After That First-job Glow Fades, Best Practices To Stay On Top Of Your Game

To be part of one’s first corporate job is very exciting. Straight from the campus, one needs to be transformed to being a corporate professional. The transition needs to be smooth; one should understand the needs of the corporate world and get accustomed to its agile expectations.

Once placed in a company, we have lots of dreams, passion to conquer, zeal to be financially independent and feel confident about landing at a “perfect place” to realize all our dreams. However, a few years down the line our dreams and passion get converted into anxiety and a struggle within, where one is constantly trying to understand what we are doing. What do we really want to do? Is this the way we want to lead our life? What is the correct path? Worry about the future surrounds us and we become relatively less-efficient and enthusiastic towards our work and our organisation.

You, me and most of us go through the same process. However, with my decade-long corporate experience, there are a few tips and best practices which helped me survive with the same zeal and enthusiasm even today.

1. Set your priorities--stay focussed

When I was recruited on campus in 2006, I was single and had no family responsibilities. Straight from an engineering college, I was all set to give my total dedication to the organization. In my initial days, I learnt the processes and policies and tried to align my actions and goals accordingly. I never believed that any work was small or big--each task assigned to me was worth it, each mistake was a learning, each day was an experience!

I did a lot of certifications and kept myself updated with the latest trends and technologies.

Five years later, I got married and became a mother. My priorities had not changed but shared, and commitment was re-defined. I took a less-challenging role and moved to operations from core technology which allowed me options such as work-from-home or flexi timings, thus helping me attain work-life balance. It made me adept in internal (personal) as well as external (official, school etc.)  stakeholder management.

Therefore, have pre-defined priorities and a clear vision of what you really want to do in life. You can always modify your career path accordingly and make your life more fulfilling.

2. Love your job, and experiment

You should not be afraid to tread new paths, as life is all about learning and you stand to lose nothing by trying! You can always explore the various options an organization provides you. You should keep changing your profiles, roles and responsibilities to always have something new. There are always internal job postings, skill changes and upskilling options available. You can leverage them, thereby ensuring our continuous interest and motivation in our jobs.

3. Love yourself and stay happy

Healthy Body=>Healthy Mind. You should not stretch beyond our capacity if it is affecting your health and mental peace. You should try and attain work-life balance and ensure you are “happy” where you work. You can always speak to senior management and the grievance department for any kind of flexibility required during work hours or in the role you play.

Sometimes, you need to say NO and convince your leaders to consider the same.

You should take regular breaks and pamper ourselves sometimes, like party over the weekends, or indulge in team outings, lunches and dinners etc. I make sure that I de-stress by indulging in my hobbies such as painting, music or writing.

4. Speak for yourself--Be bold

You should be good at communicating and voicing your opinions at the appropriate forum. You should ensure that your managers/leaders are aware of your aspirations such as working in another country or working on some other skill or project. They will remember it and help you wherever possible.

You should also object in case anything is hurting or disturbing you at the workplace, such as incorrect behaviour or bias.

I have always been vocal about what I think and expect. That clarity and transparency always helped me work honestly for my organization.

To sum up, we are the makers of our destiny and we should be aware of what we are doing and why we are doing it. Our job should make us a better person and a better citizen. We should be responsible for our actions and should contribute in our own way to our society and nation.

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