Want to get Successful in your First Job? Follow the Checklist

If you have been looking to get accepted into a particular company all through college and your dream has finally become a reality, you have to work towards keeping that dream alive. You have to perform well and you have to prove yourself over and over again in this competitive environment. Just follow the checklist below, and you will not have any trouble being a model employee:

1) Be punctual: Stick to office timings, if you want to leave on time, make sure you get to office in time. Be punctual for meetings and do not make anyone wait for you.

2) Stay regular to work: Absenteeism will not reflect well on your performance. Try and stay healthy and avoid taking sick leaves as much as you can. Provide your immediate superior with an advanced notice about your vacation plans so that you can get the leave you want and they can arrange for someone to stand in for you.

3) Complete all assignments before deadline: Stick to your promises. If you have promised to meet a deadline make sure that you complete your task within the time limit. You may have to spend a few sleepless nights, but meet the deadline.

4) Don't be a part of office gossip: Be honest to your work and do not indulge in idle gossip. Try and avoid people who talk about other people behind their back and laugh at other people’s expenses. Try and maintain a professional relationship with everyone.

5) Be ready to accept change: Things are going to change, the professional world is very unlike what you were used to in the more protective environment of college and you have to be ready to accept that.

When you follow the checklist, you will gather the strength to face a number of challenges that have recently started surfacing. However, do not lose faith and have conviction in your capabilities and you will indeed make a fine employee who everyone appreciates.

How to Get the Salary You Want

Let’s face it, when we graduate from college, we are filled with aspirations of getting salary packages that can allow us to live a comfortable life. However there are a few things you should be particular about in terms of the job profile as well. If you are getting the profile you want, the following are the things you should work on in order to get the desired package.

Do a thorough research: It is essential that you speak to people, understand what the industry standard is and depending on your experience understand how much you should ask for.

Be patient: In order to convince the employer that you are worth what you are asking for, you have to convince them that you will add value to the organization. Try and avoid discussing your salary during the initial stages of the recruitment process. Once you have proved your worth, then discuss the salary.

Don’t lie: If you have prior work experience, do not lie about the salary you drew from the previous organization. You may be capable, but if you lie and if you get caught, you may jeopardize your career.

Wait: It is advisable that you lay hard to get if you are not getting the offer you want or one that meets industry standards. Do not accept the first offer, in an objective manner let the prospective employers know that you want more.

Benefits: Do not focus only the take home, make sure your CTC or Cost to Company includes certain benefits as well. Allowances like HRA and medical assistance can help you lead a good life.

Never Let Friends Damage Your Job Search

Your friends may have the best intentions for you and may support you a hundred percent, but when it comes to getting ready for a career that you are interested in, it makes sense not to rely on friends who will be there to support you through thick and thin but know nothing about the career choice you are about to make.

CV Assistance: When applying for a certain type of job you have to tailor make your resume to fit the profile of the job you are applying for. It makes sense to seek the help of people who have some experience in the domain as opposed to asking your friends with no experience with help for your CV.

Take charge: Often, only out of concern your friends may get excited about your interview process and take charge of the process of preparation. Do ensure that you do not let that come in your way of collecting information that is needed to secure the job you have wanted.
Be serious: If you have got an interview call from a company you have been wishing to get into, you cannot afford to take it lightly. You have to be serious and tell your friends that you are preparing for your interview if they seem to be distracting you from achieving your dream job.

As said earlier, your friends may indeed have the best intentions at heart for you, however if they are not streamlined with the career choice you are making, then you may be wasting time and making a few wrong choices. Be sure of what you want, and be sure to accept the right advice.

Perfecting the Art of Group Discussions

In order to master the art of group discussions, you have to first understand, what it is that the panel is looking to get out of this exercise. Once you know what they are looking for you can tailor your behaviour accordingly. The objective of a group discussion is to assess the qualities of leadership, communication skills, creativity, assertiveness, initiative and most of all teamwork.

A few things that you need to work on in order to make your presence felt in a group discussion are detailed below:

a) Awareness: Even before you step into a GD you have to prepare yourself by brushing up on the current affairs in the country and around the world. You cannot anticipate the debate topic that is going to be thrown at you, so you have to have a fair knowledge about everything that is currently happening.

b) Time: Yes, the panel is judging you on initiative and you have an advantage if you start off the group discussion, but make sure you do not come across as someone who does not know what they are talking about simply because you want to start, take time, put your thoughts together and then chip in.

c) Lead the team: The panel is looking for leadership qualities, so most people in the group discussion will try and lead the team. You have to maintain balance, by being assertive and steering the discussion in a meaningful direction.

d) Agitation: Do not raise your voice, there will be a lot of noise around you as people will want to be heard, however, make sure you do not add to the commotion, but work towards making your team mates discuss the matter in a civilized manner.

e)  Body Language: Do not get carried away with the topic of discussion and forget your etiquette. Maintain good posture and do not slouch or raise your finger towards another person. Also focus on the people around you and do not look at the panel.

f) Conclusion: Remember that you have a set time limit to arrive at a conclusion and hence you should make an effort to make a list of points as to the conclusions of your debate at least a minute before you are supposed to end the debate. Structure your thoughts and make sure your conclusion includes every ones viewpoint.

Think Twice Before you Hunt for a Job

While some people get overly paranoid about finding a job once they graduate from college, there are others who are laid back and will only start the process of looking for a job once they are back from their planned vacation after they graduate. It is actually important not to be too laid back and not to get too excited when it comes to job hunting.

There is a right time for everything and even when it comes to looking for a job you need to strategically plan your moves. Ideally when you are just about to graduate your placement committee will help you participate in a number of job interviews and discussions, depending of course upon which companies pick you for the process.

Do not start applying for jobs independently mid-year if you have a dedicated placement team working as well. Wait, be patient, you can discuss your plans with the placement committee and let them know what you wish to pursue. However, once you have, just wait and be patient.

If you do not get selected after a round of interviews through college, you can always choose to take on a job as a volunteer with a small company to gain some experience and put it on your CV. Koozba has a number of listings for job opportunities all through the year and you can easily start hunting for a job when you have a CV you can be proud of.

What Should be Your Choice: Fat Salary or Fitter Job?

More often than not students and fresh graduates are swayed away with the promise of hefty packages. However what most people do not realise is that there is no scope of growth and often one may start with a hefty package but in terms of growth and in terms of adding value to one’s set of skills nothing will be achieved. 

 

Comparison: When you are offered a job you need to understand what you are capable of, do not sell yourself shot and take up a job that will offer you the money at the start but will not offer you scope for growth. Compare the offer with the job profile. And only if it makes you happy and you can see a bright future and potential for honing your skills take it up.

Starting salary: If you are a fresher with no prior work experience you must understand that companies often have slabs for people who are freshers and those who have work experience. At the start of your career your salary will be low but if you have potential and you prove your mettle, there is no limit to which you can grow.

Picking the right job is very important; you do not want to be stuck with a job that offers you money but no job satisfaction. A number of people in our country suffer because they do not achieve growth in their careers simply because they made one small mistake at the beginning. So be careful and only pick a job if it offers you scope for growth.