The two viewpoints described here relate to how the students should pursue their fields of study. Since this is a lifelong decision for most people, it would be imprudent to choose a field of study by only their interest or only looking at the job market. The best strategy is to consider both choices and pick a field that is not only lucrative but also aligns closely with your interest. That being said such an optimal choice is extremely rare. Students should choose based on what they believe lies within their interests and then see what jobs are most closely aligned with their interests.
The first viewpoint considers that students should follow their hearts essentially when picking a field of study. Although this viewpoint is naïve in the long run, it assures that the student remains excited about their field longer. Each and every field of study available in educational institutions these days are carefully vetted and it would be highly unlikely that a field would present absolutely no job prospects. If the student is interested in their chosen field, they can develop a skill set which would give them an edge. Some niche fields such as gender studies, etc. have raised many questions that they produce no productive outcomes and will give the students no job prospects. However, the study of social subjects can indeed provide the students with a greater understanding of public policies. This can translate well into jobs that deal with the public. However, this is only possible if the student is fervent about their field. If that is the case the student can find areas where they think their developed skill set will be of most use and pursue those areas for their jobs.
The second viewpoint is comparatively safer and provides the students with an almost guaranteed job. However, if this viewpoint is followed then it will create more and more competition amongst these guaranteed areas. While competition is good to get more productivity, cut-throat competition can discourage potentially talented students and can create an insipid environment for the aspirants. Such an approach is what essentially creates the “rat race” phenomenon where each and every participant is following a set path towards success. It can cause students to quickly lose interest in their chosen field of study, causing them to burn out, considerably reducing their productivity.
Hence, the only way to approach this is to have the students carefully consider what interests them first. After this, the student can consider what jobs are actually available in the market and what will be available in the future. Aligning this pool of jobs to match their interests will ultimately create the perfect field that is tailored for them.
''is not only lucrative but also aligns closely with your interest'' is not parallel you should change it to "Not only is lucrative but also aligns closely with your interest"