How to choose 1st job

Finding your first job that matches with your skills and personality is very important. This is because it lays down the foundation of a career path. While the task at hand sounds daunting, by following a few steps, you can find a dream posting that can lead to a satisfying professional life, says Sanjoe Jose

The first break or the first career move is very critical as it can define the path of one’s entire career. The future job prospects are based on the previous job and the skills picked up from it. First time job seekers often tend to make the mistake of taking up the first job they find and later regret it as it doesn’t match up to what they wish to do over a long term. Theories about the job environment learnt in textbooks and the actual professional sphere are very different. Here are a few guidelines that can give one a heads up when scanning the job scenario.

• Match skills and personality to different role one is  evaluating. Don’t be tempted to take up what is on offer simply because it has come on a platter and looks promising on the surface. Do research and explore the position one is being asked to fill. Evaluate if the skills, personality, temperament suit the profile one  will be serving. Ask if you have the physical and mental strength to adhere to the requirements of the job description.
• It is important to decide on your priorities — whether you would like to opt for big corporations that assure you a big brand name and work in a compartmentalised domain or to make a career with relatively small organisations where the opportunities to learn across multiple disciplines is immense. Small organisations are more likely to offer an individual the freedom to create, innovate, nurture and opportunities within the organisation as it evolves.
• There is a natural propensity to get carried away by fancy designations without examining the actual nature of the job. A thorough examination of the role and the growth prospects in the domain are a must before you zero in on a job.
• The first job is always significant as it shapes our first impression about the work sphere we are in and helps us imbibe early lessons of office dynamics, employee relations and the role of top management in the organisation’s growth. One has to learn to eliminate unnecessary distractions like the company of negatively influenced employees and focus on proving one’s worth in the given workplace. This is the place where your theory gets translated into practice and it is upon the individual to try and excel in whatever position he or she is in, without getting bogged down by competition. Your experience at your first job can hone your career ahead in the right direction so it is important to make it worth it as it is the foundation of what the future holds for you.
• Accepting an employment opportunity out of sheer panic or desperation can sometimes lead to a wrong career move. Unfavourable work colleagues or superiors, irrelevant job expectations, dissatisfaction with your growth and an inability to understand your role in the larger scheme of things can often lead you to a dead end with your first job. Don’t get bogged down by the failure. Instead, take learnings out of your job to analyse what went wrong, how you could do things differently the next time and explore further options without limiting yourself by factors like complacency or good salary. Dare to step out of your comfort zone and look for opportunities that do justice to your qualities as a professional.
• The most obvious and easiest way out of a wrong career decision is to quit. This may not always be the best move because the alternative may be unemployment. Though things have changed somewhat, it is still easier to find a job while already employed. However, while too many job changes make a person seem like a job hopper, sometimes it is better to just get out. But before taking the final action, ask yourself a few questions: Is this the only alternativeIJ; What will be the financial impactIJ; How will it look to a future employerIJ

• Just because a job doesn’t seem right now, doesn’t mean the situation can’t be corrected. Objectively look at the reasons the job doesn’t fit in an effort to determine if the situation can be changed.
• If there are other reasons to stay (good learning opportunity, developing new skills), then discuss with the senior management before taking any final action.
• Depending on the individual situation, it may be wise to stay put for other reasons. Before taking any action, see if: There is something to be learnt here. In many instances, an employee leaves due to dissatisfaction without fully exploring the possibility of what they might learn by staying.
• There is a possibility of getting transferred to another position, department or division. If the issue is with co-workers and not the company in general, look into moving away from the problem by taking a transfer to another department or division.
• Before someone leaves a job, it is wise to explore all options and to remember the reason they chose the position in the first place. If those things still exist, then consider working around it. lastly, to prevent problems in the future, be prepared for each interview, asks lots of questions, and don’t take the next job in a hurry without thinking it out.

(The writer is CEO, Talview.com, an online video interview platform)