Career development or career orientation is a vital topic in today’s society. Thuy Linh, a final year student of Business & Marketing at National Economics University, thought she had found her dream job after doing some internships and part-time work in Marketing. But right before graduating, Linh realized she was more interested in another field and felt uncertain about her career path. She is not the only one. Many workers today, especially new graduates, face similar dilemmas regardless of the industry, age or work experience.
Career Path: How to start?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ha, Training and Recruitment Manager of ManpowerGroup Vietnam, advised IBD’s students - at a workshop on November 21, 2023 - to take ownership of their own careers. She said, “It is important that you proactively approach your career. You are the only one who knows what is best for you. To build a successful career path, the first simple step is that you need to start working with knowing yourself. There will be no right or wrong answers. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses to find the right direction that unleash your potential.”
To avoid bias or prejudices, students can look for objective assessment tools as well as collect 360 feedback from others along their career paths. Some of the tools she recommended were SkillsInsight, Learnablity Quotient or Gaming Skills Translator from ManpowerGroup.
Overlooked factors in career development
In addition to self-discovery, students also need to pay attention to certain factors that play a critical role in making career decisions. Ms. Le Thi Phuong, Sales Manager (Nationwide), ManpowerGroup Vietnam shared her insights at the workshop: “Staying updated with the trends of the future of work as well as catching up with characteristics of labor market in Vietnam will give you a broader and a multi-dimensional perspective to your assumptions and career development with an analytical mindset."
She advised fresh graduates to learn about the organizational structure of the companies they apply to. She said: “Different businesses have different ways of organizing their departments. The organizational chart tells you how the business works, what you can learn and do in your position, and what opportunities you have for growth within the organization.”
Finally, " No matter what stage of your career you are in, students and workers need to continuously learn, reskill and upskill your skills, especially soft skills”, Phuong emphasized, “As in today's labor market, skills are considered the new "currency".
This activity is part of Career Talks in Vietnam by ManpowerGroup and a part of our commitment to the strategic MOU with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs since 2008, as well as ManpowerGroup Global’s sustainability efforts.
