IN MAKING INFORMED CAREER DECISIONS

“Nothing excites me about life asides intentional living.”

Have you ever wondered why children grow up feeling they can conquer the world but gradually get reduced and swallowed up by the limitations in their society?

Most times these limitations come from family or societal expectations and stereotypes. Other times, they’re as a result of restrictions placed by structured gender roles. They could also spring from lack of environmental enablement.

It’s not a wonder why a child who started off aspiring to become a pilot or an astronaut ends up a musician or in any other field of the liberal arts. In my imaginations, I want to think of it having to do with lack of proper parental guidance, perhaps due to factors beyond their control like changing economic situations leading to financial breakdown. At the same time, I know it has more to do with the psychological state of the child in question.

Many psychologists have led studies addressing issues of the Child’s drift in career aspirations and came up with these findings which influence the final decision of the child:

• Autonomy and independence
• Decision making skills
• Career of mother/father
• Socioeconomic status
• Environmental or societal impact
• Gender and social factors

Autonomy begins to develop as the child detaches himself from his parents. Chickering and Reisser (1993) identify emotional independence as one aspect of

autonomy: "Emotional independence means freedom from continual and pressing needs for reassurance, affection, or approval" (p. 4 7). This emotional independence from the family leads to stronger bonds with peers and commitment to vocational and lifestyle ideals.

Emotional independence goes a long way in the complete development of the child and it allows him to make informed career decision and sticks to it as he grows and matures into an adult. Parents are supposed to teach their children emotional independence so as to foster self-efficacy and other skills that are necessary for career commitment.

Another factor influencing career drift is decision making skills. Parents and care givers are supposed to guide their children to believe in themselves. Boosting their self confidence enables them to be self assured that they can achieve anything they put their minds to. If children are able to develop self confidence at an early age, they dare to dream because they are certain that their dreams are valid.

Career of parents and Socioeconomic status overlap owing to the fact that the more financially stable a family is, the more likely it is for their children to access better opportunities; education, professional coaching, etc.

Speaking of Environmental or societal impact, Gender and Social factors, our attentions are drawn to the decadence in the society in form of vices, cultism, bulling, peer pressure and peer abuse which reduces and almost extinguishes the esteem of the child. Undeniably, there are Gender stereotypes and stigmas the child would have to fight and deal with while growing up to create a whole new person altogether.

Depending on how he was able to fight; if he wins, he maintains a high esteem and goes ahead to conquer the world. Sadly but never unfortunate, if he fails, he drifts towards a different career path and through the process of “finding oneself”, he ultimately succeeds.

Watch out for the next season of this topic “In making informed career decisions”, where I would bring it home to myself and how I drifted from my initial career path. I’ll be sharing my complete story; mistakes, failures, wins, success and where I am currently in the unavoidable process of “finding oneself”. Happy reading.