How to pick the right Career Option after X class

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.
Most Important Decision of Your Life
Deciding ‘what you are going to do after Class 10’ often turns out to be one of the most important decisions of your life.  For the first time, you stand at a crossroad where the decision you make will have major implications on the rest of your life. If you are not clear about the career you want to build or do not have the necessary guidance, deciding what to do after Class 10 will surely be a daunting task. And if you make a wrong choice after Class 10, you will have to live with it for the rest of your life.
First Taste of Adulthood
This phase will also give you the first taste of adulthood and introduce you to a very important life skill i.e. Decision Making. As the term suggests, decision making is all about taking the right decision or making an informed choice, after evaluating all the pros and cons associated with it. And the career direction post class 10 is the first major decision that you will encounter in your life, but it will surely not be the last one. In fact, decision making is a sought-after skill for every career option and will matter the most once you enter the job market, irrespective of the industry or domain. Therefore, the sooner you learn the art and science of decision making based on logical reasoning, the better it will be for you. And career decision post class 10 is the right place to start this life learning.
Right to Choose
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.