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| On career advice |
| Thursday, February 19, 2015 |
Noticed a pattern this week where I was giving out career advice left and right. Atleast three people this week. By no means have I figured out everything, but I just feel I have stepped out of one level of 'confused' zone to the next. So it is my turn to give back, by helping others do the same.
I chatted with this bright eyed full of enthu wanting to do something new and different, with soaring energy levels, girl over lunch. She came up to me rather shyly after a meeting the other day and asked me if she can have a 1:1 with me. We met today and she was trying to ask the right questions to me, 'networking'. So young, and so motivated. I am in a helpful mood nowadays. I dont know when I will lose my patience.
The recipe is kinda simple.
1) Do you like your job? If yes, be where you are.
2) Do you know what you want to do?
- No --- introspect, talk to different people on what they like and what they are doing
--- do small projects for free, try it out
- yes --- good! find mentors in your area and understand what it is that it takes to get there
--- come up with a career plan on how you want to go where you want to go
3) What do you want out of your job?
Some options -
- Happiness - think about what makes you happy
- Job satisfaction - What gets you to work everyday in the morning?
- Work life balance/Flexibility - you may have to sacrifice some to achieve. There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you can find a job that gives you the flexibility and that you love, then great job finding the most perfect job!
- Money - yes some people will work just for money, nothing wrong with that.
- Career growth/promotions - you can have a fast career growth in some areas. Think if it might work for you. By no means that is the only way to acheive happiness.
- Work on cutting edge of technology, take pride in what you do
- Go where no one has gone before, do what others are afraid to do
- quench your thirst for knowledge
- good team, manager, feel happy being part of a good team
3) Dont just think about your company, think about what value you can add in the industry. I hear folks coming and saying "doing this/gaining this is valued more in the company" Well how is it valued outside?
4) Every career move should add something distinct to your resume. In economies which can crash and grow at will, you own your career and what you have to offer in a job. Add to what value you bring to the table and you dont have to worry about recession and lay offs and what not.
5) All that said, dont expect to figure out what you want to do right away. And dont expect to do it once and be done with it. You change, with every new experience and with new circumstances as your life changes. You want different things in different stages of life. You have to reevaluate your goals every once in a while to make sure they align with you what you want.
6) Last but not the least you are not competing with anyone. This is your life, You and your life are different from every single other person on earth. Your only aim should be to be better than your previous self. You are the competition, if you want one. Whatever you do, detach yourself and look at the long term prospects of it. Dont lose heart when things dont work out, or things get delayed.It is not easy. I wish I knew this when I was younger. It would have saved me so much heart ache, and I would have used the time I wallowed in self pity doing something more worthwhile.
Thats it.
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posted by SK @ 4:03 PM  |
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| 2 Comments: |
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Great article. Especially the last point strikes a chord " there is no competition - it is your life". well put.
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Great article. Especially the last point strikes a chord " there is no competition - it is your life". well put.