Experts emphasize that when choosing a profession or including it in a preference list, it is essential to obtain information from various sources or specialists and to make a choice considering the profession's personality compatibility. They state that vocational guidance inventories, career tests, and faculty members of departments to be studied at universities assist in this process.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Education Institutions and Guidance Services Manager Ertuğrul Tut, who advised students taking the exam on career choice before the preference period, said, “During the preference process, universities’ career promotion days, fairs, and career days are very important for clarifying any questions about professions.”
The results of the 2024 Higher Education Institutions Exam will be announced on Wednesday, July 17, according to the published schedule. Üsküdar Üniversitesi Education Institutions and Guidance Services Manager Ertuğrul Tut gave advice to students taking the exam on career choice before the preference period.
Which profession should I choose?
Tut pointed out that the most important question on the minds of university candidates right now is, ‘Which profession should I choose?’ He said, “In this process, there are many external factors that will bombard candidates with information. The abundance of external factors sometimes negatively affects career choice motivation. Instead of the department dreamed of for years, there can be a tendency towards different professions due to misguided advice. In this process, unhappiness in future professional life and many problems that come with it can occur.”
Departments and programs added to the list without research can lead to regret
Guidance Services Manager Ertuğrul Tut stated that programs added to the list without prior thought or research, especially during the preference period, can later cause regret. He said, “When choosing a profession or including it in a list, information must be obtained from different sources or experts, and department preference should be made by considering the profession's personality compatibility. Vocational guidance inventories, career tests, and the professors of the departments to be studied at universities help in this process. Especially in recent years, the glorification of some professions on social media creates a simulation as if everyone graduating from that department will achieve the same success, and great disappointment can be experienced upon graduation. In fact, when researching a profession, information should be obtained from reliable sources and filtered through one's own personality.”
Career promotion days, fairs, and career days are beneficial
“During the preference process, universities’ career promotion days, fairs, and career days are very important for clarifying any questions about professions,” said Tut, adding that gathering and comparing information from different sources will ensure a healthier outcome for the process.
Ertuğrul Tut also pointed out that academic success and professional success are complementary processes, saying, “Academic success will also increase career alternatives. Taking the first step correctly in the career choice process will create a domino effect. Academic success will lead to happiness and professional success. But the most crucial part here will be to receive training for a profession that suits us and in which we will be happy. Another secret to professional success is to create alternatives for the profession to be practiced. The element that will provide this is a proper academic education.”
Families want to fulfill their own dreams through their children
Tut emphasized that another important issue to consider during the preference process is families wanting to fulfill their own dreams through their children. He stated, “In this process, it is very important to provide guidance by taking into account the candidate's thoughts, personality structure, and views regarding career choice. Furthermore, candidates clarifying the positive and negative implications of professions they are undecided about, in terms of personality compatibility, by writing them down if necessary, and managing this process by knowing themselves and confiding in themselves, will provide very positive contributions.”