serving other people
Medicine, Psychology, Nursing and teaching
Persuaders
Enjoy leading, arguing a case, selling an idea or running something
Law, Management, Journalism
Organisers
Enjoy numbers, records and clear procedures that keep things in order
CA, Data and computing, Actuary and company secretary, Commerce
Four practical filters
Interests show where to look. They cannot pay the fees. These four questions tell you what is realistic for your family.
- 1
Your Class 12 subjects
Most routes take any stream (the subject group chosen in Class 11), but some need Mathematics or Physics.
- 2
Your family budget
Fees run from a few thousand rupees a year to 50 lakh or more.
- 3
How soon you need to earn
If income is needed early, favour routes with a clear first job over long training.
- 4
How much risk you can carry
If a setback would hurt the family badly, keep a safer option alongside.