Could unproductive workers be a result of forced professions?
Mar 21, 2011
SHARON fell in love with fine art when she was 13 years old. She says she was inspired to do art from “the project run away†series she often watched on DStv, a satellite pay TV. Sharon says her first real experience with art was in her senior one.
By Stella Nassuna
SHARON fell in love with fine art when she was 13 years old. She says she was inspired to do art from “the project run away†series she often watched on DStv, a satellite pay TV. Sharon says her first real experience with art was in her senior one.
“I was introduced to a number of art categories from still life drawing, nature, tie and die, to motif printing and calligraphic writing. “It took me four years to realise that I wanted to be a calligraphic designer,†she says.
Sharon says the passion and dedication to having the best poster or log always consumed her until she eventually would fulfil her goal. She always came top of her calligraphy class.
“I continued studying fine art up to A‘level. The more practice I put in, the more I became better at calligraphic writing, which further affirmed my decision to pursue it at a professional level.â€
However, when the time came to fill her university entry forms, her mother could not hear of. She forced her to choose ‘real’ courses. That is how she ended up in the law school.
Sharon, now a ‘seasoned’ lawyer working with a reputable firm in town, is earning big bucks but she is not happy. She says she spends over two hours of her working day surfing about web designing on her laptop.
“This law business bores me to the marrow. I never want to open a case file. So, I love handling files that require less effort. I guess even my boss knows that law is not my kind of thing,†Sharon says.
Experts say the best achievers have passion (interest) and determination as the driving force in whatever they do. “Without this driving force (passion), achieving the best in a career is next to impossible,†they argue.
Fagil Mandy, an education expert, notes that if parents force a student to study a course he/she does not like, he/she is more likely to fail in that career, if her attitude towards the course does not change.
He advises that parents should not be rigid with their children when they are making their college choices. “Parents should study the strengths and talents of their children, and then guide them basing on informed positions,†he counsels.
He, however, notes that most young people are rigid in their choices. You find that he would want to realise his childhood dream of becoming a doctor, yet they could be better off as a teacher.
“Individuals have many talents and ability to multi-task. If you have agreed to study a course you don’t like, accept it with an open mind. With time, you will learn to love and enjoy it,†Mandy counsels.
“You might discover a new talent you never imagined you had or even develop contacts that will help you realise your childhood dream.â€
He also notes that if an employee, for example, fails to raise the desired interest in forced career even after years of work, then changing careers could be the best option.
“If a person does not have a passion in a field, they will always find difficulty in delivering on certain tasks as required by the employer,†Paul Nyende, a psychologist, says.
He argues that a person who joins a profession because they passed exams is most likely to be less productive. Nyende adds that such employees often experience burn-out and stress at work.
“An employee is overwhelmed by frustration and has low motivation to execute their tasks or take on extra work,†he explains.
He advises, however, that it is never too late for one to change professions. This does not necessarily mean that he has to join his childhood dream career, but what makes them happy, he adds.
Nyende advises parents against forcing their children to study courses they take as prestigious or what they have heard over the years.
“Every profession is marketable. All one has to do is inquire about the different professions and how they fare in the job market.
They may be surprised to discover that the professions they demean are the million dollar jobs,†he explains.
SHARON fell in love with fine art when she was 13 years old. She says she was inspired to do art from “the project run away†series she often watched on DStv, a satellite pay TV. Sharon says her first real experience with art was in her senior one.
“I was introduced to a number of art categories from still life drawing, nature, tie and die, to motif printing and calligraphic writing. “It took me four years to realise that I wanted to be a calligraphic designer,†she says.
Sharon says the passion and dedication to having the best poster or log always consumed her until she eventually would fulfil her goal. She always came top of her calligraphy class.
“I continued studying fine art up to A‘level. The more practice I put in, the more I became better at calligraphic writing, which further affirmed my decision to pursue it at a professional level.â€
However, when the time came to fill her university entry forms, her mother could not hear of. She forced her to choose ‘real’ courses. That is how she ended up in the law school.
Sharon, now a ‘seasoned’ lawyer working with a reputable firm in town, is earning big bucks but she is not happy. She says she spends over two hours of her working day surfing about web designing on her laptop.
“This law business bores me to the marrow. I never want to open a case file. So, I love handling files that require less effort. I guess even my boss knows that law is not my kind of thing,†Sharon says.
Experts say the best achievers have passion (interest) and determination as the driving force in whatever they do. “Without this driving force (passion), achieving the best in a career is next to impossible,†they argue.
Fagil Mandy, an education expert, notes that if parents force a student to study a course he/she does not like, he/she is more likely to fail in that career, if her attitude towards the course does not change.
He advises that parents should not be rigid with their children when they are making their college choices. “Parents should study the strengths and talents of their children, and then guide them basing on informed positions,†he counsels.
He, however, notes that most young people are rigid in their choices. You find that he would want to realise his childhood dream of becoming a doctor, yet they could be better off as a teacher.
“Individuals have many talents and ability to multi-task. If you have agreed to study a course you don’t like, accept it with an open mind. With time, you will learn to love and enjoy it,†Mandy counsels.
“You might discover a new talent you never imagined you had or even develop contacts that will help you realise your childhood dream.â€
He also notes that if an employee, for example, fails to raise the desired interest in forced career even after years of work, then changing careers could be the best option.
“If a person does not have a passion in a field, they will always find difficulty in delivering on certain tasks as required by the employer,†Paul Nyende, a psychologist, says.
He argues that a person who joins a profession because they passed exams is most likely to be less productive. Nyende adds that such employees often experience burn-out and stress at work.
“An employee is overwhelmed by frustration and has low motivation to execute their tasks or take on extra work,†he explains.
He advises, however, that it is never too late for one to change professions. This does not necessarily mean that he has to join his childhood dream career, but what makes them happy, he adds.
Nyende advises parents against forcing their children to study courses they take as prestigious or what they have heard over the years.
“Every profession is marketable. All one has to do is inquire about the different professions and how they fare in the job market.
They may be surprised to discover that the professions they demean are the million dollar jobs,†he explains.