You might not be able to easily pinpoint the best profession but you can definitely spot an exceptional specialist when you see one. People can choose whatever profession they want but the success of their career comes down to how skilled they are in their job, and to become skilled, they must understand the core function of their job. But above all, they should be genuinely interested in their job and enjoy it every day. This is why it can be extremely challenging to choose one’s career and future. Career consultants advise young people, especially senior high school students who are nearing graduation, to first listen to their heart and then evaluate their strengths and weaknesses to identify the most suitable profession for them. Many people study one thing in university but perhaps never lead a career in that field. This is because they made the wrong choice, and among the most common reasons for this, the top reasons are deciding on a certain major only to stick with their friends or being pushed by their parents to choose a certain major. These people are forgetting that when they graduate from university, it will not be their friends who will provide for their livelihood them but themselves. “People who were forced to choose a particular major sleep throughout their four years in university and when they want to work, employers reject them for being under-qualified. Some people study for two to three years and then decide to change their major. They waste time by restarting freshman year all over again,” said S.Sukh-Ochir, the head of the Youth Development Agency. S.Sukh-Ochir underlined that choosing a profession with a surplus in the labor market is also a major reason why many graduates are unable to find jobs. “According to statistics, 54.6 percent of students of public universities graduate and 45.5 percent of private university students graduate. 44.2 percent of private university graduates earned a degree in business administration, which means that almost one in every two graduates study this profession,” he said. Reportedly, over 60 percent of Mongolian university graduates of last year specialized in business administration, education, international relations, medical science, and every type of engineering. This summer, 40,841 students are expected to graduate from high school in Mongolia. A survey by the Institute of Educational Research indicates that 82.2 percent of high school graduates wanted to attend workshops that helped them decide on a career and find the profession most suitable to them before graduating. To help graduates make a better decision, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection partnered with the Research Institute of Labor and Social Protection this year and released a study on in-demand jobs for the next five years. TOP 10 MOST IN-DEMAND JOBS FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS

1. Marketing manager
2. IT specialist
3. Highly-skilled chef
4. Construction engineer
5. Road engineer
6. Cosmetic surgeon
7. Mining engineer
8. Architect
9. Geologist
10. Project manager

TOP 10 LEAST IN-DEMAND JOBS FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS

1. Lawyer
2. Economist
3. Accountant
4. Historian, philosopher and political analyst
5. Journalist, social analyst and business administrator

TOP 10 INTERNATIONALLY IN-DEMAND JOBS

1. Software developer
2. Dentist
3. Physician assistant
4. Statistician
5. Orthodontist
6. Nurse practitioner
7. Obstetrician and gynecologist
8. Physician
9. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
10. Pediatrician

(Source: US News & World Report Best Jobs of 2018)

How to avoid bad career choice?

Career choice is one of the most important decisions we have to make in life as it determines your next 30 to 50 years. However, most students in Mongolia don’t give this task as much attention, consideration or prudence as it needs. There isn’t a “best” job for everyone but the “most suitable” job for each person. To find the job that fits you best, you need to do your research, get help from professionals, identify your interests and strengths, and maybe try out different part-time jobs if you have time. This is a big task but it will not be as boring as you might think as long as you don’t consider it a chore. Besides, you might even have fun imagining yourself doing various jobs. Research is crucial but when you’re undecided on your future career, you might want to take these few pieces of advice. Give yourself some credit! The biggest and the most common mistake young people make when choosing their career is feeling insecure and unconfident. You need to realistically evaluate your capacity and aptitude, which means not just beating yourself after listing all your flaws but also giving yourself a pat on the back for things you are good at. Challenging yourself to sharpen your skills and talents will help you make the right choice. Money isn’t everything If you only look at the money that you will earn in the future, you could lose sight of your own interests and end up with a job you’re not satisfied with like millions of people across the world. Wages and reputation of jobs can change in time so don’t be too obsessed with the money. Make a long-term plan You have to always look at the long run when making an important decision. Throw away your careless attitude and the idea that you can change your career anytime if it doesn’t work out. Think carefully about what you want to achieve in life and choose a career that will help you get there. It’s your life, make your own choice Most people make choices based on others’ advice or influence. Obviously, you need all the help you can get, whether it’s from your parents, older siblings, teachers or consultants. However, it has to be you who decides your career. There are parents who push their children to study things they aren’t interested in simply because the whole family works in that field or it pays well. You need to tell them what you really want to do - it’s your life! Career choice is different from choosing your university courses Deciding which courses to take next semester is much simpler than choosing a career for life. Just because you’re good at chemistry doesn’t mean that you’ll become a great doctor. So, you need to contemplate many things and research a lot to make the best career choice for yourself. Don’t copy your friends! Most people depend on other people. We all know that. But choosing a career just to stay close to your friends is the worst decision you can make. The career you all decide on could be suitable for some of you but not all. You can make new friends with similar interests as you while doing what you enjoy and still keep in touch with your close friends. It’s not the end of the world if you’re the only one doing something else. Finding a job that suits you best and you’re interested in will save you 40 years of boredom and misery.