One question that stares you, a student, in your face is the career option you need to choose, which should not only meet all your criteria, but also have job satisfaction, security, growth opportunities, and a decent salary structure. This decision-taking becomes more difficult when you have so many choices and specialization options, that you sometimes don’t know much about.
The write-up intends to provide you a broad guideline to help you make the right choice. I have kept my focus mostly on students from science backgrounds, who wish to make computer-related careers.
We will look at the top 5 career options that are available in India for you to choose from.
Top Career Options to Choose for in the Future
1. Data Science
Organizations collect huge data on a regular basis. However, this data has no meaning because of its unstructured and unorganized status and does not help in drawing meaningful inferences.
Data science hence is a process that involves the collection and compilation of data that may or may not be structured, processing the same to make it readable through various algorithms, fetching relevant details and metrics, and then helping the organizations get meaningful conclusions.
The relevance of data science has grown and is growing rapidly, as it helps organizations taking the right decisions and making predictions, course corrections, etc.
It is now considered to be the topmost career option among students of computer science because of the growing future prospects.
Let us look at its various components to have a better understanding of this interesting field –
1. Data Mining: As the name suggests, the job requires you, as a data miner, to collate or mine the relevant information from a huge amount of structured or unstructured data, organizing it on the basis of set parameters, and presenting it in such a form that it can be interpreted and used for the required purpose.
2. Data Analyst/Scientist: Once the data is mined and organized in a structured form, it is now the job of the Data Analyst or scientist to thoroughly analyze the data and come up with information, inferences, or interesting insights that would help in business decisions.
3. Machine Learning Engineers: Machine learning engineers further analyze the data. They develop algorithms and Artificial Intelligence based solutions that can make computers and other devices learn and identify patterns, thereby enabling them to take decisions.
You can thus see how important a role a data scientist plays in this modern world of machines. The opportunities are growing and the field got further respect when Google in the most efficient manner started using a huge amount of stored data piles to its advantage. It is in fact its efficient data management, relevant analysis, and efficient use that has made Google what it is today. Thus, Data Science is and will remain, the top choice for students for a promising career.
2. Digital Marketing
You may have heard this term so often that, ‘Digital marketing is Booming’. The future of promotions, whether it is for products or for services, is in digital marketing. Companies and organizations have been using the traditional methods of marketing, but the days are not far when these traditional marketing methods are completely replaced by corresponding digital solutions, tools, and social media platforms.
The reason for this boom in digital marketing is because of the convergence of various devices, such as the radio, tv, computer, newspaper, and magazines into one, that is your computer; more so your mobile phone.
As this platform is growing, so is the need for those who are efficient in exploiting this ever-changing, dynamic and varied platform that needs a clear understanding of its functioning and its complex components.
Due to this fact, a large number of qualified digital marketing professionals are hired by companies who can spearhead their marketing strategies and sales campaigns for the promotion of their products and brands through different channels of communication.
Efficient digital marketing campaigns not only help companies get more customers but also help to establish the brand giving status and repute to that company.
Digital marketing is no doubt, an essential component that helps companies stand out against their competitors. The better a brand is established, the better are its prospects.
A more detailed breakdown of the various components of digital marketing where you can make your career in are-
2. Marketing Automation
3. Mobile Marketing
4. Social Media Marketing
5. Conversion Rate Optimisation
6. Internet of Things
8. Wearables
9. Paid Search Marketing
10. Online PR
The number of digital platforms is increasing and so are the complexities of managing all such platforms to run successful marketing campaigns. This is where the role of Digital marketing professionals comes in, and so with it come various career opportunities.
3. Product Management
Everything that we use, whether a physical product, service, software, financial plans, etc. is termed as a product. Product Managers play one of the most critical roles by guiding and driving their teams towards creating various products and services meeting their customers’ needs.
The profile of a product manager is most challenging where he/she is required not only to be technically sound but also have various other skill sets such as a clear understanding of consumer behaviour, critical cost analysis, awareness towards the latest and future trends, etc.
Big companies like Google, Facebook, etc. pay their product managers handsomely since the entire future of the company depends upon developing products that sell well.
A product manager examines the customer experience from different aspects, starting from how a product is received by the customer, what specific changes/alterations the customer needs, takes criticism from customers, tests, and makes the required changes. Therefore, the product manager continues to control the angle of innovation by examining the various structures and frameworks used within the item.
A career as a product manager will be very rewarding with ample opportunities of growing within the organization. Hence strongly recommended by me.
4. Software Engineering
The rise of digital services and products has fuelled the demand for well-designed software which can provide a strong platform for a product or service to function efficiently.
Software engineers are professionals who design, develop, test, implement, and maintain computer software, for business as well as personal use.
A software engineer needs to be technically qualified and has his tasks cut out in various fields, starting from creating video games, developing internet applications, creating professional software, providing ERP solutions to companies, to testing and running various computer networks.
The career profile of a software engineer is quite vast and encompasses various other components that he or she can specialize in. This broad platform gives you an opportunity to try your hands with various specializations such as Data Science, Product Management, Project Management, Internet security, Ethical hacking, IoT, AI, etc., and choose your line of specialization. Definitely a good starting point if you are not sure about which field to start with.
5. Blockchain
Although new, I am tempted to include Blockchain as one of the fields you can consider making your career in. The concept of blockchain has been around for some time, however, it became popular when the concept was used for establishing a futuristic payment system devoid of any control by any individual, organization, or government. Not only it is a completely transparent system of payment that can not be tampered with but is also futuristic with a huge scope of varied implementations. A well-established example is Bitcoin.
Because of the immense possibilities with blockchain record-keeping technology, its various implementations are explored in different sectors, and hence it can provide career options in the future which would be challenging as well as rewarding.
Final Words
Making a career that is challenging, rewarding, and satisfying requires students to possess domain-specific knowledge and updated skill sets. No doubt choosing your field of studies is difficult, what is though comforting is the fact that all these specializations overlap one another. Even if you had taken a different path, if you focus on knowledge, skills, and learning flexibility, you can always upgrade yourself and get onto a rewarding career path.