Let success come to you in your career

The absolute truth of your career is that you alone are the architect of your success. You are its person behind and person responsible for it. You will be successful in your career if you remain accountable and answerable for your actions and decisions. Therefore, such responsibility cannot be evaded by you.  

The crucial question however, is how do you proceed on ground to let success come in your career. It is possible if you comprehend the following issues as pertinent to your career:

·  It is your decision: The resolution to seek success customarily precedes its attainment. And that resolution is also invariably yours. Nobody else can take a call on it, leave aside a decision. It should be remembered that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. And if you do not, you gain nothing and accomplish nothing; the initiative has to come from you. You take a mindful decision on the basis of your own assessment of various factors. If you truly want to achieve success, you will find a way to do it, in spite of any or all obstacles. You will realise that by the very resolution that you make, you will scale all barriers between you and your success. However, it is important that you envision and define success as perceived by you; that is precisely why you are the author of your own success story.

·  The prime mover is you: Your friends, philosophers and guides can show you the way and inspire you, but eventually it is you alone who has to make it a reality. You are the prime mover and facilitator of your success. You have to realise the value of hard work and that can be done by working hard. You may dream of success and even a miracle cannot transform it into a certainty. Since nothing but weeds grow without hard work, you have to sweat it out and do so with fortitude and resolve. Your success will depend on a large measure on your personal initiative and efforts; and hence it is you and you alone who can truly be the architect of your own success.

·  Planning & preparations are your duty: If you fail to prepare for success, you will be preparing to fail in achieving it. There are many people who are unable to achieve any success and attribute their failure to their bad luck. They do not realise that the only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work. In fact, bad luck is simply an excuse for not working hard. You have to plan for your career success and that entails bringing the future into the present so that you are able to take necessary action in advance. You need to challenge and defy your shortcomings by way of knowledge and expertise; and thereafter, put into practice a strategy to bring about an enhancement and perfection. Here again, the preparation and planning is your initiative and therefore, the responsibility to make your career success happen is only yours.

·  Negotiation of hurdles should be your worry: Your career path will be a bumpy ride; you will encounter innumerable challenges in your career journey. You alone will have to knock them out. Your ultimate measure as an individual is not where you stand in times of comfort and convenience, but where you stand in moments of test and storm. And when you are able to overcome challenges, you always feel elated in your spirits. People generally blame their circumstances for whatever they are; this is baseless because you have to get up and create the circumstances that will facilitate your career success. In many instances, your own thoughts and conduct will be challenges by themselves; and you simply cannot persist with them. You will need to swim upstream to reach your destiny. There will be people to assist you, but trouncing all challenges will per force have to be done by you. This fact also supports the fact that your career success is to be actualized by you.

If you harbor in you a desire to succeed in your career, you should visualize what that success is unambiguously and clearly. You simply cannot keep hoping that you will be successful and hence, you have to go about with lot of sincerity and seriousness. And unless you keep trying to surpass whatever you have already accomplished, you will never be able to march ahead. The hard fact that you and nobody else is the architect of your career success should be taken as a gospel truth and surely that realization will put you in firm control of your career. 

Inescapable components of career planning

If you observe an artist from close quarters, you will realize that he initially sketches an outline that sets apart prime shapes. At this stage, the finer points are not exposed. Career planning is also similar, but with a difference; it entails outline sketching, but with all fine points included. It is a detailed and reasonably prearranged process. The common aspect in the two is the need to have a clear portrait of the final outcome.

Career planning is a continuous process. It involves adjustments and modifications; and at times, an absolute change of whatever was planned or conceptualized at the beginning. It ought to be undertaken at the earliest, even if it is before time. Important actions that need to be undertaken and which form important components of career planning are:

·   Have a futuristic viewpoint: Your outlook should be positive and nature optimistic. If you are able to maintain such a disposition, you will always plan your advancement well; your career will move on at good pace. If there happen to be any impediments, your flow per se will help skirt them, precluding any possibility of getting   stranded. Remember that life is all about being in motion; the past and the present should serve to guide you in scheduling the growth of your career.

·   Uncover & perk up: Every organization prefers to recruit people with prior experience. This qualitative requirement is of advantage to both the employee and employer; and obviously facilitates early settling down. The newcomer understands and visualizes things; and thus is able to make better contributions. Therefore, self-improvement ought to be your prime priority. Professional development and advancement of individual perceptions should be looked upon as a crucial prerequisite for your career planning. If you are able to devote twenty to thirty minutes daily for your own learning and growth, things will be better from you.

·   Evaluate & articulate: This implies taking decisions related to organizational pursuits or even your personal future. There is no management that does not seek to promote eagerness and dynamism amongst its employees. Therefore, a display of passion, inventiveness and enterprise will always be viewed in the correct perspective, provided your ideas are not extraordinarily bizarre. Considering the foregoing, you should not shy away from making concrete resolutions and assessments on issues that concern your career and which, expand the scope of your professional progress. It is not much of significance to feel something; what is important is to make your opinion known.

·   Find options: If you happen to be working in a company, it cannot be taken for granted that the openings and prospects available within the department are the only alternatives available to you. To grow and advance, you can move laterally and then vertically. At all times, you have the option to move to another appointment in another division in the same setup; or walk out and take up a similar assignment elsewhere. It is possible that you shoulder twin responsibilities; and should you do this, you will be able to lay the foundation for an enduring and stable career growth.

The significance of career planning lies in the spelling out the basics and conditions of self-development. You may dream of getting into a renowned institution and if you do, whatever is to follow will change drastically. However, a dream is just like a castle in the sky and you will be able to build it only if you pass the laid down conditions for admission. And that is why people do not take undue risks and opt for colleges where admission procedures are not severe. It is the lot is not very intelligent or who can afford to purchase seats that benefits the maximum. However, in order to exercise a suitable choice, you have to go through some basic considerations and in this context, it needs to be understood that the size and name of the institution in no way characterizes the difficulty planes of the entrance examinations. Big institutions may not have strict admission procedures at all. This is borne out by the fact that the number of students there are large. The reputation could serve to shift the focus of attention of students to other issues. There are however, two unavoidability issues – colleges will have to ensure that their reputation is preserved and not be selective in their admission procedures. The foregoing will necessitate display of enthusiasm and application of researched knowledge. You should not be carried away by what others tell you. Any decision to accept or discard recommendations should be mad after appropriate deliberation.

Remember that it is your resolve alone that holds the key to your success. You should never lose sight of your long-term goals and hence be well-informed prior to submitting an application.  There should be nothing that should inhibit realization of your dreams - you and you alone can chase them and transform them into actualities.

Are parents sentient to career options of kids?

Every successive generation enjoys more opportunities to select a career. And with every passing decade, the opportunities generally increase twofold. Now, if that be so, are parents aware of the multitude of career options that exist for their children? Regrettably, the answer is ‘No’ and which by itself is highly unfavorable to a child’s future prospects. Parents may offer sincere advice, but such advice is usually based on restricted knowledge.

As and when a child goes past the matriculation or higher secondary stage, selection of specific streams for further studies is an enigma. Based on individual inclinations, electives are selected like medical, engineering, humanities or commerce. Should parents decide on the stream or should the decision be left to the child? The answer to this question is vital and has great ramifications. A child may actually not be well conversant with various career options available. Hence, if the decision is left to an immature or ignorant mind, the same may not turn out to be eventually correct or appropriate in the long run.

An illustration, hypothetical though can make things easy to understand. A child may feel that he  ought to pursue humanities. But in his board examinations, his performance in science subjects far surpassed marks obtained in social studies. Therefore, the issue of pursuing humanities throws up a big question mark. Moreover, a study of science subjects would offer him vast opportunities to become a doctor, engineer, architect, pilot and the like. He debates the issue, views humanities in relatively poor light and infers that he ought to study science. The pronouncement with regard to the soundness of the decision would be delivered by Father Time a number of years later. However, the only thing that warrants attention is the fact that a holistic consideration of various factors that contribute to the arrival of such a decision was perhaps not done. A career is something that a child would generally be required to cling all his life. His identity perhaps would be contingent on it. The fact that some people change careers notwithstanding, it is always advisable to ab initio choose one that is in conformity with one’s disposition, likes and interests. This would preclude changing streams mid-stream in later years. To that extent, a child needs to exercise a correct option and this cannot be possible if he is unaware of various existing opportunities and available options.

A decision arrived at and an option exercised solely on the basis of marks obtained is just not correct. Children, more often than not err on this aspect. The ideal procedure should incorporate firstly discerning what a child wants to do or achieve and secondly knowing what curriculum should be followed to attain that. Under no circumstances should a child consider the subjects of study prior to deciding on the career to be embarked upon. In case such a development is allowed, it would manifest governance by situations rather than inclinations and penchants; and should not be allowed to occur.

A child may not be fully conversant with or cognizant of his inclinations or ambitions. But one thing is certain - a general idea would prevail of what he or she would like to become or be a couple of years later. There may be a young lad who enjoys playing games at the computer as also communicating with his friends through e mail or networking sites. He understands, amongst others what Google, Yahoo and Facebook are all about. He would be more than willing to work in any of these setups, but little realizing that he needs to be armed with a computer science degree to be able to get in. He is perhaps also ignorant of the fact that these setups also employ generalists and personnel with non-technical background to handle administrative and allied functions. Such categories include human resource management & development, marketing, customer care, public relations and compliance, etc. Hence, if one is keen to join a particular organization, but not insistent on the work-stream, it would be prudent to know the organization of the concerned setup and opportunities of employment each section throws up. This would enable a child to have a practical acquaintance with the enormity of various options.

The importance of a parental role in career selection cannot be downplayed at any cost. It is not a bad idea to avail services of a career counselor so that he child gets to know what he can opt for. There is also nothing wrong in discussing issues with acquaintances, friends and relatives to fathom various options available and then talking them out with the child. It would be in the fitness of things to let the child also interact with various people so that he gets first hand information.

One of the most beneficial methods to put across available options to children is to start with what all streams they can go in for, viz., science, humanities or commerce. Having done so, they need to be explored for career opportunities.

The last step should be to identify various companies that offer employment in such fields. For example, a child may opt for medical group subjects, that is, physics, chemistry and biology. Post Class 12, he can go on to become a doctor, veterinarian, biotechnologist, agriculture scientist and even a forensic expert, just to name a few. The sky is the limit as far as options are concerned. But it is important that the child knows and understands the pros and cons of each of them. And the earlier he does so, the better it will be because he would be able to then cherry-pick. Adopting a reverse alternative is fraught with inherent risks on grounds that stream selection would be based on typical broad-spectrum knowledge. It is quite likely that a multitude of better options come to be known later. A feeling of remorse being generated under such circumstances will be a reality because he would surely repent for his lack of knowledge years back.

The parents thus are key persons who influence the career options of their children. In consideration of the foregoing, they need to be attentive and well-acquainted with different career options that are available when it is time for their children to select a career.

Your maiden job – a launch-pad for your career success

It is only after you finish your graduation that you realize that textbooks are not capable of teaching everything. Whatever you learn at school or college are indeed more of theory and less of practical stuff. And when you get into your first job, you realize that it is a monumental learning experience.  

If you speak to a person who is midway into his career, you will be surprised to learn from where that person took off or set out on his career journey. In all probabilities, his actual start point would be the start-point of his first job. No maiden job can be used to predict your profile and the position you will attain when you retire from your work.

Your first job is an opportunity to ascertain how well-equipped you are to reach for the sky. You get to know the functioning of your organization, how assignments and projects are implemented and what factors contribute to the success of individuals and establishments. As you gain experience and move forward, career changes are bound to take place. So, you should be learning or doing the following at your first job:

·   Understanding work culture: It is of great consequence to observe the conduct and outcomes that are appreciated in your outfit. In addition, you should ascertain the standpoints your organization. You should seek to know and understand the establishment's declared goals and how do they vary from those of rival organizations. All organizations function on teamwork. As a new entrant, do you sense that solidarity exists amongst the rank and file of the company? It is quite likely that many policies may not have been reduced to writing but are operational by convention; if so, what are those tenets? Last but not least, you should also get to know people who appear to be doing well.

·   Knowing yourself & people around you: Your first job affords you many opportunities to discover more and more about yourself - your plus points and your negative points, pursuits that you are comfortable with and activities that you get pleasure from. At work you come in contact with people. You should make it a point to take note of their nonverbal language, because the same facilitates comprehension of their attitudinal disposition towards you. You are thus able to identify individuals who are a source of inspiration as also those who tend to bleed you dry. In other words, you need to adopt a management style that draws out the best in you - something that would be acknowledged and appreciated by everybody, up or down the chain notwithstanding.

·   Seeking views and opinions: All organizations generally have an annual performance review. But there is nothing wrong in asking for a quarterly or six-monthly review. This will help you in getting to know how well you are coping with organizational expectations. A distinct advantage accrues if reviews are held frequently. You will be able to stem drags that may otherwise be your  predicaments later. You will thus stay on top, particularly if you ask and get to know how you can perk up your performance.

·   Improving your expertise: The process of learning is cyclic and has no end. And it is never too late to learn. Since it happens to be your first job, you are still on a threshold. The vast expanse of the future and opportunities enclosed therein lies in front of you. To move around in it without getting lost, you need to have expertise. Experience gained today should impel you to do better tomorrow. And for that, you need to get your hands on new qualifications and latest skills. Remember that so far you have had only rudimentary exposure and that by itself is inadequate to stand you in good stead for your entire career span. So, you need to be making perennial efforts to improve your profile.

·   Staying informed about internal transfers: Members of staff are frequently moved from one department to another. These moves facilitate a good comprehension of the entire spectrum of organizational activities. It also helps in the understanding of various appointments and appointment holders. Over a period of time, keeping eye on internal postings help in grasping job obligations and prerequisites.

·   Cataloguing good work done: Bouquets and brickbats are common occurrences in anybody's career. Brickbats, though unpleasant serve to improve individual and organizational performance. On the other hand, bouquets are acknowledgements of good work done and are seldom forgotten. It is always sensible to keep a record of all compliments for good work done. These can be made use of in the future, particularly when  there is stiff competition and the need to create an impact is felt.

·   Knowing people who call the shots: In any organization, despite a laid down command and control channel, there are many others who call the shots. These influences, extraneous or intrinsic should be known. And this could be done by watching and silently weighing how coworkers and others interact and how things are accomplished. There could be some appointments that are may seem insignificant, but in actuality are very important. Who are these powers to be? Who are the people being regarded as ideals and why? Answers to such vital questions will indicate the decision making chain of the organization - vertically up or vertically down or a blend of the two.

·   Keeping a check on attitude: The most common grudge against youngsters is that they habitually desire excessive attainments rather too early in life. They also seem to suffer seriously from the 'I know better than you' syndrome. You ought to understand that it is only hard work and sincere effort that will benefit you. Additional responsibility is given when you prove your worth and for this, you will also need to build trust with your peers and bosses alike. You will also need to be cordial and concurrently firm in your dealings with your subordinate and support staff. This calls for tact and if you fail, chances are that a tag of either haughtiness or timidity will be attached to your personality.

Your maiden job is a learning school of a different category. You learn several things, some about which you have no previous knowledge. It is only at your first job that you formalize your conduct, improve upon your abilities and start becoming adept at the work that you do. It is therefore rightly, a launch-pad for your career success. 

Put together all your fervour into your career

Do you have passions that are distinctly varied an diverse? Are you passionately curious and have an inclination to try out different specialties? If that be so, then you have within you a horde of talents and capacilities. That implies that you are a multi-ardent personality. But it also needs to be understood that several passions make the process of selecting a career in which you could hang on for long difficult. However, at the same time, you can certainly get into a career in which all your interests and fervou come together. If you are able to achieve that successfully, the organisation in which you are employe will be grateful to you and reward your multi-ardent outlook.

How do you combine all your passions into your career? Some tips to help you in this regard are enumerate below:

·      Establish the degree of variety required: Do you happen to be a person who is required to utilize specific expertise on different days? For example, on a particular day you may need to prepare written reports and on another take to a leadership role. Or is it that you like better to continue working on a specific assignment till such time it is finished? If you can determine the quantitative requirement of assortment and change in your work on a periodic basis so that you remain constructively involved and contented in the process, you will be able to identify possible careers that will offer you such opportunities.

·      Identify & look for versatile careers: Are your inclinations tangential or do they tend to meet s o m ewh e r e ? There are many arenas that entail a combination of more than one discipline. For example, journalism necessitates a penchant for photography and communication skills or structural designing that calls for knowledge of art and science are some examples. Likewise, it is ecology that places emphasis on knowledge of both zoology and botany; hospitality that requires a penchant for food-craft and people skills; and cartography that calls for a sound knowledge of geography and drawing skills.

·      Research flexible & self-led careers: Several careers demand multi-ardent make-ups and companies seek such people. There are organisations that are guided by the philosophy that when all employees think alike, then no one actually thinks. They prefer openmode employees who are more receptive instead of closed-mode ones who are tunnel-visioned.  Creative vision is what progressive companies seek and to achieve that, they need multifaceted personalities. You should identify establishments that encourage innovativeness and value individuality as a trait.

·      Diversify slowly from a single activity: The best way to shape and get into a career of your dreams is by underscoring a single expertise possessed by you and subsequently grasping any opportunity pertaining to a different field whenever it crops up. It is always advisable to remain active, start ventures  and simultaneously offer recommendations to facilitate organizational growth. The basic requirement however, is identifying a liberal and progressive set-up where your seniors are amenable to your desires and perhaps as multi-ardent like you. Needless to state, you will have to acquit yourself well in whatever tasks are assigned to you.

·      Look for careers focussed on objectives: Simply by glancing at an advertisement, you can discern if an organization is seeking to employ a person who is going to concentrate efforts on achieving client satisfaction or effective crisis management; or on the other hand, wanting to fill up a vacancy that calls for performing mundane tasks. The latter category of jobs may not suit you, given your multi-ardent personality. If a job entails directing efforts towards advantages and not mere attributes, it will definitely go well with you and your passions.

·      Exhibit intense novelty: It is essential that you comprehend various techniques of operations to include sales; market trends; behavioural patterns; complexities related to your work; alliances and inter- and intra-department dependencies; and client expectations, to name just a few. When at work, there are infinite methods to perform well. You could incorporate all your passions or qualities in bringing about a better output. Being venturesome is a superb way to blend all your passions and eventually succeed in your pursuits. After all, it is the end result that matters.

A dynamic career facilitates application of skills and passions. It also helps you to come up with newer methos to deal with matters as an when they surface. Therefore, you need to make your career a multifaceted one. However, to start with, it is essential that comprehend what the prerequisites oif a successful career are and then go about looking for one that will boost your comfort and contentment levels. 

How beneficial is it to continue in a job for long?

Those peaceful days when you could continue to stay in a single job throught your working years are history. Today, switching jobs is believed, accepted and encouraged; in fact, they are an unspoken trend. It has been largely because of the IT revolution and rapid proliferation of the internet that this change has been brought about. And another pertinent thing that has surfaced prominently is that all working environments call for increased individual operations and quickness in them.

If the above is comprehended, there is apparently nothing inappropriate or unethical in people switching jobs after serving in an appointment for a few years. You could also be amongst such a category of people. The four major prompting factors for this exemplary swing are:

·   Acquisition of new skills: Everybody is inclined to be at ease and contented when they attain some sort of stability in their regular timetable. If you are able to discharge your duties proficiently and acknowledged for your efficiency on a regular basis, chances are that you may not enjoy adequate driving force to acquire additional qualifications. Now, if this is a fact, you are one in a crowd. However, a peep into the overall employment scene to discern the manner in which organisations are coming up with newer business strategies and recruitment procedures will be of help. You will perhaps realise that a skill in demand today can be rendered redundant tomorrow; and also something considered outmoded today can be in demand tomorrow. So what do you do? If you have already been into a job for three years or so, it will be prudent to peruse job postings for similar job openings. A closer look at the qualitative requirements will throw light on your plusses and minuses; and also what recruiters seek in candidates.

·   Keeping abreast with technical development: The growth of all businesses and production facilities is contingent on technical development taking place. If you have to be a technical person, you should keep  yourself abreast with what is happening in your field; whether or not your present company is inclined to embrace new technologies is another matter. In case, you do not, you will always remain unfamiliar and out of sync with the environment. Resultantly, taking your second foot forward in your career journey will be very difficult. You will become extinct in your area of work if you continue in it for an excessive period of time.

·   Doubts in minds of prospective employers: No employer takes in a person without proper evaluation of his or her abilities and suitability. Suppose if you have been serving with a company for the last ten years and decide to switch jobs. The new employer will definitely be in some sort of a quandary trying to assess your resume. Some issues that will invariably raise doubts will be the reason for leaving the current company, flexibility to find feet in a new working environment, veracity of asserted expertise and ability to undergo pre-induction training. Needless to state, if the list of qualms is long, the potential employer is likely to be flustered and shelve your application.

·   Career Progression: You can very well remain one company, but if you hold an appointment for a duration of three to years or more, things can be difficult. If you plan to progress in your company, it is necessary that you start planning to do so as early as after one year of joining. You will definitely seek other alternatives and opportunities if things get delayed beyond three years. To illustrate the point further, if there are no prospects of growth in your current appointment that is otherwise satisfying, you can always have a lateral transfer and then grow vertically. You can also utilize provisions for study leaves and acquire additional qualifications. The point to be remembered is that you should always be forward looking and forward moving. Changing jobs too frequently also leads to adverse inferences being drawn. A big question mark could be attached to your trustworthiness and loyalty. Afterall, a rolling stone gathers no moss. It is also likely that you may be taken in one grade lower and with your seniority fixed accordingly, the new job could well turn out to be a rearward move.

In the light of the above, any decision related to your career should be arrived at after careful consideration of all factors involved. It is not that you should play safe and not leave a job for better pastures. On the contrary, you should always be on the lookout for new opportunities. That is what being enterprising is all about and which, helps you to remain in high spirits at work. 

Getting into a bravura career

We all have different ambitions and interests. And hence, to identify a perfect career is indeed a difficult propoposition. So, how do you choose a career that is great for you? Here is what you should deliberate upon while making this vital choice:

·   Inherent skills: Everybody possesses some inherent skills and with the passage of time, they stan out an earn you laurels. It is important to know where your inherent skills lie because they have a significant influence on selecting a career. There will be several other fields where one can acquit well, but then the efforts involved could be colossal. You should identify tasks that you derive pleasure from and then figure out how your intrinsic abilities can be applied to make them more interesting.

·   Geographical location of place of work: You may like to work from a location that appeals to you the most - it could well be an office at the end of a corridor on the top floor of a multi-storeyed building in commercial hubs or a small premises in an uptown locality. It is possible that jobs involving plenty of travel are not made for you. Hence, your work-location will influence your career selection.

·   Salary & perks anticipated: When you move ahead in your life and career, your expectations vis-à-vis your salary package will undergo a change. You will have a family to look after and with passage of time, your obligations will increase. It is likely that your spouse may be working and in the bargain, you have a dual income. However, you will have to take a call on whether it is alright to settle for less income or earn more by conceding on other aspects of your life. You must take on a career that goes with your desire for more or less money.

·   Your working methodology: One may acknowledge it or not, every individual prefers to do work in a particular manner. This methodology of doing things can interfere intensely with your career selection. You should be clear about the work & workplace that goes well with you so that you can experience superior satisfaction.

·   Friendliness & amiability: You may be a loner and feel comfortable remaining detached. It is also possible that you appreciate team functioning and get inspired by the requirements of others and your capability to resolve issues. Identification and cognizance of your preferences is thus important and will help you in selecting an appropriate career.

·   Work-life balance: This is all contingent on your outlook and personal inclinations; and the priorities that you attach to various contributory factors.In case you seek a career that will afford you more time for your domestic issues and leisure, jobs that have fixed timings are great for you.

·   Stress and strain involved: There are many people who want to remain in the loop and like to flourish on monumental aims and cut-offs. The environment places great reliance on you for your capacity to work and withstand related pressures. In case you are one who is anxious to do something in a stipulated manner and with strict deadlines, you will acquit yourself well in high-pressure jobs. But in case you seek to be relaxed, you will have to search for other options.

·   Perpetual attention: There are some careers that let the spotlight remain on you, whether or not you enjoy intense public interaction and acceptance being a ifferent matter notwithstanding. Such careers confer fame on you. It is essential that you should understand the ramifications of being in the limelight 24/7 and be clear about the effect on you - whether as a responsibility, compulsion or prospect. Your predilection in this context should be a deciding factor in selecting a career.

It is possible that you may not be able to decide on a career straight away. You have an alternative at hand an that is to embark upon a career path track that is perceived as correct by making an appropriate judgement. Neeless to say but important is the point of  with elbow room to change it subsequently. In the current times, you need not continue with one pursuit lifelong; all that you need to do is to make a clever choice today and plan to take stock of things five or ten years hence in consonance with the ultimate targets that you have set for yourself.
You must acknowledge the fact that you will not remain what you are today forever. As years roll by, you will change too. And so will your necessities – money, independence, poise and recognition. But for the time being, you should deliberate on different matters aspects enumerated above and you will not encounter any problem in selecting a career that will eventually be fantastic for you. 

The knack of career planning

Career planning puts one on a track on which one's objectives are positioned. The effort and time that go in career planning are worth their weight in gold; and should be undertaken prior to the commencement of a job hunt. When you do career planning, any and all doubts that you may have with regar to your career objectives are automatically put to rest. .

A large majority of people are unable to proceed beyond the initial stages of career planning. The environment today is saturated with job options and specializations. Each one of them proffers varying benefits - money, security, easy life, glamour and the like. Be they administrative jobs or technical assignments, financial controllers or journalists,fine arts or soldiery - all of them tend to confuse.

One is always prompted to ask if he or she is suitable for a particular job or whether it will provide success or not. After a round of evaluation of various career alternatives, one may infer that none of them are suitable. Such feelings of uncertainty and doubt are quite natural  during the initial stages. And this is where some career planning will be of great advantage. There are two ways to take off.

The first method involves ascertaining one's inclinations that are invariably followed in letter and spirit, inherent risks involved in doing so notwithstanding. The second one is aimed to discern various impelling factors that are pertinent and the types of careers that offer what one seeks; and developing capabilities to pursue them.

Whichever method one adopts, the end result is the same - attaining something that has been sought. While in the first method, the path by itself is very satisfying and provides a sense of achievement. Several people may offer a negative viewpoint about it, though there are an equal number that have benefited by giving shape to own inclinations. The second method one is required to display due diligence and caution to get what one seeks, something that is enunciated to be a result of efforts put in or the nature of assignment undertaken.

The point to be noted is that one should know one's actual worth - capabilities and vulnerabilities alike. It calls for an honest introspection. It entails sitting down with a cool mind and recording various attainments to one's credit, occasions when one's contributions have been acknowledged and assignments and projects that served as motivation to excel, to list a few. It will be seen that a set pattern will come to the fore, something that will be distinctively indicative of a career path that is most apt. The skills that went into the accomplishment of various tasks manifest a possible career choice because one would be able to put such expertise to good use therein.

The next step is to identify and record various factors that motivate one - those which would facilitate giving wings to dreams. It is important to be able to discern with a fair amount of accuracy where one stands on a scale where one extremity represents the personality that one is and the other the dream desire.

As the above discernment gets to become easy to see through, one would feel more selfassured and realize that a definite aim in life is emerging. One would be able to identify specific qualities that are likely to stand one in good stead in the journey ahead. A true image and reflection of a person would thus be visible along with traits that can be exploited.

Inclinations to work in a particular setup or the level of inspiration one possesses notwithstanding, one can also come to know careers that provide the remuneration one seeks or facilitate

If one gets pleasure traveling and visiting places and concurrently control serious business pursuits, then perhaps a job related to sales is ideal. One can even aspire to start a business venture or head a marketing department of a corporate setup. If one gets pleasure listening to music, such a job is not cut for him or her for obvious reasons.

Honesty is the best policy and there is no point in arriving at a hasty decision based on presumptions or limited information about a particular career. If one does so, one would repent         later and even be compelled to change the choice exercised. For example, if one desires to join the armed forces, the risks and disturbed family conditions associated with them need to be visualized and understood. An individual with a penchant for outdoor life would enjoy being in the armed forces. If that is not what one is cut out to be, looking for another option is strongly recommended.

It ought to be comprehended without doubt that only if one is at ease with one's job would one love it. And loving a job automatically impels a person to be devoted to it. Devotion to duty guarantees progression and fetches acknowledgement and rewards, which is human nature to desire.

Once one has elected to trudge a particular path, there is a need to acquire all allied skills. The qualitative and quantitative requirements of each career are different. If one endeavours to acquire the maximum of such competencies, there is no doubt that he or she stands a good chance to excel in that field. If one is able to understand the details and procedures of a job, which can be done best by way of acquiring additional qualifications and on-the-job training experience. He or she is in a better position to do justice to such an assignment.

Communication skills are also an equal factor for success in any career. They are inborn or contingent on upbringing, but can be developed as well. It is no wonder that organizations lay great emphasis on the need to be articulate, display good mannerisms and enjoy pleasant inter-personal skills. Soft skills, as these attributes are called, should be developed concurrently with career planning.

The crux of the issue is that if one has set an objective to be attained, there should be no haziness about it. And importantly, there should be no delay in embarking upon initiatives for accomplishing it. Neeless to state, one will have to work hard to obtain all proficiencies necessary to make possible a forward march. But taking the first step is the most significant aspect of the matter. 

Harvest & control your professional success

People who dream big and seek moreusually achieve whatever they seek. They have characteristic behavioural patterns and indulge in vital actions that by themselves serve to roll outaredcarpetforthem.There are others too whose conduct make their career plummet. Successis thereforeallamatterof how you conduct yourself. Whatever are your career objectives and no matter how you visualize things, there are several actions that will at all times provide you the required prop to be successful in your long career journey.

You definitely want to draw feelingsof contentmentinyour life; for that it is essential that you recognize your aspirations and initiate appropriate action to put together your preferred professional distinctiveness. It is also vital to muster adequate support and encouragement to help you tide over difficult times. The following actions will help you attain the crowning glory that you seek in your life and career:

·  Eliminate all ambiguity: It is essential that you are explicitly clear about your objectives and priorities in life. To start with, you may be tenuous, but after some time, everything has to be consequential. If a successful career eludes you, like it happens with many others, it is because you fail to make use of your inherent capabilities and visualize problem areas. You need to be sentient to what is happening around you to have more options at your disposal.

·  Secure your boundaries: If you are clear about what you intendtoseekorachieve, you should be resilient enough to safeguard your border lines, revere your main concerns and talk of various prerequisites of success - all as pertinent to you. There are many who know what they seek to attain, but at the last minute back out from taking any initiative. This is nothing but a collapse; you need to guard against it.

·  Be a smart worker: Your devotion to work ought to be like the proverbial tree that faces a storm but does not shake with it. You have to beventuresometoo,butwithout being imprudent. Seeking assistance whenever and wherever necessary should be a principle to be followed. In this way, you will be pledging yourself to working without pretence and sans a rigid mind-set. People who work to plug holes in their potential invariably taste success earlier than those who shy away from doing so.

·  Network well:You should understand that you cannot go all alone to attain your objectives. Networking is an essential ingredient of career success and you need to spare timeand efforts for it. Your relationships should be based on mutual faith, sincerity and collective ideals. Concurrently, you have to guard against any cut-throat attitude and sycophancy. In other words, honesty and candidness should form the very basis of all your relationships.

·  Develop good communication skills: All successful people havegreat communication skills. The manner in which they relate their pursuits turn out to be very motivating for others. They know the precise reasons behind every single action of theirs and exert an intense pull on like-minded people with their superb negotiating skills. In other words, successful people know how to portray themselves positively to draw support and allegiance.

·  Transform apprehensions into inspiration: You will have fear and anxiety afflicting you. Therefore, it is essential that you maintain your calm and preclude any hounding.Display of an utmost sense of responsibility and a high degree of professional skills is thus inescapable to adapt yourself to emerging challenges. If you do not learn from experience, you learn nothing. You have to find a way to transform every bit of your exasperation and frustration into encouragement for revolution, progress and triumph.

If youdonotactupontheabove tenets, you will move ahead in your career journey alright, but it will be an extremely arduous one. Every segment, every bend every intersection and every fork will prove to be a painful experience. Whether youreach your destination or not, the end of your career journeywillleave youfeeling perplexed and unsatisfied.

Unless you are ambitious, you do not make progress. Professionalsuccessseemsto be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. And the most creative shortcut to it is to keep reassessing its connotation for you on a continual basis. You have to be your own sponsor.

Foster trust at workplace

Everybody wants to impress others and enjoy the reputation of a dependable and truthful employee. Having others to repose confidence in you is an unsurpassable benefit that you can attain in your career and life. Trust is a vital feature that helps build and sustain the confidence of clients and co-workers alike. In addition, it facilitates a crucial function in the success of associations; that it also boosts organizational growth needs no emphasis.

There are several aspects that carry weight in enhancing the degree of trust between people. It should be remembered that trust is not a commodity that can be purchased offthe shelf and that there are no clearly enunciated certifications attached to it. It is evolved over a period of time and can either prevail for endless period of time or be destroyed with a wink. For it to prevail, you need to be conduct yourself morally and justly; display a high degree of honesty; and be convincing.

In recent times, organizations have been faced with instances wherein there have been serious violations of trust. Needless to state, they have resulted in equally serious consequences. Though the need to have trust has always been supreme, current economic conditions demand more emphasis on it. As a conscientious worker, how can you build trust in your relationships at work? Remember that if you are able to do so, you will create a visible positive effect in arenas of your sway. Here is how you can do this:

·  Say ‘No’ to gossip: You should never indulge in chitchats that show others in bad light. Therefore, before you utter any opinion, you should consider whether you would do so in his or her presence. Remember that people will tend to be apprehensive of you if you talk ill of others.

·  Be open & transparent in your dealings: People should be able to view you well; for this you need to behave responsibly. You should conduct yourself in a manner that you do not repent at any stage.

·  Be frank in your expressions: You should always endeavour to be frank and straightforward in your expressions. Remember that the trust imposed in you will suffer a serious breach if you leak it out or even make erroneous proclamations.

·  Let your actions match your words: All your actions should be in conformity with your words. You will lose your trustworthiness if there happens to be an incongruity in what you say and what you do.

·  Admit your mistakes: To err is always human. But attributing your mistakes to others is unethical. If you do so, your image will get a bashing. Therefore, it is always better to own up for lapses committed and initiate steps to prevent their recurrence.

·  Harbour a sincere attitude:You must understand that any contradictions in your spoken word and gestures will reduce your credibility and reliability rating. If you speakinaparticularmanner but your gesticulations convey something else, you will not be recognized as a genuine personality.

·  Have an unyielding mind-set:Whateveryou convey or transmit, it should manifest an unyielding mind-set. You simply cannot afford to keep changing direction with changing listeners; if you veer with situations and people, an impression will gain ground that you lack resoluteness of opinion.

·  Appreciate what trust is all about:The very character of trust is delicate and hence you need to concentrate your efforts to uphold it. You need to have strength of both will and mind to uphold the trust reposed in you.

·  Maintain confidentiality whenever essential:If you acquiesce to keep something to yourself, ensure that you keep your word. Under no circumstances should you leakoutinformationthatyou promised to keep it to yourself.

·  Don’t deviate from established rubrics:All your actions, needless to say, should be in conformity with your company's principles and aspirations. Hence you must pay particular attention to followinglaid-downnorms.It is important that irrespective of circumstances, you should always consider honourable codes before taking any step.

Remember that trust is the hardest thing to find but the easiest to lose. It takes years to build it up, but a mere suspicion is sufficient to demolish it. Like a mirror; once undermined, you will never be able to look at it the same again.