There is much of ‘WE’ everywhere. Steadily, the people around are forgetting that even in WE, ‘I’ plays a prominent role. Without ‘I’, the meaning and significance of the word WE completely change.
Ankur is a student of management studies, who had completed his B. Tech (CS). He is an average student, belonging to a middle-class family; his reason behind pursuing higher studies was to get placed in a well-established organization, which he had said in the very first day of joining the institute in front of all his batch mates, as stated very proudly by him.
In due course of time, he created a group of the students who were either having the similar attitude like him or were forced to approach higher studies so that they can secure their future by getting placed in good organizations. The group members always dream big. Ankur, being the leader is their motivator, and they blindly follow him.
He has the habit of chewing tobacco. He thinks, being a matured person, he knows what he should do and should not when asked by others to quit chewing. Well, according to him, he does what he likes.
The year passes by; he hardly shows any interest towards the development of his skills. With the kind of knowledge that he has, he may find it difficult to compete with his fellow students. He knew this fact but was busy in the blame game and never paid attention to his sessions or curriculum.
In the final year, he had attempted 42 interviews and was rejected all the time. The interviewers in their feedback advised him to improve his communication skills, negotiation skills and knowledge skills.
Ultimately, he met me in December 2017 while I was travelling from Patna to Hyderabad. While interacting with him, I realized that he seldom analyzed his conversation. In the complete journey of 39 hours, he was fully occupied with negative thoughts and believed in reducing the stress by blaming others. He started by blaming the people of Bihar, then he blamed his friends who had ruined his career by spending time in all sort of worthless activities, ultimately blamed God for giving him birth in a middle-class family.
At Hyderabad, he was called to appear for an interview process at one of the IT Solution companies. I realized that Ankur needs someone like me who can guide him correctly. I said to him without condemning his thoughts that what he said was right, everything around us is not certainly the best but one thing that surprised me was his honesty. He admitted and accepted his failure and knows his loopholes. At the same time, it was painful to know that he never paid any attention towards the development of his skills.
Well, I told him to send three hours with me, if he wishes to prepare and then go ahead to appear for the interview. Initially, he pretended that he has prepared himself and may not require any assistance of mine but I don’t know what stuck him, he agreed.
In my second meeting, few tips of the interview were shared with him. I focused on his preparation towards the kind of job he has applied for, the need of the organization, his concepts related to IT and its marketing, basic questions that are generally asked in the interview. Well, it took me six hours to just guide him and to put correct elevator’s pitch in my mouth.
I advised him to believe in self. I took time to tell him that in the complete story of the blame game, the real culprit is he, not the friends, not the society, not the family or God. I told him to judge and find out what are his real strengths and do work on weaknesses. On listening to my words, he said that he was asked to do these during his graduation as well as post-graduation. I admitted and said that the things told to him was not new.
What is driving the youth like him on the wrong track is their lack of interest in self-assessment and self-improvement. They can spend hours in blaming but can’t take an hour time to count their own areas of development.
I don’t know the result of Ankur’s interview. Nor I do have any contact number. But one thing I am very sure of is students like Ankur after reading this post will realize that they will get nothing by not doing things aptly at the right time. They will have to repent later which can be more painful in their future.
Students or aspirants, who wish to join good organizations, remember:
1. Do work on communication skills
2. Get rid of the habit of procrastination
3. Believe in self and stop blame game
4. Time that passes never returns
5. Set your goal and be focused
Career Advisors like me are many in the number who are always willing to help students like Ankur but how many of the students adhere to what is advised and wish to bring positive change.
