Saumya Shah
4 min readMar 23, 2021

How to select the right specialization and the right field

How often do we feel that if there were someone to guide us while selecting our course during our Bachelors, things could have been so different? The current workforce who have experience in the range of 0–3 years and recent graduates are undergoing the dilemma of what majors to choose for your Masters, which specialization to choose, whether to go for an MBA, upskilling, etc. I want to share some tips that would help clear the clutter and help you move a step closer towards decision-making and clearing that dilemma.

1.Do not get carried away by peer pressure

Even before we start with our first step, this step needs to be brought into action first. People around us would be doing a lot of things. With the increasing number of users on social and professional platforms, we can get carried away by what they do, their lifestyle, and all the associated things. However, we should understand that the preliminary step is to enjoy the process behind the hustle. Whether it is an MBA or a Masters in Marketing, you will only be able to make the most of it simply if you enjoy the process. Everybody has a different journey and is running on a different clock. You can get inspired by others journey, but remember you have to write and live your own unique journey.

2.Research, Research, and Research

Though very simple, this step is highly underrated. A thorough and detailed Research would be able to clear the clutter around choosing the right specialization. The first step of the Research should start by making a Google Document/Word document to summarize the points after skimming through the internet. Quora is another central platform where people from different walks share their experiences, making it easier to summarize them further. The major differentiator would hear out on someone’s experience who was from a similar background.

3.Attending a live/recorded webinar

This step personally helped me a lot in giving a better picture of things on the other side. I had recently attended two different webinars. One where it was a Q&A with Ex CGM of Securities and Exchange Board of India, where he answered some interesting facts about the role of an Assistant Manager at Securities and Exchange Board of India which gave me a clarity that I am not made for that job. The other webinar was with an Alumni of Cambridge Judge Business School. He shared his experience about an MBA abroad and how it helped him develop a fresh perspective. It helped me know a bunch of things concerning an MBA abroad. It is equally important for us to know what we cannot do. This elimination method might just take you to your correct option

4.Taking some hands-on experience

If you are in college, you should do as many projects as you can(definitely of your choice) and take multiple internships, which shall help you decide on what is next in line for you. If you are a working professional, then it becomes a little easier for you. You can get yourself occupied with some exciting projects at your workplace. You can even collaborate with other professionals in that niche using LinkedIn, Angellist, and freelance platforms. This shall definitely take some time and skillsets, but it will make the decision-making process more simpler.

5.Having a mentor

This, by far, I feel, is an essential point. Having a mentor would make sure that you have collated the correct information, you are on track, and most importantly, you are not misguided. He/she can be your senior, your colleague, your teacher.

6.The Matrix Method

This is one of the conclusive steps and comes in the later stage of the process. There can be a high probability that you can have multiple options and multiple likings even after narrowing down. The matrix method can be of great help in such cases. In this method, you can sum up different parameters giving them specific weightage and taking a weighted average score.

Summarizing the same in the below table

I have multiplied parameters with weights divided by the sum of all parameters’ values in the final product.

This can make you make a much better decision in the elimination process.

Consider all available options and zero in on the one that matches with your career aspirations

All said and done, follow the path you are passionate about and lead yourself to a fulfilling career ahead.

Saumya Shah
Saumya Shah

Written by Saumya Shah

I hold a Bachelors in Engineering in Information Technology. I am currently working in the edtech sector and I like to write about startups, innovation

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