It was a thing of Passion; Micheal loved teaching. Every day he got back from school, he would convene children in the neighbourhood to teach and help with their assignments. 

His Zeal for teaching made it seem as though it was an easy task. After each class, his face was filled with uncontrolled happiness. 

"Chidubem! Chidubem!" His mum called out.

"Ma" he answered.

"I would like to have a brief discussion with you", she said.

Kedu ọrụ ị họọrọ (In Igbo) "What is your chosen profession?" She asked.

"Mum, I would like to be a teacher. I love teaching because it connects me with a large number of people all over the world.

Teaching goes far beyond educating the younger ones. Teaching is a thing of rubbing minds together. When one teaches, they do not only give out information but also receives information.

Teaching is not limited to any age; I interact with both old and young. Through this interchanging of ideas, everybody learns and it is a win for us all." Micheal answered.

She replied, "I love how you expressed yourself but that is not the career I want for you. I want you to be a lawyer. I want people to respect you because of your career. 

When people refer to you, they'll address you as 'Barr Micheal'. Doesn't that sound classy to you?"

"I love the sound of that but it's not what I want. I don't want to choose a career because of the title or the pay. I want to do something because I love it and have a passion for it. Besides, people still get paid for teaching." Michael said.

 The conversation ended with Micheal insisting he would pursue his teaching career. 

The summary of this story leads us to the topic of today- CHOOSING A CAREER. 

WHAT IS A CAREER?

A Career is an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with opportunities for progress.

“The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word "career" as a person's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)". 

To Choose a career, you must first identify your skills and interests. This is because you need to be motivated to enjoy your work and fulfil your potential.

Next, you explore career ideas. This is the time to regard work experiences. It will give you an insight into the areas you are interested in before committing yourself to a certain career path.

After you must have gained a few experiences, you make a decision. To help make a decision, ask yourself the following questions:

Will I enjoy doing the job every day?

Does it meet most of my preferences?

Do I have the right skills?

If you still struggle to come up with a conclusion, apply the SWOT Analysis. Through this, you identify the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of that career. 

Lastly, Set achievable goals. Your career plan should outline how you'll get to where you want to be, what actions are needed and when, and separated into your short, medium and long-term goals. 

Finally, don't forget that career planning is a continuous process. 

Dear Readers, It is not too late to revisit and review your aims and objectives throughout your career, and don't feel constrained by the goals you've set - the structure of a career plan should help you map out the route to trying something new.

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Catch you tomorrow!