It’s so obvious!

Are you confused over which career path to choose, what steps to take, where to learn? Well if the task seems so frightening even to read about, let’s consider a simpler task. How about making yourself adaptable to any career you would choose for yourself? This article will elaborate on how successful individuals mould their careers and the basic skills they possess which enable them to make these decisions.

How does a career take shape?

Careers in the past were comparatively more secure, predictable and seldom required planning. Today, a plethora of career options is open to the young generation. However these careers demand multiple skills, planning and could be short term - at least in the initial stages. But how does a career take shape in these turbulent times? Let’s look at an example.

The author of this article knows a student who completed his bachelors in chemical engineering from Nagpur and masters in the same subject from USA. During masters, this student worked on a project with a medical school. The project involved some mathematical modeling wherein coupled with the knowledge of chemistry and biology, he also applied knowledge of computer programming that he had learned during his bachelors.

This project and the two years of intensive postgraduate studies transformed him into a chemical engineer possessing the knowledge of biology and a strong computer experience. After passing out, he joined a pharmaceutical company as a Computational Drug Designer. The company was looking out for a chemical engineer having the knowledge of statistics, computers and biology. Now who could have been a more perfect fit than this student?

Overtly, this might appear to be a flawlessly molded career. Let’s look at the story again. The student, who we referred to, “had no interest” in chemical engineering, however pursued it because “he had no choice.” Likewise he also pursued the masters in the same subject because “it was logical” to do so. On the other hand, he learned computer programming because “he was passionate” about it. In all, he made it a point to make the most of whatever came along and excelled in every examination.

Wait, there is more!

A year after his SUCCESSFUL stint at the pharmaceutical company, he realized that Research is not his passion and cannot be a life long affair. Conversely, the business aspect of the drug designing especially the venture capital in the biotechnology industry caught his interest. He then figured out that his knowledge of the biotechnology industry coupled with an MBA in Finance would be a definite qualification to get into this challenging and multidimensional field. To strengthen his business school application and gain core knowledge in finance, he is now working as a business data analyst with a marketing company and also pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst course in USA. If he succeeds, which is highly likely, his career decisions would appear logical and correct in retrospect. Let’s leave it to time.

But the fundamental questions remain – What enabled this individual to make and then carry through these “logical” and “obvious” career decisions? Why not each one of us does the same? May be, before and during his journey, the student in discussion, identified and developed a set of skills, attitudes and habits, which many of us comfortably ignore to build.

Preparing the ground

Browse through the success literature and you will be presented with innumerable suggestions about the qualities and skills one should possess to be successful. If you are not discerning enough, chances are that you would get entangled in the theory rather than get inspired to take a constructive action. Hence let’s not discuss perseverance, determination, commitment, hard work, confidence and so on. Instead, following succinct points should help you prepare a ground as you carve a career path for yourself.


English Language

Have you come across articles, which quote that on a global play field India has an advantage of an English speaking population? But how many of us can really utilize the English language to our benefit? Can you understand spoken and written English well? Can you read and enjoy good books written in English? Even if you read, do you read those books till the end or do you leave those halfway on the pretext of boredom. May be in reality, you find the book unexciting due to your inability to comprehend it. How much knowledge and pleasure we deny ourselves when we fail to make the efforts to study English (or for that matter any other language)? A daily ritual of reading quality newspapers & magazines, listening to the news, writing a page, would over a period equip you to understand more things in a better way. A formal English enhancement program, which transcends beyond mere spoken English, may also prove helpful.

Reading

The world is getting competitive and those with knowledge and information shall lead, period. Unfortunately acquiring knowledge is still viewed as a chore to be undertaken with the sole intention of getting through university examinations. Quite the opposite, reading widely is a way to transform a flood of information into knowledge and using it to advance in ones life. Articles and books covering business, finance, technology, current events, should be sought after. Reading business books, say, would help you understand the way organizations work, the different aspects of a business viz. personal selling, HR policies and business confidentiality. This in turn would give you a wider perspective while choosing a career path. Along with academic studies, establish a habit of reading voraciously. Once inculcated, the habit of reading effectively for two or three hours a day should then be followed religiously.

Interpersonal Skills

Are you among those graduates who are eager to pursue professional degree courses as a quick fix to a great career? But, have you worked upon your Interpersonal skills? Your success in a professional course and a subsequent career would depend largely upon how effectively you interact with others, handle office politics and how assertively you deal with difficult colleagues. Sans this skill, talented & hard working individuals end up fighting interpersonal conflicts at work places at the cost their career ambitions nurtured since long. Taking up a job during (or after graduation) or giving oneself an opportunity to sharpen this skill would prove helpful in the long run.

Communication

It is said that the way we communicate to others and ourselves determines the quality of our lives and career. This communication could be in any form viz. your conversation with a colleague, your body language, a request, a letter, an email, a speech, your application for a job and even your internal dialogue. Strive to control the way you listen and speak. During conversations, avoid fruitlessly referring to the past, bring conversations to the present and suggest future possibilities to get desired results. If you make a request, say exactly what you want, when you want and whom you want it from. Your perception of yourself determines your confidence and your abilities. Hence replace negative internal dialogue with positive self-images and try to internalize the same in your daily conversations with yourself. However do not fall in trap of “techniques”. Focus more on the result than on the tool.

Passion

Somewhere I read, “Being passionate is God saying Hallo!” Be passionate about, say, your hobbies, your studies and your dreams. Learn everything under the sun about it. Don’t be amazed when this habit puts you in the top league in your career. Be focused, joyous and passionate in whatever you do and you will perhaps never require a manual to teach you How to build an Impressive Personality.

In his autobiography- Every Street is Paved with Gold- Kim Woo Chung, the founder director of Daewoo quoted “Be humble and learn. We don’t need people who merely stand around looking good.” The message is clear. Get going. Who knows, some day, the path you travel may inspire thousands.

And it would all appear so obvious!

Courtesty:
Shantanu Deshmukh, PGDBM – K. J. Somaiya, Mumbai, Assistant Manager - Marketing, IMS Learning Resources Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.

IIM ~*~Ahemedabad~*~

About IIMAIn just four decades IIMA has evolved from being India’s premier management institute to a notable international school of management.
It all started with Dr Vikram Sarabhai and a few other public spirited industrialists realizing that agriculture, education, health, transportation, population control, energy, and public administration were all vital elements in a growing society and that it was necessary to link these meaningfully with industry. The result was the creation of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 1961 as an autonomous body with the active collaboration of the Government of India, Government of Gujarat, and industry.

It was evident that to have a vision was not enough. Effective governance and quality education were seen as critical aspects. From the very start the founders introduced the concept of faculty governance: all members of the faculty play an important role in administering the diverse academic and non-academic activities of the Institute. The empowerment of the faculty has been the propelling force behind the high quality of learning experience at IIMA. The Institute had initial collaboration with Harvard Business School. This collaboration greatly influenced the Institute’s approach to education. Gradually it emerged as a confluence of the best of Eastern and Western values.

Mission

IIMA's mission is to help India and other developing countries improve their managerial practices both in the private and in the public sectors, and adopt superior public policies. It seeks to do this through producing risk-taking leader-managers who will pioneer new managerial practices and set new standards; through producing teachers and researchers who will generate new ideas of International significance; and through purposeful consulting aimed at helping client organizations scale new heights.


Objectives

To provide learning facilities to men and women of exceptional
calibre for pursuing careers in management or becoming teachers and researchers in different management fields.
To promote knowledge through research, both applied and conceptual, relevant to management, and to disseminate such knowledge through publications.
To participate in and contribute to the formulation of public policy, which would provide answers to questions of social importance.
To enhance the decision-making skills and the administrative
competence of practising managers and assist organizations to solve their managerial problems by providing them with consulting services based on actual requirements.
To collaborate with other institutions in India and abroad with a
view to further professionalising management education and assisting in institution building, in a meaningful manner.