So obsessed are we humans as a species with what once worked, that often, it is difficult for us to (pardon the pun) look beyond...
But just like the proverbial 'dinosaurs' who still walk with Motorola pagers clipped to their trouser belts- hoping that they will one day make a comeback- sometimes it is time to let go or choose extinction. And the more we talk to employers, the more we believe that it is time to 'let go' of the tiny piece of paper that seems to define your life.
As analysts, we are decision crazy so lets take a look at how you make most of the other important decisions in your life
1. When choosing a life partner- you want to get to 'know' that person, see if you are truly compatible, on occasion do a bit of a background check, and most importantly- judge whether you click!!
2. When selecting a house or a car, you test drive or look at the model flat, ask acquaintances and friends, build little excel sheet projections, and ask your self again and again - is this right for me?
Why is it then, that when it comes to choosing a job, we rely on a piece of paper with what we like to think is a summary of our lives, and hope that someone will call us? Why do so many of us compromise for the 'first' job we get rather than the 'right' job? If we are prepared to be blown away by the new Volkswagen Golf GT, or the shorter-than-our-dreamgirl-but hilarious-neighbor-next-door, then why do we stick to our pre-conceived notions when selecting a job??
Here are a few things we've discovered help people find the right job career in this new order, and we highly recommend that all of you keep these in mind
1. Google! - Whether you like it or not, your employer today WILL search you before the interview. He will know that your poem was published in The Kanpur Gazette in 1993, that you spend time on the discussions forums discussing Nadal's rivalry with Federer, and he will know that your LinkedIn profile has not been updated in the last three years. But instead of worrying and rushing to delete your online footprint, use this to your advantage-make sure you write and get written about, keep all your social media profiles updated, avoid strong political statements (unless they have a bearing on the kind of career you want) and find out what are the best forums to get noticed in by your community. To the freshers who ask us how they can convince employers of their strong technology skills, there is nothing we can recommend more than answering queries on the internet, perhaps keeping a smart blog on your views, and at the very least commenting on popular tech blogs!
2. Be Authentic! - Be yourself. Grizzlee believes that we should all try a little honesty sometimes. The lies on your resume can be easily verified, the stories in your interview answers easily unraveled, and an attempt to be someone you're not can only get you so far. Employers are much more likely to appreciate and like the 'real' you than that conception of you that resume builders and career counsellors tell you to project. After all, they have all also once been 21 and unemployed and confused. Why pretend otherwise then?
3. Let your PASSION show! - Remember that old hoary chestnut about all Indian parents wanting their kids to be doctors or engineers (or call center employees)? Don't choose a career based on what your parents and grand parents think is right, but one based on what you want to do. Dream big or dream small. But dream of a life that makes you happy- not a life that makes your extended family happy and helps you fulfill their destinies. During our journey we have come across some remarkable people who want to be everything ranging from an artist to an entrepreneur. And we say "More power to them!" Take some time, discover your passions. Take some more time, excel at them. Take some more time, prove you excel at them by "creating" something or allowing yourself to be assessed against peers.
And then go looking for a job!
The new paradigm has no place for a 2 page resume. Because a 2 page resume can't encompass all you are capable of- or even all that an employer can find out about you.
So -go ahead- bid good bye to that pager (its never coming back, I am sorry), and to all the music you have saved on audio tapes over the year.
And once you're done, think about what you really want to be, and start working towards it!
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