After high school in Cameroon. getting a sense of your own personality and source of motivation forms the backbone of making good career decisions. The problem is, our career choices are often affected by bias.  

According to research, early-career  preferences are predominantly cultivated by extrinsic factors such as  parental influence, peer pressure, status, and media. These preferences  tend to take a backseat when you actually start thinking responsibly about your career interests.

Additionally, it becomes more difficult to make a change after starting off on a specific career path. You’ll feel increasing pressure to continue in the same direction as transitioning often means resetting and taking a pay cut.

But, there’s no time like the present, and being proactive in making career decisions should be a crucial attribute for everyone involved in the job market.

Researching options can help you understand your strengths and eventually discover the right path for you.

Listed below are some factors that provide a framework for you to make a good career choice after high school in Cameroon:

1. Explore Your Interests

Interests are not something that you get to decide. They’re either inherently present or they get cultivated over time. According to the Holland codes, there are six types of interest:

• Realistic (Doers)
• Investigative (Thinkers)
• Artistic (Creators)
• Social (Helpers)
• Enterprising (Persuaders)
• Conventional (Organizers)

Depending on how your interests are aligned, you’ll be better suited to some jobs over others. We recommend exploring your interests and looking more into the Holland Occupational Themes.    

2. Understand Your Personality Type

Once you understand your personality type, it becomes easier to narrow down your career options.

If you enjoy social interactions and group gatherings, chances are you’re  an extrovert. You’ll prefer jobs that involve dealing with people like sales development, project management, and social media management.

Introverts aren’t too concerned about socializing or interacting with people. They prefer focusing on a single task and take great pride in their work. Data analysis, software engineering, and accountancy are perfect roles for this personality type.

There’s a lot more to understanding your personality than simply looking at introverted and extroverted characteristics. The Myers-Briggs indicator is a popular tool used for assessing personalities. It contains 16 different personality types in total. While this seems like a wide-ranging scale, some experts say that 16 categories aren’t enough and the indicator oversimplifies things.

To learn more about personality types and how they can help you find your perfect career, we recommend doing some background research on the subject.

Contact our career orientation officer for more clarifications

3. Leverage Your Skills

Your skillset is shaped by your background, education, and previous work experience. Skills fall into two categories, transferable soft skills, and technical hard skills.

Valuable soft skills include:

• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Organization
• Time Management
• Negotiation

Soft skills are transferable and can be used across different jobs irrespective of the type of work.

Hard skills require industry-specific knowledge and are only applicable to individual roles. You’ll need focused training to learn and practice these skills.

Choosing a career that requires some of the skills (or similar skills) that you already possess is a smart move. But if there is a gap in your skillset, consider filling it with an intensive online bootcamp. These courses are laser-focused and teach the very latest tools and techniques. They’re designed by experts to get you up to speed, fast. Contact our admission team for more information on the programs we provide. 

4. Research and Exploration:

• Explore different career fields: Research various industries and professions that pique your interest. Websites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Cameroon-specific career platforms can offer valuable insights.
• Connect with professionals: Network with individuals working in fields you’re considering. Ask them about their work, challenges, and rewards. This firsthand perspective is invaluable.
• Consider career counseling: Seek guidance from career counselors at your school, universities, or professional organizations. They can help you analyze your strengths and weaknesses and suggest appropriate career paths.
• Shadowing or internships: Participate in shadowing opportunities or internships to gain practical experience and understand the realities of different roles.

5. Education and Training

• Research relevant educational institutions: Investigate universities, colleges, and vocational schools that offer programs in your chosen field. Consider both public and private options.
• Compare program offerings: Evaluate curriculum, faculty expertise, resources, and job placement rates to find the best fit for your needs and aspirations. SIU is one of the private universities in Cameroon that guarantee job placements after graduation. 
• Explore scholarships and financial aid: Research available scholarships, grants, and loans to cover your education costs. Many organizations in Cameroon offer financial assistance for promising students.

6. Consider Your Constraints

Career selection can be constrained by various factors like geographical or financial limitations, family responsibilities, and your qualifications or skills. If you have a career path mapped out but are held back by something, try to develop a plan of action. It may involve relocating from the village to urban centers like Douala, Youande, Beau, Bamenda, Bafoussam or leveling-up your professional skills with online training courses.

7. Continue Learning

You should constantly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Improving your existing skills and learning new tools and techniques can give you insight into the aspects of your job that you really enjoy.

Look to fill any skill gaps with extra training. You can take on voluntary work, complete an internship, work in community development programs, or take on small freelance projects. This will ensure you’re constantly gaining new experience and developing your skills.

We provide online bootcamps in software engineering, data science, project management, and many other tech fields. Our intensive courses have been put together by leading industry experts who understand exactly what skills you need. Our aim is to provide practical hands-on learning to help you land a well-paid job in your chosen field.

8. Consider Starting a Business

If  you’re bored and dissatisfied with your current profession, it can be  tempting to start your very own business. However, it’s important to  understand the reality of creating a new start-up. You’ll need to be clear about your area of interest, your business idea, and your commitment to that idea. You’ll also need to perform detailed market research, write a business plan, identify potential investors, and define the scope of the business. You should also accept the fact that in the early days you’ll have a very low income, if at all.

At Seven International University we enable students to create tech startups that solve real world problems. We equally assist them get funding for projects with high impact potential. 

Remember: Choosing a career is a journey, not a destination. Be open to exploring different options and adapting your path as you gain experience and insights. Good luck!