WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Illustration: Argjira Kukaj
One of the most important things in life is finding your way. A way as in what you really desire to choose and do in life. Figuratively, the way is a profession which is the title you will always have with you after your name and that will require responsibility and a huge love from you. Responsibility and love can be equated to the heart and mind. The question is raised; which one should you believe and with which one should you work with for this way and which one will bring you to success and which will fulfill you? What will you listen to be oriented?
It sometimes happens that the wrong career choice can lead you to depression and stress and even toward disappointment when time passes and you see that you’ve made the wrong decision.
Choosing a profession becomes even harder when parents’ opinions and other friends have an impact and become a priority and you choose a dream of theirs and not a wish of yours. Many young people listen to their parents are obliged to pick careers that are more operative in the market and maybe aren’t the core of what they want.
According to professor Valdrin Dervishaj it is not enough to choose based on others’ wishes but based on what you practice. According to him, in Kosovo there are people that even though they have graduated, they don’t have work experience. If until that time you don’t find yourself and you keep searching all of your life for a kind of craft that you will not be able to learn because you’re late in applying knowledge and that which you have learned.
Except parents’ impact, there are other factors that have an impact on young girls and boys on their career choices. A. Imeri, a student in the University of Prishtina in the Faculty of Philosophy says that the graduation test scores have been the key factor that has penalized a lot of her peers in choosing a profession. Other factors according to her are the lack of psychologists in rural areas and the non-existence of brochures or leaflets to see what the chosen path offers.
Because of this it’s important for more career orientation centers to be offered and for the opportunities that these centers offer to be used.
Professor Valdrin Dervishaj- a lecturer at Infinite Academy notes that there are some ways that are applied in the development and career orientation centers, the first phase is reflection on discovering who you really are by really seeing in yourself your skills, values and interests. When it comes to the skills you must stop at those you have more practical knowledge and aptitude to do something good while at the values you must pinpoint that which is most important for you in life and as for the interests as the last phase you see what interests and awakens your curiosity.
The second phase includes information which means finding as much information about jobs that exist and which are demanded or could be in demand in the future. What you should do is list some professions, take part in some activities or closely see the job process and understand if you really can fit that profile. The third phase is career planning- make a plan to start your journey.
So, to avoid eventual problems that come with the wrong career choice, according to professor Dervishaj it’s important to identify your unique skills, focus on the content and say no to all other things. This will bring you to a safe solution by answering the questions: what am I good at? What do people say I’m good at? And what is the thing that stops this? To more easily explore these answers, some career counseling centers have been opened in the main cities such as: Prizren, Peja, Gjakova, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Mitrovica, even though young girls and boys are negligent of the opportunities offered from these centers and don’t have an open dialogue according to the responsible people.
However, for the choosing path to be easier it’s important to use the opportunities that centers for counseling in careers offer without leaving aside consulting with mentors, friends and family. To choose the right path young boys and girls should consider a series of aspects, while at the same time being supported by passion, analyzing the opportunities that the job market offers and have discipline to choose that which offers comfort to their soul.
The choice is yours for a better future.
About the author: Krenare Ukaj is a 21 years old girl from Decan who attends studies at the Faculty of Philology.
This activity is supported by Engagement for Equity Program – E4E, financed by United States Agency for International Development – USAID, and implemented by Advocacy Training and
Resource Center –ATRC
