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Mind the gap: Study finds discrepancies between field of work and subject studied

By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff Writer KUWAIT: Resumes, job interviews and aptitude tests are all that occupy the minds of new graduates awaiting admission into Kuwait's workforce. The question of how a person can succeed in their career has always been confusing. Do education, connections, skills, or appearance matter most? The gap between the field of work and the study major subject is certainly widening in many areas.

We all heard of the many actors who have degrees in science subjects, the CEOs of investment companies who studied philosophy, and the bankers who have degrees in hospitality. It is not at all absurd to hear about the uneducated under-qualified bosses who owe their prestigious positions to nepotism. So what is it the ingredient for career success?

According to a recent survey conducted and published by employment solutions website bayt.com, 7.6 percent of the respondents cited good education as the factor behind their career success. Some 30.5 percent believed that the willingness to learn new things is the most important quality required for their career success, while 12.3 percent of the respondents said energy and enthusiasm are the most important attributes in ensuring career success.

Mishari, a 24-year-old geology graduate, says education is not the only factor that plays a part in making an individual successful in their career. "I recently started working for the Environment Public Authority, and my career is very relevant to what I've studied," he told the Kuwait Times. "But I also have a lot of passion for music, and before working for the Environment Public Authority I made music as a freelancer.

Producing music brought a decent flow of income, Mishari explained, but the career path he chose was based on what is more convenient for him in the current job market. Mishari doesn't think that specialist education is essential for a good career. "I didn't get a chance to study music academically, so all what I know is self-taught. But when I work with a music project the outcome makes me proud, and it satisfies my clients," he added.

Choosing the right career
Given the choice between his passion for music and his knowledge of geology, Mishari said that he would certainly choose music. "The reason why I chose otherwise is the fact that there is no proper market for musical talent here in Kuwait currently," he explained.

Lucy, a 30-year old Canadian who works for a media institute in Kuwait, says her degree in psychology worked as a gateway for her to enter the career world. "At the time, I wanted my career to be relevant to the field of psychology, but after graduation I wasn't sure if this was what I wanted to do," she said. Realizing how difficult and exhausting a career in the field of psychology is, Lucy decided to explore different opportunities. "I don't regret studying psychology," she said.

It still helps me on different levels - not necessarily in my career but in my life overall." Her career in the media required that she learnt some skills and strengthened others, and she found her training period to be tremendously beneficial. "A university degree, I find, is just something that proves how you have discipline, that you can start something and actually finish it," she said. "It helps to make a person well-rounded and knowledgeable, which really helps in whatever career path they choose.


New graduate Ibtisam, 23, agreed with this viewpoint: "My Bachelor's degree in marketing and advertising was fun, but I've found a good career opportunity in a bank's customer care department and I'm not hesitant to take it. My parents were a little disappointed because I studied something different; they thought I would be working in an advertising agency or something. But I interned in that bank one summer and I loved the atmosphere." Switching to a career option relevant to her major in university is a
possibility in the future, but for now Ibtisam says she will enjoy learning at her new job.

Obstacles to career growth
The Bayt.com survey respondents also disclosed some insightful information when they revealed what they felt are some of the biggest impediments to career development faced by professionals in the region. They cited lack of adequate professional training for their positions (12.4 percent), expectations of instant success and nepotism (6.9 percent), changing jobs and companies too soon (6.2 percent), and the absence of the right attitude (3 percent) as being the principal obstacles to career success, with 2
6.6 percent of the respondents stating that all of the above are the biggest impediments they face in their careers.

The respondents were also asked if they thought that reading relevant literature regularly was important for their career advancement and a sizeable 69.9 percent stated that this was extremely important, with 77.8 percent claiming that they read their industry-related literature on a regular basis; 78.3 percent of respondents felt that regular networking is extremely vital for enhancing career growth.

Asked about what they regarded as the biggest mistakes one can make while climbing the career ladder, 28.6 percent of respondents said that not improving and enhancing their skills would be the biggest blunder; 16.9 percent said that not learning new skills regularly would be a pitfall; 17.1 percent said that getting involved in office politics and not being nice to other colleagues ruined their chances, and 10.2 percent said that failing to network regularly was a mistake they regret.

© Kuwait Times 2011