As I stand at the threshold of launching Career-9, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement. This moment represents the culmination of a lifelong dream—a dream to guide young individuals toward their true calling and to help them avoid the missteps I once made. This venture is deeply personal to me, rooted in my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
My Journey: From Misfit to Mentor
My story begins in 1980 when I finished my schooling and, like many others, chose a career path without much guidance. I pursued engineering at NIT Trichy, graduating in 1985 as an electronics engineer. However, I soon realized I was a complete misfit for this field. By a twist of fate, I ventured into the world of business, earning an MBA from NMIMS in Mumbai. This unexpected turn led me to the burgeoning computer industry and eventually to Silicon Valley, where I found a path that aligned more closely with my passions and abilities.
But this journey wasn’t a result of careful planning or insightful guidance—it was sheer luck and grace. Reflecting on my experiences, I realized that even after four decades, many young people still face the same uncertainty and confusion when choosing their careers.
The Realization: A Broken System
Fifteen years ago, my two sons faced the daunting task of choosing their own career paths. Despite living in Silicon Valley, the heart of innovation, they too were influenced by a myriad of external factors—parents, friends, social media—rather than a clear understanding of their own strengths and passions. I saw firsthand the emotional and psychological toll this process took, not just on them but on our entire family.
This must change.
The Vision: A Systematic Approach to Career Selection
I believe there must be a systematic, scientific approach to career selection, grounded in self-awareness and an understanding of the evolving job market. At Career-9, we focus on helping individuals discover their unique cognitive strengths and personality traits. We believe that understanding oneself is the cornerstone of making informed career choices.
Our approach involves:
- Self-Discovery: Understanding cognitive abilities, core competencies, and unique personality traits.
- Future-Proofing: Analyzing emerging trends in technology and the global economy to identify careers that offer growth and stability.
- Holistic Mapping: Aligning personal strengths and market trends to suggest suitable career paths and the academic and soft skills required to excel in them.
The Birth of Career-9: A Labor of Love and Expertise
The creation of Career-9 is a labor of love, built on extensive research and collaboration with experts in psychology, career counseling, and industry trends. Our AI-driven platform leverages machine learning to continually improve its recommendations, ensuring that it evolves alongside the job market.
We’ve already tested our solution on a smaller scale and have seen its impact. The excitement of rolling it out to a broader audience is palpable because we know it works. Our goal is to provide clarity to those who lack it, helping them navigate the complexities of modern career selection with confidence and insight.
Why Career-9 Matters
Today’s world is vastly different from when I entered college. Technological advancements have created new industries and transformed old ones, making career selection more complex and the stakes higher. With Career-9, we aim to simplify this process, providing a roadmap that aligns with an individual’s unique strengths and the demands of the future job market.
Join Us in This Mission
I sincerely invite parents, teachers, principals, and anyone who influences young minds to join us in this mission. Let’s work together to help each student become the best version of themselves. If you have any questions, need more information, or want to share your thoughts, please reach out to me directly. Your feedback, advice and support are invaluable as we embark on this journey.
Launching Career-9 is not just a professional milestone; it’s the mission of my life. I am deeply humbled and grateful to take this step, and I look forward to the positive impact we will make together.