Are you in the WRONG Career?  Victor Ching, Registered & Chartered Psychologist; reposted from RECRUIT September 2020

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Recently, many graduates are busy job hunting. When making career choices, how can one find a job that’s suitable for them? There are numerous factors to consider, and this time, let’s focus on personality and career selection.

 

Often, HR professionals use psychological assessment tools (after receiving proper training and certification) to make various decisions, including recruitment, training and development, promotions, and transfers. The goal is to use scientific methods to make more suitable personnel decisions for the company.

 

As psychologists, we also utilize different psychological assessment tools. Many friends have doubts: some people seem to “hate their jobs,” while others feel frustrated after assessments, believing they’ve “chosen the wrong path” or “wrong major.” So, how can one address feelings of being in the wrong field or major?

 

From a corporate perspective, selecting suitable talent, placing them in appropriate positions, and providing development opportunities based on their abilities is essential. We know that personality traits are largely innate; while they can be changed, doing so requires significant effort and is often not cost-effective from a business standpoint. What can be developed later are mindset, skills, and knowledge.

 

From an individual perspective, saying you’ve “chosen the wrong path” can be disheartening. Ideally, one should consult a career advisor before selecting a major, choosing subjects based on personal personality, interests, and abilities. In recent years, schools have actively developed career planning to provide students with guidance.

 

However, for those like me from older generations, career planning was not a common practice! What can be done if you feel you’ve “chosen the wrong major” or “wrong career”? There’s no need to feel too discouraged. Every field has various job types. For example, a friend who chose an engineering-related major realized they are very social and could pursue a career in sales within the engineering sector, combining technical knowledge with interpersonal skills. Another friend who studied education found they preferred working with numbers over teaching people, so they transitioned to research on teaching methods instead. Similarly, I pursued an HR degree but discovered I disliked details and preferred communication, so traditional HR roles would not suit me.

In summary, there’s really no such thing as “choosing the wrong major.” With careful observation and a bit of effort, everyone can create their own space in their chosen field.

 

Victor Ching

Registered Psychologist (Hong Kong Psychological Society), Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society)

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