"The best possible fit": As a modern day youth you have many opportunities when it comes to choosing a professional career. Due to the wide range of options there is a possibility that you might get carried away into an area that might not suite you and you may later find that you do not like that area of study. Therefore it is essential that you select the "best possible it (BFT) for you in terms of the career and the educational programme that will help you achieve your objectives whilst satisfying those around you.

Dr.Kithsiri Edirisinghe-MBBS, MSc, MD (Medical Administration) Managing Director-IIHS

The Team: It is essential to understand your "team", the partners who will care about your future; your parents, brothers, sisters, relations and teachers. They all have dreams, aspirations and objectives for you and your future. Therefore, it is essential that you work with them as a "team" and obtain their maximum support and advocacy. You should not forget the main person concerned, "You"! You are the captain who will take up the challenge of the selection.

The Images: It is all about you, how you want to live your life. It is a public secret that you will reach your maximum potential when you love the area or the subject. So firstly it is essential to understand yourself. There are three "images" of self; "mirror image", "social image" and the "wish image ". All three images of you will help you identify what you are good at and your weaknesses.

"Mirror image" is what you think about yourself, "social image" is what others think about you and the "wish image" is what you want to be in the future. Therefore it is mandatory that you take some time off and figure out these three images. For a successful career all three images should come to together as one and of course you will be a winner.

Identifying the BFT: There are few fundamental steps you could follow:

1. Identify the most suited image, by talking to yourself you will find the best image.

2. Select not one but several. Have a list of 3 - 5 careers in your menu where you could choose from.

3. Examine all the career opportunities, "availability of jobs nationally and internationally". The important thing here is to look at 10 - 15 year prediction of these jobs that you selected and it should as much as possible be recession resistant jobs with adequate remuneration and excellent working environment. Most importantly it should be able to add value to the human race. Talk to your good friend "Google" it will help you find the best possible areas to pursue.

4. Then talk to your 'team" to prioritize and select the best career from the list you made.

5. Formulate your career objectives by organizing the general areas and possible specialized areas with time lines. Decide when you want to be a true professional.

6. Search for the best educational programme suited to achieve your career objectives. This is an important step where you will have to look at the recognition of the degree/ diploma, total cost of the programme including educational, examination, lodging and other related costs. Most importantly remember having a certificate, diploma or a degree will not always help you getting your dream job. You might need a licence to work as a professional through a professional body. For example having a Medical Degree will not allow you to practise medicine and you need to sit for the licensing exam of the respective country to practice as a professional Medical Doctor. So once again talk to the team, and your best friend, Google in this important step.

7. Categories of educational programme: Vocational programme resulting in Certificates and Diplomas, Graduate and Postgraduate Degrees from Universities are the available options. All these programmes would have different career outcomes and costs. Most of the vocational programme would extend from 6 months to 3 years, Bachelor's Degrees, from 3 to 4 years and Post Graduate Masters of approximately 2 years and a Doctorate (PhD) would take approximately 4 years.

8. Preparation for the selected educational program is an essential compo nent and you may need to work on achieving the required basic education qualifications such as Advanced Level or the Ordinary Level depending on the program. Also make sure you have the necessary competencies to succeed in the program, such as English literacy, academic writing, speaking and grammar, computer literacy, basic Microsoft office, tying skills, and most importantly a good and pleasing personality.

9. Revisit your career and educational objectives: validate debate and decide with the support of your "team". Formulate a plan and implement it!

Source : Dr.Kithsiri Edirisinghe-MBBS, MSc, MD (Medical Administration) Managing Director-IIHS
E-mail : drkithsiri@iihsciences.com