Prepared by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) Vice Dean of the Faculty of Business Management dr. Milena Serzante

In order to choose the right profession and make a successful career, you need to invest a lot of effort and time. Research shows that even people who have reached the top of their careers are often disappointed when they realise that their profession no longer gives them pleasure and emotional satisfaction and prevents them from improving.

When choosing a profession, it is essential to assess your abilities and capabilities responsibly, analyse the market, and most importantly, yourself. In this review, we will discuss which aspects are the most important to pay attention to for graduates, their parents and everyone who wants to change their profession and start their career path anew radically.

Listen to your type of personality 

A personal character attribute is a crucial element that constantly accompanies you on the path of your life, describing a person's relationship with the environment. When choosing a profession, you should clearly assess whether you are an introvert, extrovert, melancholic, sanguine, or maybe a choleric?

After answering these questions, you will understand more quickly whether it is worth choosing, for example, an information technology (IT) speciality, if you feel great when making new acquaintances or advising your loved ones on how to renovate their home better?

Maybe, in that case, it is better to choose a career in management or sales, or perhaps even start your own business?

Highlight your abilities

The answer often lies in childhood games and hobbies. If you loved building Lego as a child and without any instruction manual, you could create impressive creations that delighted and amazed your parents; maybe you could be an excellent civil engineer or designer?

If you didn't lack creativity from home equipment like chairs, blankets and pillows to create a cosy house, you liked to draw, then maybe you should deepen your knowledge in the fields of design or architecture?

Make a list of desired professions

After analysing the abilities and interests, it is time to make a list of possible professions. A blank sheet of paper and a pen is not only a good meditation but also a great way to summarise all your thoughts and begin to gradually implement them.
 
Another important thing is market analysis. It's quite easy to do this - it's enough to look at job advertisement portals, find out what skills employers expect, and what tasks you'll have to perform in a particular job. It is also advisable to find out what professions are currently the most attractive. Nowadays, with a vast labour shortage, businesses are actively looking for university partnerships. VILNIUS TECH Faculty of Business Management prepares specialists for the most sought-after professions with a strong technological background. After completing their studies, graduates not only have integrated knowledge related to professional activities but also have the ability to use IT programs offered by high-level businesses and have acquired an engineering background, which provides an invaluable advantage and competitiveness.
 
Once you have made a list of your desired professions, it is time to examine and "test" whether the chosen work suits your personality type.

Volunteer, do an internship

Most often, one of the first requirements for a candidate in job advertisements is having similar work experience.

But how to get it if you are a student and still looking for your career path?
 
A great way to gain experience and get to know a specific profession more closely is to do an internship or volunteer.

Many employers will confirm that volunteering experience and previous experience make a big difference when hiring a new employee. Finding the right place to do your internship is even easier if you are a student. Our faculty actively cooperates with many large companies recognised internationally. Their representatives are well aware that the best way to find suitable specialists is to look for them at the university. Nowadays, when there is a notable shortage of employees, student internships are in demand in organisations of various profiles.

Attend open lectures organised by universities

One of the ways not only to acquire primary competencies for the chosen profession but also an excellent opportunity to learn what knowledge will be needed for the job of your dreams, is to participate in open lectures, organised by universities.
 
Most of the time, their range is vast, from finance and mechanical engineering to refresher courses that will help you prepare for final exams. VILNIUS TECH has been conducting similar lectures for many years, both remotely and live meetings with the university community and students, organised tours to laboratories, and many activities to facilitate the choice of speciality.
 
Any reinforcement of the knowledge baggage, participation in training, courses, and conferences will diversify the list of possible professions.

Dreams are the key to success

It is important not to forget that interests, abilities and the chosen profession should also be connected with dreams and an honest confession - what do you really want?
 
If you want to earn a lot of money and this is your only priority, choose a profitable profession. However, if you do not highlight your abilities and evaluate your personality type, be prepared for emotional imbalance. If you are looking for public recognition and listening, depending on your characteristics, you could choose the speciality of an artist, a singer, or maybe a socially valued economist or financial expert. At the Faculty of Business Management of VILNIUS TECH, we train both economic and financial engineers, as well as bachelors in management, most of whom finish their final year of studies by simultaneously working at our partners' workplaces or creating their own businesses and come back to look for specialists with us. The ideal is to find a compromise between your personal qualities and what will help you realise your dreams. After all, dreams are a powerful motivational weapon for realising your goals!