Today, the fast pace of life does not allow one time for experimentation. Every minute is valuable. So, why not take the benefit of the competence of the divine science of astrology. Brilliance, a good operating planetary period, good organizing capability, imagination, team work, trustworthiness and capacity to develop and trust others, alertness, good health and leadership capabilities are the positive personality traits required for success in one's professional life.

The first step in preventing setbacks in professional matters is to guide children to choose the right profession. In this competitive age when all professions are undergoing tremendous changes due to technological advancements in information and communication technologies choosing the right profession becomes imperative. The educational background of the person is the basis for one’s professional pursuits and success. It is true that predicting the professional prospects of a native is quite a tricky job and is one of the most sought-after fields in predictive astrology. Numerous branches of knowledge and professional courses and their magnitude are areas which have charged the atmosphere. It is quite difficult for the parents to identify the correct professional field of study or business which should be most suitable from the point of view of a successful career and also as per the potentialities in the horoscopes.

The successful acquisition of a professional course and career depends upon the strength of the prime determinant planets in the birth chart. The setbacks in academic studies, professional studies and professional matters or business ventures can be averted through preventive astrological analysis of the birth chart and by application of astrological remedial measures. There are a number of factors that help us to arrive at a decision on this vital issue. These are the fourth house ruling school education, second house ruling professional education and status, the third house ruling the initiative and drive, the fifth house ruling intellect and higher or professional education. The lords of the tenth house governing profession and the eleventh house signifying income also have a bearing on educational matters. The impact of the lord of the third house or that of the third house determines whether the native will do well in a job or whether the native will go in for one’s own business venture. The lords of the ascendant of chaturvimsamsa and dasamsa (the divisional charts for analysis of educational and professional matters, respectively), if containing mooltrikona signs, become additional determinant for professional matters. The planets involved govern the magnitude of professional matters, i.e. to say, the sign of a royal planet like the Sun, the Moon or affluent planets such as Venus, Jupiter, Mars, etc. indicate the high degree of affluence of the profession of a native and the income there from.

The strength of the lords of these houses containing mooltrikona signs and the operating planetary periods read in conjunction with the triple transit influences hold the key to deciphering the planetary influences. Similarly, understanding the nature of planets becoming significators for professional education and the planets exerting influence on these planets is necessary. The lords of the fourth, second and fifth houses and the lord of the ascendant of chaturvimsamsa if containing a mooltrikona sign become primary determinants of one's educational pursuits which have a significant say in one’s professional studies and professional success. Mercury, Jupiter and the planets influencing the above-mentioned lords/houses become secondary determinants of one’s educational pursuits.

The significations of the planets fructify The significations of the planets fructify during their own sub-periods as per their functional nature and strength. Please note the stress being laid on the strength of the planets. The weakness of the planets in a nativity is the very reason for the existence of this divine science. It is but natural that a native may approach an astrologer in the hour of difficulty. He may like to utilize the services of this divine science to ward off the chances of problems and to augment his ventures for optimum benefits. Identifying anything from a natal chart requires application of the predictive techniques in a comprehensive manner. Most of the time, the determinant planets may overlap and indicating more than one area of pursuit, while a person might have one of the areas as a hobby. Similarly, a planet signifies a variety of occupations. So, the choice should be made as per the strongest planet amongst the determinants.

For example
(1) The Sun signifies study of courses on administration, organization capability, management capability, politics, law and medicine, etc.

(2) Venus signifies study of courses on medicine, life-saving drugs, art and fashion, engineering, financial management, law, etc.

(3) Mercury signifies study of courses in creative writing, accountancy, analytical studies, computer applications, information technology, telecom, application of law, designing work of engineering, etc.

(4) The Moon signifies study of courses in care, house-keeping, administration, public relations, etc.

(5) Mars signifies study of courses in engineering, erection, armed forces, initiative and entrepreneurship, etc.

(6) Jupiter signifies study of courses in law, teaching, financial management, human resource management, spirituality, knowledge based industry, etc.

(7) Saturn signifies study of courses in production, low technology industry, labor/industrial and welfare law, etc.

We have to identify the type of influence that is greatest in operation and then synchronize the same with the operating planetary periods. As a group, those planets that exert more influence indicate the choice or area of profession. Prominence, fame, wealth or notable contributions in various fields are the result of a group of planets congruent in nature and their strength. The confluence of the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, etc. as a group may indicate study of courses leading to acquiring position in administration/bureaucracy. The group of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury may indicate study of courses for an advisory role in financial institutions or in financial matters, legal advice, or collectively legal and financial areas. The confluence of Venus, Saturn, Mercury and Mars may indicate the study of engineering. A strong Mercury or lord of the third house or the lord of the fifth house makes the person competent for research-based studies. Further classification in the major field depends upon the leading role of one of the significators. When the planets/significators are weak or the dasa of weak planets is in operation natives, after completing their studies, go in for routine jobs, i.e., clerical or mechanical, sales representatives/assistants, etc. or merely work as helping hands. For entering into business, the role of Venus and Mercury is supreme as they provide planning, trading and organizing capabilities. Royal planets (the Sun and the Moon) and the planet of executive authority (Mars) under the functional benefic influence of Jupiter becoming significators indicate involvement in a political career or occupying a senior position in bureaucracy. Rahu gives impetus to the efforts. However, success depends on the right placement of Rahu and it should not be aspected or related with functional malefic planets. Ketu in its sub-periods often retards growth.

Depending upon the strength and nature of the primary determinant planets, their placement in the ascendant, the second house or the tenth house indicates that the native will rise in life primarily through his/her own efforts. The Sun and the Moon in this position may bless the native with a good administrative job with a government organization. Mars in the ascendant may make the native an entrepreneur or employed in the election department of a government organization. Mercury makes the person an engineer, accountant or a successful leader depending upon other influences on such a Mercury. Jupiter blesses the native with a management career in the fields of financial and legal consultancy. Venus may bless the native with a career linked with the arts, films, hotels, synthetic formulations and chemicals. Saturn in such a situation may make a person an industrialist.

The detailed significations ruled by various planets are as under:

THE SUN
The Sun is personified as king and physician and when strong denotes high administrative positions in government including political leadership, doctors in medicine, etc. It governs bureaucrats, services with the state, bankers, politicians, contractors, chairmen of industrial establishments, etc.

THE MOON
The Moon is the queen of the planetary cabinet and enjoys status in administration by virtue of being the wife of the king. It does not have to strive to acquire status when strong in a nativity. It governs the professions of hoteliers, public relations people, moneylenders, housekeepers, physicians, healers, business in food industry, etc.

MARS
Mars is personified as a commander-in-chief, and it denotes positions in military and paramilitary forces, police, vocations employing fire and metals, engineering, chemicals, surgeons, dentists and executive posts. The nature of Mars is cruel, unrelenting, active and generous. It also governs gangsters, manufacturers, executioners and project erectors.

MERCURY
Basically rules analytical faculties, speech, sharp intellect, power of discrimination and confidence. The nature is friendly. Personified as a prince, thinker and knowledgeable in the field of mathematics, it denotes advisory roles, business, engineering and related fields, research scholars, communicators, editors, authors, accountants, lawyers, experts in analytical works, software engineers, auditors, intellectuals, transporters, publishers, salesmen, traders, etc.

JUPITER
Jupiter is personified as a minister, preceptor, judge and is linked with the treasury. The nature of Jupiter is generous. It signifies the fields of top political and administrative positions, teaching, law, financial institutions and advisory roles, judges, bankers, teachers, astrologers, management experts and administrators, if it is found strong in a nativity.

VENUS
Venus is personified as a minister, preceptor of demons, lover, knowledge of life saving drugs and arts. It signifies vocations in the field of financial administration, cinema, theatre, painting, music, designing, architecture, interior decoration, entertainment, modelling, advertising and business connected with its significations, i.e. legal, teaching, hotels, medicines, fashion and luxurious items. The nature of Venus is generous and benevolent.

SATURN
Saturn is personified as a statesman and leader of low castes and signifies jobs requiring hard work with less remuneration, leadership of workers, trying to acquire positions in government services, dealing with labor, labor-oriented industry, routine workers, labor oriented jobs, engineers etc. The nature of Saturn is selfish and indolent.

RAHU
Rahu is personified as a diplomat and being a shadowy planet and a legendary deceiver, when disposed beneficially, indicates diplomatic jobs, jobs requiring manipulations with facts, dealings in poisons and drugs. It signifies cheats, pleasure seekers, insincere and immoral acts, salesmen, operators in foreign lands, catalysts, wine merchants, drug dealers, con-men, poison dealers, etc.

KETU
Interest in occultism, religion, diversification and services to old and needy persons.

The impact of the planets decreases or increases depending upon their weakness/affliction or strength and good influences on them in a particular nativity and also due to their placement in a particular house or in a particular sign.

PROFESSIONAL SIGNIFICATIONS OF THE SIGNS

The placement of various signs in the houses indicates professional affairs and the placement of the planets becoming primary determinants of professional affairs largely influences the professional prospects of a native. The various signs, when falling in the ascendant, govern the indications as below:

ARIES
The inherent qualities of the Aries sign make the native affluent and authoritative. When the sign Aries falls in the ascendant, the influence of Saturn turns them toward construction and makes them entrepreneurs. They earn a lot of wealth by persistent efforts. A strong Sun or the Moon or Mars blesses the Arians with executive posts.

TAURUS
Taurus is an earthy sign ruled by the planet of pleasures, Venus. Taurus born people are generally pleasure seekers and are involved in material pursuits; enjoying to the fullest extent is the aim of their life. They are analytical in their approach, as the fifth house is ruled by Mercury. The fourth house, ruling inclinations, ruled by the planet Sun, determines their approach in life. The sign Aquarius falling in the tenth house makes these people technical and if the other planets are strong, the native may pursue an engineering course.

GEMINI
Gemini born people are persuasive and communicative in their approach. There are less hurdles and setbacks in life. Unless the Sun forms a close relationship with the ascendant, the tenth house, second house or fourth house their role in life is generally average and insignificant. The sign Gemini is ruled by Mercury. It is a talkative, positive, airy and barren sign. It makes the man ambitious with imaginative ideas. With good planetary placements, the Geminians are in state services, marketing, communications, etc.

CANCER
Cancerians are of volatile nature. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the Moon becomes weak quite often either in pakshabala or by going to inauspicious places from the ascendant, being debilitated or combust or joining the mooltrikona signs ruled by weak planets. Secondly, the house of initiatives is ruled by Mercury which also remains weak, quite often. In cases where Mercury is weak and/or afflicted, the initiatives of the native do not produce results resulting in change of ventures. Cancerians are imaginative, peace loving, good hosts, moody and humorous. They are generous, helpful, emotional, dependable and are full of concern both for self and others. The sign being royal, there are many happy events in their lives. They are very sensitive and restless. Cancerians are administrators, public relations managers, hoteliers, housekeepers, physicians, restaurant owners, etc.

LEO
Leos are rulers, extroverts, good organizers, patient listeners, jealous, decisive, art lovers, generous, authoritative and anxious to retain and expand their domain. As the weakness prone planet, Mercury, rules their second house ruling kingdom, they are constantly worried about the stability of their status, and they are always on the move to solve problems. They are receptive to the ideas of others but provide leadership as per their own conviction. They are anxious to oblige others by favors so that they are recognized by others as royal. They intend to punish the guilty and rarely apologize to those who do not surrender completely.

A king needs the help of all specialists and cannot afford to be ease loving. Leo born people are very alert and very fast in assimilating diversified activities and problems. Mercury, the planet of analytical faculties, rules the second house representing concentration.

The initiatives of a king are for financial prosperity and enjoyment ruled by Venus, whose mooltrikona sign falls in the third house. Leos are administrators, leaders, corporators, contractors and politicians.

VIRGO
Their analytical nature makes Virgo born people thorough and critical leading to perfection. They are realistic in their approach, weigh pros and cons carefully and are appreciative of the events liked by them. They are practical, fully composed and sometimes perceived to be fussy. All these depend upon the strength and placement of Mercury in the natal chart. They are generally not content because reality is quite different from idealism. The usual weakness of Mercury makes Virgos feel insecure in life. They are generally worriers. Virgos are mostly truthful, sincere and dependable. The reason is that the house ruling character and inclinations has the mooltrikona sign of the planet, Jupiter. The oft-existent weakness of Mercury makes Virgos nervous. The role played by functional malefics in making Virgos nervous is very significant. Virgos are engineers, accountants, writers, traders, etc.

LIBRA
Its positive characteristics make the person a contributor in place of being only a consumer. Its airy characteristic makes the person a thinker. Its semi-fruitful characteristic blesses the native with affluence and resourcefulness in life. The sign Libra signifies a sense of justice, clarity, strong will power, optimism and high sensitivity. Librans are intelligent, restless, good-natured and have a pleasant disposition. They want to win others with love and hate violence. They have a keen interest in the performing and fine arts. The weakness and affliction to Venus can make them depressed, stubborn, argumentative and annoying persons. Librans are cautious, confident, interested in learning, gentle, artistic and are able to get out of difficult situations. Librans are actors, musicians, managers, financial and legal advisors, teachers, hoteliers, doctors, etc., depending upon the influence of other planets.

SCORPIO
The sign Scorpio is ruled by the planet Mars. Scorpions are egocentric, straightforward, determined, disciplined and fearless. They are tough and they rarely smile. They are highly active and generally keep in good health. Scorpions are generally of a short stature and well built. Scorpions are administrators, politicians, advocates, surgeons, officers in the armed forces and traders in metals and chemicals.

SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius rising in the ascendant gives a magnificent personality and such persons are best suited for training or advisory roles due to their pleasant presence. The body description is modified if Jupiter is weak in the nativity and Jupiter and/or the ascendant are closely associated by malefic planets. Sagittarians believe in hard work and God. They are humorous and generally maintain composure. They are clever, progressive, generous, organized, ambitious and successful when Mars and Mercury are strong in the nativity. They are straightforward, vocal and extroverts. They are best suited for training jobs and advisory roles in the fields of law and finance.

CAPRICORN
Capricornians are social as Venus rules their tenth house. They are conservative, selfish and selective in approach. They are secretive, pensive, organized, proud and fastidious. They are vigilant and tactful. They have a compromising nature in order to achieve leadership. Depending upon the strength of the planets, Capricornians are born to rich and well-placed parents, get good inheritance, have pleasant temperaments and are emotional in the matter of partnerships. The major stress area is the fluctuating status of the father and their own fortune as Mercury, the planet of fluctuations, rules the ninth house of Capricornians. They long for leadership, political power, practice of law and business. Their major pursuits in life include acquisition of assets, partnerships and social contacts for personal benefits and selfish ends.

AQUARIUS
Aquarius is a talkative, positive, human and airy sign and signifies characteristics like honesty, ideals and sensitiveness. Depending upon the strength of Saturn in the nativity, Aquarians are very active, industrious, deliberative, leaders of non-affluent sections of society and courteous. Weak Saturn makes Aquarians suspicious and lethargic. They are comparatively more concerned about the ends in comparison to means. They are invariably not content with their possessions. Aquarians are writers, thinkers, servants, leaders of non-affluent sections of society and industrialists depending upon the strength and good placement of the planets in the nativity. As Saturn is a significator for longevity, its strong position in the chart blesses the native with long life. They are traditional in their approach but can resort to even undesirable means to achieve their ends.

PISCES
Pisceans are restless and are always on the move. They are generally devoted to duty, have strong moral values and are good advisors whenever Jupiter and/or Mercury are strong in the horoscope. They are idealistic, generous, emotional and enthusiastic. As Jupiter rules the tenth house and Mars rules the second house, Pisceans enjoy good status in life in the professions of administration, training and development. They are best suited for advisory roles in the fields of finance, commerce and law. The sign Cancer in their fifth house makes them highly sensitive and emotional. The weak and afflicted placement of the Moon gives emotional setbacks in life.

"How to Identify One's Professional Field "