Is ‘Scope’ the most important criteria for you while choosing your career? If yes, here’s why you may be wrong

by CareerShikhar

21 Nov, 2018

Career Dilemma's

What is the scope of Hotel Management? What is the scope of microbiology in India? What is the scope after engineering? Is there any scope in Fashion Designing? These are the questions which are frequently asked by students from their peers or friends while choosing their career. I am sure you would also have asked similar question in respect of any career you have fascination for. Now let’s take a look at the root of these questions. Why scope is considered as the most crucial factor while making career decision? And more important is it really advantageous to take career decisions keeping scope as the foremost priority?

The answer lies in fear. How can we pursue a career which lacks scope? The so called ‘scope’ is so intense in its impact that it has induced many students to disregard their true calling because they were asked to do so on the ground of ‘scope’. The rat race begins with fear. Fear of uncertainty, fear of being failed, fear of being unacceptable by society, etc. are the causes that have confined our parameters to take career decisions. Our parents want security of life. They don’t want any kind of experiment. These perceptions have become so wider that they are being followed from generation to generation. But is it really conducive to give ‘scope’ so much importance while taking career decision? The answer is no. Scope should be one of the criteria for taking career decision but it’s not the most crucial factor in today’s context. Take a look on the following points that how the time has now arrived to look beyond scope while choosing your career.


Scope is a dynamic concept and not the static one

Few years ago when someone used to talk about career in ethical hacking or blogging or data science, they were advised to rethink their decision and their decision was considered as irrational. But today, ethical hacking, blogging, data science, social media marketing, etc. are considered as the most emerging careers in India. What does this trend indicate? It certainly indicates that scope is a dynamic concept and not just a static one. Scope of many fields is created overtime. The demand of a particular field in today’s job market may get vanished over the years and the field that didn’t even exist a few years back might become the most preferable career option today. Many factors contribute in creating a scope for a particular career. Besides, the job market is so dynamic that it is very difficult to predict about which career is going to have the most ‘scope’ in upcoming years. A field that you may overlook today due to lack of scope might emerge as a most sought-after career tomorrow.

Another significant criterion is popularity of careers over time. Scope is more about popularity than actual demand. Most often people assume that scope of a particular field is high because everyone is doing it. People usually go with the prevailing perception that if so many people are running behind a particular field, it certainly has enormous scope and is best to go for. However people often couldn’t understand the basis of this ‘rat race’ of running behind the others. They only want to run on the pathway others are seen running to make sure themselves that yes, they are also running on the right path. But is it really a right path? The answer is certainly no. But this practice of running behind other people has come up as an actual reason of why some careers are purported to have lot of scope, even when there is no actual data to support such claims.

It is evident from the above-mentioned discussion that scope is often more synonymous with popularity than actual demand. You may have heard your peers saying to pursue a particular field because there is a lot of scope in it or refraining you to pursue a particular field because according to them there is not a lot of scope for it in India. The question is – ‘are there views supported by any evidence or they are also relying on the popular opinion like everyone else is doing?’

Hence, you must think rationally before taking any decision. Do not just follow what you have heard, because what you have heard might not be supported by ground realities and demand. It is recommended to make your own research, talk to some career counselors or people who are working in the particular field you want to purse. Always remember that we are not the result of circumstances we face but we are the result of choices we make.

Is a career with most scope best-fit for you?

You might get the answer of a career that offers immense amount of scope but is that career best-fit for you? Now what is meant by a best-fit career? Best-fit career means a career that matches with your skills or your aptitudes, your personality traits and your interest. If your skills and your personality don’t match with the career purported to have most scope, you can never derive the joy of work and feel satisfied with your job. Suppose you want to pursue medicine because it is one of the most prestigious careers with numerous opportunities and scope but your personality is of an extravert person, a wanderer who likes exploring places, meeting strangers and facing adventure. You have a great aesthetic sense with a desire to explore your creativity. Now with these traits of personality if you have the ability to crack medical entrance you can be a doctor but will it be justice to your natural instinct? Will the real you will be explored? Will you be able to meet with the purpose for what you have been born? Perhaps no. You will excel and derive the real joy of work only when you will do what you have been made for.

All that matters most are your skills and drive. Even the most demanding field cannot lead you to have a successful career if you lack the drive and necessary skills to succeed in it. Despite, you can perform excellently in a career that matches with your skills and personality even though it’s demand is relatively low. The conclusion is, every career has tremendous scope, which are skills do you possess and how are you exploring yourself to pursue a career makes things different.   

Dare to make your own way

Find your own path, know about your purpose. You can make a big difference if you follow your instinct and skills instead of chasing careers with scope. There can be a great sports coach in you, or a versatile motivational speaker or a dynamic entrepreneur. Explore your inner self and discover your inner instinct, discover yourself and put your maximum efforts to make this world a more beautiful place to live in.

Fear is the element that has killed many dreams. You may think that why to take risk when we have a safe side to go. But always keep in mind that the comfort zone cannot make you extraordinary. A 10 to 7 job for making a living cannot deliver you what you really want. “If you believe your skills, your product and your vision, you can create values and create your own demand”. Take a look at the following people who made their own way against all odds and are living their dream today:

Anurag Asati: There is nothing in this world which is called as garbage; the so called garbage is a precious resource that can be recycled to produce valuable material and products. With this noble vision, Anuagr Asati, an IT Engineer from Bhopal started online platform the kabadiwala.com.

Madhu Khandelwal Gupta: Madhu Khandelwal Gupta is a founder of Mera Medicare, an online portal that creates awareness about generic medicines and provides generic medicines at concessional rates. She has a purpose to make a difference by empowering people in terms of creating awareness and providing value added deliverable with ease and at concessional rates. 

And there are so many on the queues that are making a difference by following their true calling. Now think, if these people had thought of scope before taking initiative, would they have been at the place they are now? Surely no. Scope exists in every field, in every work. How do you mark your presence in that field matters more than scope.

So where to focus if not on scope?

Yes, this is the question of the hour now that if scope is not the best factor, where should you focus? You should focus on your own personal attributes to find your best fit career. Know about your interest, your personality and your aptitudes and then take a career decision accordingly. Explore the career options of your interest & skills, look at the work people do in that field and see if it fascinates you.

Besides, you should focus more on enhancing your skills rather than looking at the scope only. For example you are pursuing engineering; now focus on the areas that raise chances of placement. Talk with your seniors and learn some programming languages, also learn about some subsidiary branches and core work that is performed at the worked place. Such additional skills and knowledge will increase the weight of your degree and will provide you with an extra edge over other candidates.

Know the purpose of your life and find a career that can give you a contented life. Focus on enhancing your skills. Always remember that the only way to do great work is to love what you do. Whatever you do, do it with full of your heart and soul. All the best!