Continuing on how to choose a career, Bangalore-based HR professional, Preeyan, talks of the various career options. The sport has also become professional and can make a great career. Everything starting from farming, labour, cottage industry, art, food tourism and recycling need to be made professional like sports. Read more, in the weekly column, exclusively in Different Truths.

Times have changed to a level where there is confusion about the profile of the person to be hired for any specific position. This is healthy to have because it will lead us in the near future, to better understand and bring about a stability in what we choose to identify as core competencies, required for specific positions. And that is not too far away.

While the organisations start to stabilise their requirement matrix, the shortfall will be in the talent available to fulfill requirements. Talent passing out of premium institutes will demand more pay and others who form the maximum talent pool will lack competencies. If we have a futuristic view of expansion and organisational growth, the industry needs to invest time and money in getting this gap closed. While few of us may guide our next generation on how they need to inculcate interest and focus on the kind of career they look forward to, there is still the majority of capable youngsters who do not get that kind of support. The only way we can reach out to those who need our help will be by penetrating the education system and bringing about radical change, which will help skilled people in their interests and help them achieve their goals.

Our country seems to be coming up with schemes of “Skill India” and “Make in India”, which are all schemes that have excellent concepts but are being targeted by the rich to make more money. Their primary focus seems to be losing value. Any political or government initiative will have such bearing. For this to succeed, the industry participations must increase. To improve, developmental focus participation, demand and competition must increase. This will be a worthwhile investment for organisations that want to grow beyond the 21^st century.

Individuals need to realise that you make the choice of career before you get to choose the subjects you wish to learn at high school/college. Everyone is different, a sports person is the one who has the determination and strength to work towards making it a career, every sport has many options for you to be associated with it for the rest of your life. The sport has also become professional and can make a great career, for those who do well. I am sighting the example of sports, as I am one of those who regret not looking at it as a serious option. This regret has brought about a change in the way I look at career options. Everything starting from farming, labour, cottage industry, art, food tourism and recycling need to be made professional like sports.

Career is not what will get you big money, but what will help you get the money and grow in your career. One should realise that there are some farmers richer than industrialists and there are multi-crore industries run by very ordinary people with ordinary backgrounds. At the end of the day, it is the opportunities that you help create for others that make the difference between winning and being successful.

There are many who do not know what they want to do and how they want to live their life. You will find these people in every stratum of the society, from the elite to the lowest. Not everyone is like that when they start out. This happens because they have been oppressed with ideas of others and other people’s lives, that they are deprived of what they actually want to do or become. My advice to them is that the issue is not that other people oppressed you, it is because you allowed them to do it. Take matters into your own hands and make the first move towards what you really wanted. It is never late to start to move in a direction you want to take in life. Because the satisfaction you get will give you the drive, energy and resolve to want to be successful. And you will be great at it.

There are some who are so obsessed with what they want to do that they cannot take any failure, these people have such high obsession levels that they can take drastic steps if they fail. They need counselling and help. Failures are part of life, it can be because of a wrong choice, bad move, market conditions and sometimes can you because of you. It is for you to learn from the mistakes and pick up from there and start again.

One thing that everyone should realise is that a career is not a stroll you take in the park, it is not easy and it is not relaxation. Career is something that will make you run, you need to be prepared to keep running. The better you are at running, keeping sustained energy and higher levels of the excited state in your career, you will witness growth and success. To prepare for this is not possible, it has to come with experience. Hence, starting to gain experience from an early age is very important.

Educational qualification is important for those who want to have a successful career. Ensure that you do not leave a break in your education at least for basic qualification. Specialised post-graduation can be done once you have a focused career path defined by you. Studying to achieve a higher position in your career gives you delight, that is when you realise how you could have studied as a younger person. That’s what working experience does to your mindset. You find ways of remembering things, understanding things and comprehending situations.

We used to have comprehension passages in our language subjects and never really understood what comprehension stood for. It was well after I started my career, we were at a team building workshop when the trainer said that the one word that he will give me is “comprehension” or the lack of it. Made you realise that you are given a situation and how differently your state of mind influences your comprehension and how different it is for everyone in the room. The differences may be subtle but still significant. It is the understanding of that that will shape your career.

Your choices are always for you to make. One thing I leave you with is, “Never regret the decision you have made.” I say this because the feeling of regret can start many undesirable outcomes that you really don’t want to deal with.

There are a lot of options open to you, there are a lot of distractions open to you. Choose wisely and have a successful career.

Cheers!

©Preeyan Abraham

Photos from the Internet.

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Preeyan Abraham

Preeyan Abraham is a HR professional. He loves travelling and all the little intricacies that it brings. A foodie, he enjoys cooking for relaxation. A movie buff and music lover, he appreciates simple things in life. He comes from a mix of religious backgrounds that has helped him appreciate all the good things of what all religions have to see. He looks at life as a platform created to perform and give the best.

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