“The real secret of success is enthusiasm” (Walter Chrysler). Enthusiasm prevails only in the presence of passion. Success lies in identifying the passions and guiding them towards career growth.

Identifying the career passion is an ongoing process that requires conscious effort. The first step in climbing up to success is to recognize the activities we are good at.

An honest self assessment on the basis of SWOT analysis aids in identifying the key skills and use them to our advantage, take measures to overcome weakness on their identification, exploit the opportunities that are open to us and reduce the impact of external threats by trying to forecast them and using our strengths to fight them.

Things that always drive us ahead, that never fails to exhilarate us, keeps changing with our exposure and maturity. Always take measures to identify our passions and use it for inspiration. Our hobbies, the books that we love to read, friends and family gives an insight to our drives. Family members sometimes tell us what we are good at. Certain talents are inborn. They come to us naturally and we unconsciously use them to our advantage. An understanding of these lay the framework for career growth.

The next step is pinpointing a few career options that we would love to perform. In case of freshers from the college, they can seek the help of career counselors to single them out. Also the teachers who have a very good picture of our positive and negative skills can recognize the careers which can take us to new heights. Experiences of people, books and other research media, general idea of the economic situation, all can contribute to the right career selection.

Always have an end in view before starting on any job. The objective must be dynamic and should be open to accept the changes in our skills, and general economic and technical trends. An open mind to accept changes and make the necessary modifications can aid in identifying the career which can trigger enthusiasm to the task. A positive air can make us accept the responsibilities and be accountable for the job, and it also provides the necessary confidence to tackle any unforeseen activity.

Go for a working culture that can put one at ease. With the economy opening to accept talents from all over the world, changes can be observed in the working environment. While some organizations cling to the traditional system, a few have a completely Western culture of working, while the remaining have a combination of both. A good network helps to have a general picture of different organizations. The right selection of an environment adds to the selection of a career. Also the popularity of the concern as a good employer adds to the selection process.

Once an option has been selected, prepare a resume and prepare for the interview. On selection, capitalize on the trainings and interpersonal communication to further enhance the career. Constant contact with professional associations and journals always open the doors for future. Self satisfaction and motivation gives the drive to push one forward. An effective self assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and their solutions, backed by external support, can help to find our career passion.