What should you do if you choose the wrong career?

Another exam season has just passed, and the unemployment season is drawing even closer. Perhaps this is the right time for me to share some general insights with those who need to read this – young Vietnamese people who are struggling to find themselves on their career path.

1. CHOOSING THE WRONG CAREER IS VERY NORMAL, DON'T PANIC!

Imagine realizing you've chosen the wrong career path – it's like driving on a highway and realizing you've taken the wrong route. What would you do? Make a U-turn immediately? That's not always possible; you'd crash before you even find the right path. If you're in your third or fourth year of university, nearing graduation, and you realize you've chosen the wrong career, immediately dropping out to "start over" might not always work, but you've certainly wasted your time at a moment when you need to be calm and think things through.

All panic leads to disaster, and this situation is no exception. Don't be surprised, because with the traditional, authoritarian approach to education between parents and children, and an ineffective career guidance system in Vietnam, choosing the wrong career is very common, and you're not alone. So, stay calm. Discovering that you've chosen the wrong career is a welcome start. Everyone makes the wrong career choice at some point in their lives. Really!

Illustration photo: Internet

2. ASK YOURSELF, "WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN THE WRONG PROFESSION?"

One fine day, you wake up feeling like you don't want to go to class or leave work, a feeling of emptiness and a desire to give up on everything. Is this a symptom of choosing the wrong career? Not necessarily. Every job, whether you're a cleaning lady or a bank CEO, will eventually experience difficult moments like these. Facebook created the "Feeling Empty" status to describe those times. However, many Westerners write very well and extensively about job mismatching, like this:

Choosing the wrong career isn't just a momentary boredom, but a long-term lack of motivation, significantly reducing your commitment and opportunities for growth. So, don't jump to conclusions like, "Oh no, I chose the wrong career," just because your boss scolds you, your colleagues are a bit cold, or your salary isn't commensurate with your skills. It's all just a challenge, and perfection is rare. Therefore, if you find a job where you excel in your field, earn a sky-high income, are passionate about it, and receive excellent training... Congratulations, you're among the rare lucky few in the world. So, don't jump to conclusions!

3. DON'T OVERESTIMATE PASSION, EMPHASIZE THE WILLINGNESS TO ADAPT.

The best English phrase I learned during my years studying abroad wasn't a quote from some famous person, but a very simple phrase that people often say: "We do what we have to do." Overcoming the "wrong career" is a test of conquering adversity that you should definitely learn in life if you want to stand out from the crowd.

A message about career choices from Dr. Hoang Khac Hieu to students. Photo: Internet.

Indeed, in Vietnam, young people are often instilled with a seemingly appealing message: "Follow your passion." However, not everything that sounds good is always true. I, on the other hand, choose a life attitude that prioritizes adaptability and embracing opportunities. And I've concluded that "Don't pursue your passion AT ALL COSTS." Opportunities are rare and hard to find, and they can come at any time, but they only reach out to those who are ready to seize them. Just watch Vietnam Got Talent or other talent competitions, and you'll see this clearly. Not everyone who loves to sing sings well, and not everyone who sings well becomes a singer, and not every singer becomes famous and wealthy, and not everyone who is famous and wealthy is happy.

Therefore, when choosing a job or a career for your life, don't be overly ambitious in pursuing the ideal job you dreamed of as a child. The best job is one that harmonizes your abilities, the economic value and social contribution of the profession, and your passion. Passion is a beautiful flower, but it still needs water to live. You pursue your passion, but you're not good at it, and it doesn't provide for you, leaving your wife without a livelihood and your children crying. Will you still be completely happy pursuing that passion?

Doing a job well, even if you don't like it, is a skill that working people must cultivate, as long as it doesn't violate the law or ethics, and it's a valuable manifestation of professionalism.

If we can't be lucky enough to have the best choice, let's choose the least bad one for ourselves. That way, you'll feel lighter and realize that life is a continuous series of learning from mistakes to get it right, so if you make a few "wrong choices," just accept it calmly.