10 Best Career Options For Students (2023)

"What are the best career options for students today?"

Some will tell you that the answer to this question is "do what you love" or "do what you are passionate about" but such answers are almost always inconclusive. For fresh graduates who are about to embark on a career path, how is it possible to know if they are going to love their job? Especially at a point when they have no experience of what it entails.

The consequence of this is that even though a range of career options are available to students today, choosing the best option can be challenging. According to a survey done by Mindler, it was found that 93% of Indians are aware of only seven career paths.

In an environment where the career goals are hardly clear to aspirants, how do they navigate the challenge of finding the best career?

Well, a good place to start would be trying to think beyond what is common knowledge.

The Best Career Options 

In the last 20 to 25 years, engineering has established itself as a top career choice for students in the science field. Similarly, commerce graduates tend to find jobs in different finance roles, while others go for a profession in law, design, or management.

Even though there are ample career opportunities for young professionals today, whether or not it will be the best choice will depend on multiple contingent factors.

Also read: Understanding Career Development: Meaning, Importance, Affecting Factors, And Tips

Factors Affecting A Successful Career

One of the reasons why so much doubt is thrown on career opportunities is the conflict between degrees and skills. In order to find a good job and get established, you will be needing the right skills.

It is not to say, however, that degrees have no relevance to professionals today. Especially in the science field, degrees play an important role in landing you your first job. But after that, it is all about how you perform at work, your dynamism, communication skills, leadership, and the ability to productively manage teams.

At a time when skills are the top priority for any employer, what could be some of the new and innovative career opportunities for students today? Let's find out.

1. Data Science

Data Science is an exploding field today that promises a range of lucrative career options for science students. As a field that is steadily growing in demand, it is an excellent option for students after completing 12th boards. While engineering students from the field of Computer Science are considered the most eligible candidates, any Science stream student with a background in Mathematics can get into data science.

As a high-paying career option, this field is relatively easier to enter as there are many short-term as well as full-time certificate courses available. 

Top Data Science Courses

• Advanced Program in Computational Data Science by Indian Institute of Science
• Advance Program in Data Science by IIM Calcutta
• Fundamentals of Data Science by St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
• Microsoft Data Science Certification
• IBM Data Science Certification

Do you know? It is expected that the rise of data science needs will create roughly 11.5 million job openings globally by the end of 2026!

2. Cyber Security Expert Career

Working as a cybersecurity officer is an exciting opportunity, especially for any Science stream student who has a background in coding. The average salary of cyber security experts in India is INR 12 LPA to start with, while experienced professionals make way more than that. In order to start as a Cybersecurity officer, a strong tech background is required. As a result, it is a good career switch for software developers and engineers who are working in an allied field.

Now, let's look at some of the courses with which you can make this switch. But don't forget that these courses require advanced skills and can not be done after the 12th boards.

Top Cyber Security Courses

• GIAC Certification in Cybersecurity
• CISSP Certification in Cybersecurity
• Ethical Hacker Certificate by EC-Council
• Post Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity by MIT xPro

3. Software Development

Software Development is a lucrative career option and easily one of the most popular choices after 12th boards. The easiest way to get into software development is to get an engineering degree in Computer Science. The starting salary of software development engineers is between INR 5 to 6 LPA. However, with an experience of just a year or two, the salary increases significantly as there is never a shortage of demand for software engineers.

Almost all engineering colleges offer courses on CSE that will equip you with the necessary skills to start a job in this field. We have provided below a list of the top courses in CSE in India.

Top Courses For Software Development

• B.Tech Program in CSE from IIT Delhi
• B.Tech in CSE from SRM University
• B.Tech Program in CSE from IIT Kharagpur
• B.Tech in CSE from NIT Delhi
• B.Tech in CSE from NIT Trichy

4. Management Career

A career in management is one of the most lucrative career options in today's market. One can move to a career in management through a course at both UG and PG levels because of the high demand for trained professionals. Although, after a UG course in management there is a limit to how much salary you can get from an organization.

However, jobs in management come with a lot of responsibilities as it involves handling management structures. While the trend is to pursue an MBA after completing a UG degree, many people also prefer to work for a few years before joining an MBA.

Now, let's look at some of the best MBA/ PGP courses that can help you pursue a highly productive career in management. 

Top Management Courses Available

• PGP/ MBA from one of the IIMs 
• PG Diploma from XLRI Jamshedpur
• MBA from TISS Mumbai
• MBA from IMT Ghaziabad

5. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is also a developing field that is already showing a lot of potential in terms of scope of employment. In the immediate future, the field is also expected to grow rapidly. As a result, going for a career in artificial intelligence will enable you to explore career opportunities in various domains. The conventional pathway to a career in AI is to pursue an engineering degree in Computer Science.

Students with bachelors in science stream courses can also pursue it with the help of short-term courses, instead of a graduation degree. The salary of AI professionals ranges between INR 7-9 Lakhs per annum. 

Top Courses For Artificial Intelligence

• B.Tech in CSE with specialization in AI and Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate from Stanford School of Engineering
• Learn With Google AI - Free AI course by Google
• B.Tech Artificial Intelligence from IIT Hyderabad

AI as the future job creator? While AI is being speculated to endanger many job profiles in the future, the report states that it is expected to create 97 million new jobs by 2025.

6. Digital Marketing

The digital marketing domain does not require any conventional degree to enter. Any graduate from any stream can enter the digital marketing domain if they gain some knowledge and work experience. Digital marketers work across a variety of domains, be it content writers, SEO experts, or affiliate marketers. Digital marketers use multiple channels, including social media, to connect potential customers with the product. Digital Marketing specialists perform an important function in any organization and, as a result, draw handsome annual salaries from their employers.

Also read: Top 50 Digital Marketing Interview Questions And Answers 2022

Digital Marketing is a field with a wide range of possibilities that are constantly evolving in terms of tools and techniques. Let's look at some of the best Digital Marketing courses.

Top Courses For Digital Marketing

• Digital Marketing and Analysis by Indian School of Business (ISB)
• Executive Programme in Digital Marketing: Application and Analytics by IIM Lucknow
• Executive Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing for Business  by IIM Bodh Gaya
• Executive Development Program in Digital and Social Media Marketing by IIM Vizag

 7. Medical Science

A field in medical science is easily one of the top choices after 12th Science with Physics, Chemistry, Biology. It is also by far one of the most demanding professions for students with science stream subjects. However, as a medical professional there would always be amazing growth opportunities. It is important to know that being a medical professional does not only mean doctors; one can also work in the field of healthcare management and nursing, among others.

The median salary of medical professionals, once they are established, ranges between 10- 15 Lakhs per annum. To get into a Medical Science, one needs to clear the medical admission entrance which is usually highly competitive.

Top Courses In Medical Science

• MBBS from Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata
• MBBS from All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIMS)
• MBBS from B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad 
• MBBS from Madras Medical College, Chennai
• MBBS from Christian Medical College Vellore

8. Banking

A career in banking does not require graduation in any particular discipline. Indian public sector banks conduct entrance examinations for recruitment (like the SBI PO exam) in which graduates from any stream can appear. However, students with Science subjects have an edge over others, as a lot of questions involve numerical aptitude. For private banks, MBA in Finance students get recruited for highly lucrative salaries and involve taking important business decisions on a regular basis.

A chartered accountant will also be highly eligible for banking careers. In fact, it is a highly dynamic field where the only gatekeeper is the skill set.

Top Courses For Banking

• Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) certification
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification by AICPA
• Advanced Diploma in Banking and Finance by Institute of Banking & Finance
• PGDM in Finance from SP Jain Mumbai 

 9. Technical Writer

Technical writing is one of the most sought-after professions for anyone who is passionate about writing and want to make good money out of it. Top companies like Google and Facebook hire in-house technical content writers who collaborate with a high-profile tech team to create content that optimizes the user experience. Technical writers are different from content writer as they have to write about complex technical aspects and collaborate with engineers for complex tasks.

There is no simple way of getting into technical content writing. Many of the experts in the profession are self-taught and have developed their skillsets through experience. 

Some Courses For Technical Writing

• M.A. in Technical Writing by Symbiosis School of Distance Learning
• Technical Writing Mastery Course by Information Developers Foundation, Noida

10. Forensic Science

Forensic science is a field that requires the analysis and interpretation of crime scene in order to bring up valuable insights for investigators. A career opportunity in Forensic Science is exciting and deals directly with the investigation of criminal activities. There are both Bachelor's as well as Master's degree courses in Forensic Science that can help you to enter the field. The salaries in forensic science are also quite high as it involves working with reputed organizations. Alternatively, graduates in forensic sciences can also enter the academic field and become professors/ teachers.

Now, let's look at some of the best courses for Forensic Sciences that you can pursue.

Top Courses For Forensic Sciences

• Institute of Forensic Science, Mumbai
• Certificate/ Diploma in Forensic Sciences from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai
• Post Graduate Diploma in Criminology and Forensic Science from Pondicherry University
• MSc in Forensic Psychology from Gujarat Forensic Sciences University

Conclusion

A big part of the success you achieve in life depends on the choices you make after high school. Choosing the career path where you feel the most comfortable is central to having a satisfying and rewarding career. Often, students end up choosing under peer pressure and it backfires in spite of the promising prospects in that field. As a result, the best career choices are about carefully considering all the options, finding out the details, and deciding whether it will be suitable in the long run.

However, once the choice is made it's all about hard work, dedication, and the desire to succeed! 

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