After graduating from college one thinks that it’s all figured out and you’re ready to take on the corporate beast. Lucky you! if you have been selected through campus placements to the company of your choice and the role that you dreamed of always.
But god forbid if you don’t have much of a choice in the company that you want to work for and you’re placed in the job only to find later it’s not to your liking or interests. The struggle to find a job is real.
The competition is cut-throat and the term “skillset” is thrown around a lot as if you’re a machine with the wrong specifications. Job descriptions aren’t much help either. They seem to be written in some Greek and Latin and especially for a fresher the term “work experience” stings like a bee.
However, everything is not so bleak and there is no reason to be pessimistic. It’s a few simple things that you can do along the way that make a big difference in how you’re perceived on paper as well as in person.
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Tips on How to Survive in the Corporate World
Work on Personality
The first thing is to brush up on your soft skills. Smart people don’t have it all figured out. They have to work hard too, just like everyone else. However, what sets them apart is the way they do things. Confidence is key, positivity is key and proactiveness is key.
Can’t stress this enough. Having a positive mindset, a confident approach and a can-do attitude is what will set you apart from the crowd. It gives your personality that extra shine to be noticed. Over time, these 3 things will help you create that eminence and a personal brand.
Be a lifelong learner
Inculcate a cradle-to-grave approach to learning. This is going to get you great results throughout your career. Always say yes to learning new skills, attitudes, habits, and approaches. Be open to learning at any point in your career. There’s always scope for improvement so there are always new things that you can learn. It not only helps broaden your viewpoint but also helps gain invaluable knowledge.
Technology is your friend
Be on top of the tech game. Whatever field you choose, research the top tech skills needed
and learn them. In case you missed my second point about learning – go back to point 2. Being technically literate helps you in more ways than one, it gets your work done faster and saves you the manual effort.
It gets you two steps ahead of the other candidates. Other benefits like a good pay package will follow. Some of the most basic skills that every organization looks for in a potential candidate is Excel.
Of course, there are more advanced technical skills like VBA and SQL that you can learn as well to make your resume stand apart. Do yourself a favor and start being technically literate in the field of your choice.
Be all ears for feedback
Learn to take feedback and criticism with a pinch of salt. Listen to what is being been being said and not who is saying it. Welcome feedback whether positive or negative as both will help you improve in your career. Do not get defensive or react to negative criticism rather thinks and respond in a suitable manner.
If you have retrospected and found the feedback to be true then take proactive steps to improve on it. If you feel after pondering on it that the feedback was unfair then prove the critics wrong by becoming even better at what you do. Eventually, your biggest critics will become your greatest admirers.
Networking is not a puzzle
Networking is not as difficult as it’s made out to be. You just need to be yourself and be authentic. Don’t put on an act to impress people, it doesn’t work and almost always fails. You can’t pretend to be someone you’re not all the time.
The best person you can be is yourself. Get to know people and listen actively. Listening helps you connect in a real way, and remember small things and key information. Be genuine when meeting people. Follow the basic etiquette like thank you and please. Be open to making new connections always.
Don’t have a mindset of “what I will gain but rather think about what you can give”. You will gain immensely with an attitude of giving and gaining friends along the way. Have an attitude of gratitude.
Don’t say “Yes” when you should say “No”
There will be numerous situations throughout your career where you are expected to say “Yes”, however, don’t say “Yes” just because a higher-up is asking you to do something. Question yourself if this is something that is ethically correct if you’re having the time to complete it without burdening yourself and if there is a better way of doing the task.
Say yes when you find yourself answering “yes” to these questions. Of course, the questions may differ from person to person based on your own career path and personal values. But in the end, be true to yourself and bring a personal touch to everything that you take up.
The corporate world can be quite daunting for some with strict deadlines and desk jobs but if you have the passion to succeed and a never give up attitude then you can achieve almost anything that you set your mind to.
Lastly, keep a healthy work-life balance and leave work at the workplace when you go home and leave home and focus on work when you’re in the office. Maintain a healthy routine of a balanced diet, proper exercise, and good sleep.
Having a balanced healthy lifestyle gives multi-fold benefits in the long run. Apart from making you healthy, it helps you be better focused to achieve your goals.
Thats just a few of the things I have learned from working in the corporate world, feel free to share your tips and tricks and how you landed your job in the comments.
We’d love to hear about your experiences.
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