SC0004 | How to Take the Right Career Decision

Bad Career Decisions can be really hurting; would impact your morale and engagement very badly. That too after spending lots of time and effort in shaping your career, a bad move could derail all your plans in no time and getting back on track at this competitive job market is tough. Doesn’t matter whether you a fresher or experienced, the following pointers from my experience would help you take right career decisions:

First of all, please don’t get lured by the following baits and this would be the first bad move towards a bad career decision:
1. Fancy Designations
2. Fat Packages
3. Luxury in Office

Let’s see one by one:
Fancy Designations: ‘What you are being called as’ is nothing compared to ‘What you do, What value you add to the organization and gain for yourself. ‘I know few of my friends in designation of ‘Director’& doing a city level role. I think that tells you the story, there are so many diluted roles sugar coated with fancy designations, please don’t fall for it. Diluted roles will make you a lazy sack and would make you unworthy to take new challenges in a year!
2. Fat Packages: Money is good, Fat packages are great. But if the package is much higher than the market standard, probe it. Since majority of the cases jobs with fat packages much higher than the market standard would be from an organization where job security is low, the organization is not well known yet but funded well.
3. Luxury in Office: Office is to work and not to Live; No offence to a great office, even I would love to be in a great office but let that not shadow the actual portfolio of the role which would keep you engaged at work and keep you satisfied. Think of a bad role on hand, you feel you are left out, do you think Office Luxury would console you? No way!

To make it crystal clear, I don’t discourage considering the above at your new job but let that not be the sole criteria on the decision making.

Then, what should be the decision making criteria? I consider the following 3 as the key criteria in career move!

1. Well Written JD: Don’t even attempt an interview for a role with no JD. Let there be tons of excuses from your hiring manager but I strongly suggest a ‘No Go’. Do you think a Manager who doesn’t have 10 Minutes to write a JD for a crucial hire, would spend quality time with you after you have joined? I don’t think so.

2. Hierarchy: Not just your role, but also understand how you fit in the organization. Know about your direct reports, your peers, your boss’s role and the hierarchy till the top. The reason is, when you do this you exactly understand your role and not just that, you can even understand how your growth path would be.

3. Discussion with Hiring Manager: Last but a very crucial one – Never take up a job without having a discussion with your hiring manager i.e., your To-Be Boss. Make sure you sort out all your clarifications and ensure you both are on the same page. This could easily avoid any confusions after you join the organization.

I’m sure these are helpful, feel free to write to me on any clarifications. Have a great career. All the best!