I am doing my graduation in education (honours) and am in my last semester. I am thinking of pursuing master’s in social welfare (MSW) after this. Is it a good choice?

Trisha Chatterjee Calcutta

Yes, MSW is a good option, assuming you are interested in the social sector. You could then work with NGOs, foundations, government departments or the CSR department in an organisation. With further training, you could also look at getting into counselling or therapy. Give some thought to the particular area of social work you would be interested in. If possible, do an internship or short project in this area so you understand whether it is the right fit for you.

You could also look at another option. Instead of pursuing an MSW directly after your bachelor’s, you can work for a year or two and then do your MSW. Having gained some work experience makes your postgraduate degree more practical and valuable.

Decide what you want

I completed my engineering degree in 2020 from a private college but still haven’t found a job. I have also tried my hand at scriptwriting, which I am passionate about. I have taken government exams but have been unable to clear them. I am starting to think I am more interested in following my passion rather than working in an IT firm. I am totally depressed right now as I am starting to think about what my future will be. Can you tell me what to do next?

Souvik Dutta, Rampurhat

It is important that you first figure out what you want to do. You seem to have tried a few different things. But it takes time and perseverance to achieve success in any of these. So you may need to persevere and invest in one thing — whether it is finding a job in IT or becoming a scriptwriter or cracking government exams. First think about what it is you really want to do and then put 110 per cent of your effort into that area. So think about what a software engineers job will be like — what are the challenges, the high points. What does the day in the life of a software engineer look like? Do the same for a scriptwriting career. You can either try to find people in these careers or research about this online.

Speaking about the careers you have mentioned — scriptwriting is a good option. You have the joy of creativity and expressing yourself and you may even get famous through this career. But it takes a while to make a mark in this field. You may face some rejections and closed doors in the beginning. You need to persevere and work at it if that is what you really want. Make contacts and share your work with people. Get feedback. Join a writing group. All this will help to take you forward in this field.

If it is information technology you are interested in then there are a couple of things you can do. You could enrol for a computer course to upgrade your skills. Create a LinkedIn profile, engage with recruiters and employers, try for internships, take up small projects to start with. You can start working as an intern at a company. If you are able to prove yourself, they would offer you a full-time job.

Nina Mukherji is a career counsellor and certified psychometric assessor. She conducts workshops in various areas for students. Mail your queries to telegraphyou@gmail.com with “Ask Nina”in the subject line. Don’t forget to add the name of your school or college and a contact number