Career mistakes to avoid!

If you are someone looking to build a long term (fairly successful) career in corporate world, then this blog is for you. I have spent more than a decade in corporate life trying to build a career. Sadly, most of time was spent in correcting the past mistakes 😀. In the hope that you don't make the same mistakes, I am sharing below some of my learnings: 

1. Passion is overrated: You may be very passionate about your job, career and even the company you work for. But the harsh reality of life is - you are just a number in their vast ocean. You would be replaced within a maximum of 90 days if you were dead today. So is it worth being passionate for your company? The answer is a Yes and a No. Let me explain. If you are passionate about your work, chances are very high that you would be exceeding expectations of the management and resultantly you can expect promotions, increments, etc. Here your passion plays a positive role in your success. Flip side is you are still a number and very replaceable. Irrespective of your talent and passion, your company still may not be eternally loyal to you. So Love your job, but please also be aware that your job may not love you back at all (times).
2. Emotional Atyaachar: I am an emotional person and I am still work in progress when it comes to mastering my emotions. But if you are reading this, I want you to learn from my mistakes. An emotional reaction at work is one of the worst things that you can do to your career. Sometimes such reactions are irredeemable. Let's take an example - You receive an email from your senior that puts more work on your table without any consideration to your existing workload. You are angry and frustrated and want to respond to the email immediately. Please STOP there. Draft your email response if you want to but DON'T SEND. Please review your draft email the next day and then send. When you look at your draft the next day, you will yourself realize what was wrong with the first draft. You will realize that you were reacting emotionally and not professionally. This small pause in your response time can save you a lot of embarrassment and guilt. Likewise in a personal conversation, if you feel someone is bringing you down, then respond as gently and professionally as possible. Give yourself some time to process your emotions and if on the next day, you still feel that you have been unfairly treated then have an honest conversation with the person to understand the perspective. Remember workplace is not a place to vent your emotions.  
3. Stop focusing too much on "What": Boring, unimaginative, dull, drag, snoozefest, uninteresting...these are some of the popular ways to define the job roles nowadays. It has almost become fashionable to bad mouth your own role. Yes, theoretically speaking, a job can be less exciting as compared to entrepreneurship. And if that is your thought process, then leave the job and start your own venture. But what you need to know is that your own venture will also have certain parts that will be dull and boring. No body of work can be exciting at all times. Hence it is best to concentrate on HOW you do your work rather than WHAT you do. If you find your work dull, then look at better, newer ways of doing it. Rekindle the fire and spice up your relationship with your work! 
4. Gossip: It can be very enticing to engage in a conversation with a colleague about someone you don't like. But can you trust your colleague with this disclosure of your dislike? No matter how close you may feel you are to your colleagues, please remember that you will never know them enough to be able to trust them. The best way to deal with gossip starters is to politely nod, smile, feign ignorance and change the topic. DO NOT provide your tippanni (comment). Also DO NOT give your gyaan to the other person to not engage in this mindless gossip. People gossip intentionally and not out of naivety. And if you happen to know that you are being gossipped around, then ignore. It doesn't matter what people say even if it is a gossip in a good way. In the long run, none of what people say matters. 
   
   
   
5. Wrong team: I can't emphasize enough on this. No matter what you do and how much you are paid, if you don't inherently relate to the people you work with, then you are in the wrong place. For a long-term sustainable career, it is important to work in an ecosystem that allows you to accelerate when you want to run, take a break when you want to slow down, laugh when you are happy, cry when you feel low. Basically, a system that allows you to be yourself (to the extent possible). Your workplace and your group of colleagues (team) should largely fit into your cultural, social and intellectual space. You need to feel a sense of happiness when you approach your workplace. If you don't feel happy at work, you will most likely not be able to grow your career there. This is not to say that you need to feel happy every single day, but I guess you get my point. 
6. (No) Rocket Science: In point 1, I have mentioned about our dispensability in the organizations. Why do you think we are replaceable. Simple answer is - our job is no rocket science unless the job is of a rocket scientist😄. Anybody with some training and experience can do what we do. Does that mean we should leave our job because...what's the point if anybody can do this? No, I don't mean that. Today, you may be excelling at your job but to sit with an assumption that you and only you can do this job well is a capital letters MISTAKE. It is important to stay humble enough with this awareness. With this humility, you will always be on your toes and never stop learning. Your skills and knowledge alone can help you stand out from the herd. If you are starting a new job, I recommend that you learn your work so thoroughly that you can sleepwalk through it six months later (or four if you really want to push yourself). If you are an experienced professional, look for ways to broaden your knowledge base. Certification courses, practical workshops, soft skills development programs, trainings, etc. are some excellent ways to stand out. Stay humble and keep learning!
7. Networking without authenticity: Today, networking has become a common tool to further career ambitions. This kind of networking, most times, lacks authenticity as the underlying objective is to expect a favor in return and not to make a genuine connection. This shallow version of connecting may reap rewards in the short run but in the long run, people will not be blind to your inauthenticity. Hence the next time you decide to network, please try to establish a genuine connection with the person. And no, you don't need to boast about your networking over a cuppa coffee with the CEO on Linkedin!  😂

Thank you so much for reading. Have a fulfilling career ahead and remember to always be brave and kind!

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