Look in to find the secret sauce to do incredibly well in the corporate world :)

1. HOW TO DO WELL IN THE CORPORATE WORLD :
https://careertalkacademy.com/
Most of the corporate world is designed for mass
employment, putting people through a regimented process,
expecting them to follow orders, make the least noise, show
up, work, go back home to come back again.
It is NOT designed for the exceptional few.
(Share on X)
The ones who want to make a difference, the ones who care,
and the ones who see their work as an extension of their
expression.
So if you are good, hunt down organizations whose culture
nurtures your kind.
Never give up on who you are, least of all for an organization.
Do not let the world change what is good for you.
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al+with+bad+boss+anand

2. If you have an overseas customer, you will have to align with
their time zone.
So stay flexible as needed and how much can you stretch to
prove that you are better than most people out there.
Even the shopkeepers work for 12 hours a day.
1.Learn to document your achievements(last week/month)
your skills,strengths and failures which will help you reflect
and help in your resume.Take customer feedback.
2.Understand your company's/client business model.(How it
makes money/profit)...website and understand how your
project is contributing to company's business.
3.Never ignore industry trends.Understand current and
future trends.Be aware, read, Gartner,Mckinsey,Bain and
company.
4.Knowing a lot of skills and having an in - depth knowledge
of one or two skills(T-shaped)
5.Learn to manage your seniors in terms of what they
need/expectations.
6.Build a personal brand over a period of time(the actions
you take) of how you present yourself, how you talk in e-

3. mails, how you respond to certain queries(image/perception
of you in minds of other people)
7.Don't assume that the boss will promote you, most people
don't get promoted unless they ask for it(push for it) 9 out 10
times you will need to follow - up relentlessly.Make it very
clear to your manager of your expectations.
8.Relationships and rapport with the right people is
absolutely important.(Decision makers/Influencers) helps you
grab right opportunities at the right time.
Contribute for initiatives, participate in things important for
your boss or management even if that is not part of your
duty, organise certain events.
9.Choose the right battles.(not every battle is worth your
time and attention) understanding when to push back and
not to/take a step back/say no/when to say yes.
10.Ask the right question to the right people at the right time
in the right way without offending the people.(Do not
hesitate to ask questions) so as to attain deep understanding.
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Be on time and respect and value each other's time.
Always greet everyone around you.
Follow basic manners.

4. Say the magic words like THANK YOU and PLEASE very
often.(Be courteous)
Respect shared spaces(don't keep your place messy and don't
talk too loud and don't eat there and don't carry smelly food)
Steer away from personal conversations and do not feel that
everyone should think like you because everyone is
different.(Keep an open mind).Stick to the topic related to
your work.
Do not be aggressive or rude about a topic/your opinion.
Food good habits.
Dress sharply/appropriately/find comfortable/what's best for
you.
Come to meetings well prepared in advance, listen to what
others have to say...do not be strongly opinionated...think
about the questions you will ask in the meeting, carry
notebook and a pen and put your phone on silent.
Avoid negativity(don't gossip about others) you do not want
to come across as rude/insensitive to other people's
feelings/opinions or personal life.
How you treat others says a lot about you.
We cannot control how others behave, we can only control
how we behave or react to situations...treat others the way
you want to be treated...keep your office interactions as
positive as you can.

5. COUNTER OFFER FROM ANOTHER COMPANY(MORE MONEY)
VS YOUR CURRENT JOB :
Always know your why!
The 'Why' may be :
Money
Work Life Balance
Client is aggressive
Team members are not supportive
Boss is troubling
Working hours
Job Satisfaction
Keeping all of these things in mind, decide whether you want
to stay or quit.
Do not forget your other problems over money
Always keep your resume and linked in profile updated
because you never know when an great opportunity may
come by or because of layoff's.

6. Appear for interviews even though you are not looking for a
job change...just to know whether your skill set is in demand,
what is the process/questions, whether you are getting
enough calls or not.
Be active on linked in.(Express yourself/New
certification/training/take initiative) Post it
Every week write something related to audit/fm that adds
value.Be consistent.
NEED TO INCULCATE :
Be calm in the stressful situations.
Control/Regulate your emotions.
Understand your emotions well, careful evaluation of your
own self and then regulate.
Develop an ability to think forward and think big by staying
emotionally intelligent.
Need strategic thinking(look at bigger picture) and eye for
detail.
Cool and calm attitude.
Resilience is your ability to move forward against all
odds.(Keep trying)

7. Adaptability to feedback, be open for accepting
feedback(Learn and improve from that)
Managerial skills ability to influence/persuade.
FINANCE STUFF TO REMEMBER :
Make a budget
Do not live beyond your means, buy something you cannot
afford
Do not ignore debt.(Pay it off quickly/as soon as possible)
Plan for emergencies(6 months of living expenses)
Plan for retirement
Not investing your money appropriately
Invest in personal development(certification/higher
education)
Have the right insurance
Create more than one source of income
Plan your tax well
Negotiate better salaries
Understand inflation
NEW JOB :

8. Clarify your role/responsibility and ask what expectations
does your reporting manager have of you?
Ask about the training plan?
Who to reach out to for asking questions?
Call out if there are gaps in training(informal input), if you
don't it will back fire on you.Do not write an e-mail.
Learn about business,people,process,domain and technology.
Do not offend existing senior people, be cautious and smart.
Focus on good rapport with senior people.
JOB TIMINGS :
Hardly any 9-5 job in the corporate world.
Corporates will try to squeeze you as a lemon and take out as
much juice out of you as possible.(no matter how much they
pay you, they want the maximum output from you)

9. Sooner we accept this reality, the better it is.
Battle for salary,power,position is cut throat.
You will be beaten by colleagues who are ready to stretch
beyond 9 to 5.(they will get the attention,visibility,promotion)
Participate in extra activities/initiatives.(extra things and
hours)
The workload may vary from day to day.
People who can speak well on a variety of topics have an
natural advantage.
Your ability to express yourself/share
thoughts/opinions/ideas/ask questions on a day-to-basis
actually becomes a very important skill for seniors to
promote you into leadership role.
If you don't you may get branded as a person who doesn't
speak much or can't speak.
Jo dikhta hai vo bikta hai, you can't be visible if you are silent.
Your presence must be felt.
Fine to stay silent for first few years.

10. Do not stay in your comfort zone as in :
Look in the market for new opportunities
No initiative
No networking
Relaxed attitude
Be prepared for a layoff and have an idea of what you can do
next
Comfort zone is the best time to work on yourself.Take out
some time to learn/do some new trainings on your own/self
reflect,invest time/money/efforts on learning new
skills.Socialise with people online/offline.Take the right
actions.
If you are prepared, there will be struggle, but you will be
able to win sooner.
OFFICE POLITICS :
They will not share the right information with you at the right
time.

11. They take a lot of information from you but don't tell you
where and how it is being used.
The people who steal your credit.
Observe a pattern who is repeatedly doing the above things.
Report it to the supervisor or HR, don't use the word
"politics" instead share concrete examples.
Stay connected informally with people in your
organisation.(build trust and comfort)
Genuinely care for people and try to help them.
Talk to people on the phone every week as they might reveal
information.
Stay away from gossips and controversies.Do not share your
opinions/views about it in public because you don't know
how others are going to share that information forward.
Be aware of your competition.(who can get promoted as you)
7 STEP FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS :
0-3 years experience :
Focus on gaining industry knowledge/skill
development/diverse experiences/creating
network/understanding work culture/seeking mentorship.

12. 4-6 years experience :
Expert/Specialise in one or two areas/take more
responsibility/advanced training/pursue your interests
7-10 years experience :
Concentrate on learning leadership and influencing skills, lead
some small projects/teams, mentor junior people.
11-15 years experience :
Creating Impact for your business at an organisation
level,influential/knowledgeable/specialist when it comes to
tech or business
16 - 20 years experience :
Strategic Planning and direction, contribute to innovation and
initiatives.
21 - 25 years experience :

13. Visionary Leadership and Governance/Advisory role/build
next generation your leaders/Public Speaking
25 years - 30 years experience :
Guide Next Gen leaders, share your wisdom and knowledge
with them, mentorship and philanthrophy.
We need to put conscious efforts to overcome the feeling of
self doubt/not being good enough/not trusting ourselves and
our abilities etc.
Think about how you reached here and what do you need to
do to go forward from here.
1)Mistakes are a part of process, understand why you made it
and fix it going forward.
2)Learn to take calculated risks.
3)Seeking feedback/inputs/help for growth.
4)Stressing too much/overthinking/overwork is not going to
be fruitful,prepare properly.

14. Document your positives, maintain a fine balance of self -
worth and competence.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/web-
stories/how-to-be-confident-at-your-first-
job/slideshow/109189718.cms?utm_source=newsletter&utm
_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dailynewsletter&utm_cont
ent=Story1&ncode=3b680c6b7f4a7b3ab6c8e3a460781c21c6
d3ee4a9520cfac8a7b3b2353497b144f98926cd208ae08863aa
61ae0424c64cb69315fbf3d6c5f1d04dfc41ed87ef14261c39c4
2a03e05809c0b87b7c78bf2
OVERCOMING BURNOUT :
REASONS :
MISMATCH IN SKILLS/POOR JOB FIT
OVERBURDENED WITH EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD
LACK OF CONTROL/AUTONOMY/PROPER
TRAINING/INFORMATION
LACK OF SUPPORT - BOSS/TEAM
CONSTANT CHANGE
SOLUTION :

15. PRACTICE SELF - CARE : Focus on your
health/diet/sleep/meditation to keep you calm.
TAKE REGULAR BREAKS : Follow time management
techniques/stay organised/do not work for long hours.
SEEK SUPPORT : Reach out to people who will help you out.
CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES : Help you refresh and concentrate
better.
COMMUNICATE CLEARY : To your management(right people)
about your challenge in the right way.
Don't sit and continue to suffer.
SIDE HUSTLE WORKS WHEN :
You start at the right time.
They are really good at their craft.
They are doing it very professionally and treating it as a full
time.
Only very few people who have taken social media as a side
hustle have been able to make it very big.

16. Your side hustle is a side hustle and your main thing is the
main thing.
Have to give equal attention to work and SH which means
you will have to work extra hours in the evening or in the
weekend's.
Don't be in a hurry to leave your job, as soon as you start
making money on the side.
Side hustles may be unpredictable, but job is of a stable
nature.
Side hustles - Long term
vision/planning/research/energy/right attitude
Teaching - Vedantu
Upwork/Fiverr/Constant Content/Freelancer
Teach English Online
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHJIkHglZ8&list=WL&i
ndex=7
WHY YOU CAN NOT DO WELL IN IT ?

17. 1) Not having the right mentor who can tell you what to do
and what not to do in tricky situations.
2)Not aligning with your management or culture or
leadership or thought process of the company and if you
don't know what is of value to them.
3)Fear of failure where you avoid taking chances and
calculated risks.
4)Inability to handle criticism, not using it as an opportunity
to advance but taking it personally and closing doors on
people and opportunities where you can improve with
feedback.
5)Imposter Syndrome (Not trusting your abilities/Self
Doubt/Lack of confidence)
6)Failure to advocate for oneself as in not knowing how to
talk about their work, how to get visibility, how to ask for
raises/promotions, how to talk about their achievements, not
knowing the fine balance between boasting and advocating
for yourself.

18. 7)Not being a team player where you are not good at
collaborating with other team members.
8)Inability to see the bigger picture like user
experience/business.
9)Resistance to change, not adapting to new
technologies/tools/skillsets
Do not mix emotions with your work, your boss is not your
mother or father, your collegues are not your brothers or
sisters, your company is not your family, after you resign all
these people will vanish.Ask for things when you have to.
If things don't work out, move on and find a new job.
Switch your job when the timing of the market is right when
you are getting nice hikes or have 2-3 offers (market is
good...demand is high and supply is low) and not when things
are the other way round.
No one can answer when the IT market will recover.
MISTAKES TO AVOID DURING LAYOFFS AND DOWN MARKET :

19. Resume not aligned with the job opening, using a generic
resume for all kinds of job. openings is not advisable, tailor
your resume as per the job requirement.
Prepare well for interviews.
Good attitude and good amount of savings for rainy day so
not in panic mode.
Networked heavily on linkedin.
Attended industry events/forums/seminars.
Patience is the key.
We cannot see in a blanket way that the market is bad for
everyone.
Used contacts and influential people from the past.
Don't worry if you fail a few interviews.
Keep floating your resume.
ELIGIBLE FOR RE - HIRE BY COMPANY WHEN :
Follow the company policy, do not violate it.
No misconduct.
Serve the notice period.
Don't breach the contract.
Good performance

20. Current trend is Gen AI and AI and Data Analyst and is a
bubble not going to burst.
If tech does not take away your job then a person who knows
the latest tech may take away your job.
Know these latest tools and technologies of AI relevant for
you etc as it will have a direct impact on your job to survive
and thrive.
How ? Find top 5 AI companies and top 5 product companies
and look for AI related roles and then go to naukri and find
out JD's related to those roles.
Before joining a job ?
They read reviews on Glass Door.
Reach out to current or ex employees on Linked in or Quora.
You need to ask direct questions to the hiring manager at the
time of joining and observe their behaviour and responses
closely for knowing how the job will look like.

21. How does my day to day work life look like?
What are the typical working hours in this project/team?
Do we need to spend time on weekend/holidays for
work/evening/late night?
What kind of training/support he can expect while he joins
the job?
After listening in to answers to the above questions, you will
know/vibe whether this place is right for you or not!
If you are a part of bulk hiring, you cannot figure these things
out.
Map your current skills to future skills, find out how your
current role will change with AI impact.
Please don't provide any fake information because there are
high chances that you will get caught during your background
verification.
http://youtube.com/post/UgkxTPRjHbAUX1Wyr2fVKysWj99z
ata--2iW?si=30pbH9A10eyI-axm

22. Never hide any career gap, if you were not working for a
certain period...disclose that fact and say what you learned
during that period and how you utilised your time.
Do not work on 2 full time jobs as you will get caught using
UAN.
An insecure manager is a manager who is unable to give you
areas of improvement, constructive feedback and at the
same time not promoting you...which is a dead end because
you cannot do anything about it.
Yes, it is definitely worth joining the IT industry even though
the market is very bad...you can make a lot of money, you can
make a good career, it is about trying to get into the right
roles.
The whole negativity is taking effect because people are not
understanding that IT work has changed and evolved in last
few years...like few years ago there used to be a lot of
support and operation related work but now it is getting
reduced due to automation/AI.
If you casual/lazy/want to be in comfort zone/if you are not
ready to learn then IT career is not for you.

23. Be ready to upskill and reskill on the latest tech stack and
work on complex projects.
To survive and grow you need to reinvent yourself every 2-3
years.(doesn't matter what your role is)
There is always a job opening for the right candidate with the
right skillset.
Simple work is getting automated, but complex work require
human intervention.
If you are a fresher, companies will dictate your role based on
business requirements and you won't have an option to
choose.
In your early years, be flexible and be open to learn, don't say
no and don't just work/get confined on a specific thing.Try
out different things and gain new experiences to know what
you're good at even if you feel uncomfortable.Don't shy away
from experimenting.
Realise what you enjoy and what comes naturally to
you.What suits you more.What are you actually interested in.

24. The opportunities you get may not be directly aligned with
your interests.
Once you gain experience, you start to focus on earning more
money and changing jobs.
Sometimes senior people are in a better position to judge
your potential for the next level role.
Chase the right kind of roles and not money.
Many people struggle because they are in roles which they
don't like at all.
Take conscious decisions/calls based on previous experiences
and experimentations.
Don't be an average manager when you can be an excellent
technical profession.
Calling has to come from within and once you are sure about
that then you can courses/certifications to build on your
strength and make your profile strong.

25. You can't grow and survive if you don't put efforts.
Don't do a random course/certification just because your
friend did it, do it because you want to do it, do it because it
suits you and is a part of your career progression plan.
SIGNS OF LAYOFFS : SIGNALS THAT SOMETHING MIGHT GO
WRONG!!!
MICRO : INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
MACRO : COMPANY LEVEL
MACRO : Look/Listen for these signals in quarterly business
reports
Company business performance is not good(on a QOQ basis
profits and revenue going down)
Company has stopped hiring freshers/new people.
No investment happenning in R/D phase.
No discussion happening around expansion of business,
business not growing.
Extra caution around cost cutting.

26. Mergers and acquisitions
Understand what leadership and management people are
trying to say.
When organisation starts talking about restructuring means
they will reduce staff.
MICRO :
Consistent low performance in last 2-3 years and getting bad
appraisals ratings.
If manager is giving you continuous feedback.
If your manager suddenly changes his/her attitude towards
you all of a sudden.
If your manager is ignoring you on purpose or is sidelining
you.
Being assigned unrealisitc targets or goals,push to achieve
too much in too little time.
Within your entity, your department or project is not doing
good.
Note : Loyal employees do not assume that company will not
fire them, in a business there is no such thing as loyal
employee.
Very few people will support you and a lot will question you.

27. When you see these above things, start taking action like
network/send your resume/update linked in profile, start
preparing for 10-15 interviews, learn from the experience of
others.
How I got promoted every 2-3 years ?
Not because I was great at what I did, but because I was keen
to know :
What is this next level role ?
How to get there ?
What do I need to learn ?
What is the current gap that I have ?
What is my boss expecting ?
What is the expectation of the management from somebody
who wants to get promoted ?
My target and goal was very much and my actions were very
much aligned.
So, when opportunity was knocked on my door, my hand was
always raised.

28. Why is my Salary less(half of) compared to my peers ?
They have not changed their job even once in 10-12
years.(they are getting in a comfort zone)
People who are earning twice have switched their jobs.
People who switch job get 30% or 40% hike in that year when
they switched when compared to 2,3,5,8,10,12% who stay in
the same job.
People working in the same company for many years are
missing the boost of 30% or 40% hike for changing
jobs!!!(people who have taken risk and have come out of
their comfort zone)
All of the above points hold true even when there is no
difference in skillset/work experience/aptitude/attitude/role,
everything is same. One earning is X - Same job for long
years, Other earning is 2x - Changing jobs in between.
When hiring from market, the company budget is competitive
when compared to their internal budgets for existing
employees.
Even switching once or twice in 10 years makes a huge
difference.

29. ADVANTAGE OF SWITCHING JOBS :
NEW EXPOSURE
NEW EXPERIENCES
NEW PEOPLE
NEW CLIENTS
NEW TECHNOLOGY
Stepping out of this known space will give you new
opportunities and challenges.
Calculate like that person earning 2x is earning 2x for XYZ
amount of years and assess your opportunity cost.
Have a plan in place and evaluate the pros and cons.
Sometimes you may have reasons beyond money to stick to
the same company like flexibility(WFH) and work life balance.