Five ways to build a rewarding career

Oct 04, 2017, 11.10 AM IST

Discovering one's true potential

A rewarding career might mean different things to different people. However, any career becomes truly meaningful when it includes an amalgamation of different gratifying experiences. One should be able to learn, share, contribute and discover one's true potential. Brinda Dasgupta brings you tips from the experts on how to build a meaningful and rewarding career.

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Have a hunger

There needs to be a constant enthusiasm and hunger to learn, unlearn and innovate. "You should be fearless in the pursuit of excellence and making a difference," says Jagjit Singh, chief people officer, PwC India. It is crucial to soak up as much knowledge as possible and apply it in your line of work.

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Communication

An ability to work with diverse groups and respect divergent views is important. "Effective communication and influencing skills, handling ambiguity, managing diversity and leading multi-generational teams ­ these are the qualities that tomorrow's employers will look for," says PwC's Singh. Being able to communicate effectively is half the battle won.

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Feedback

Be sure to regularly engage with your manager and proactively ask for feedback. "Conversations with your manager can revolve around what capabilities you have, how the world of work is changing and whether or not your career goals are realistic. You also need to ask how you can accelerate your learning," says Vipul Singh, head of HR, CSR and communications, ADP.

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Company help

Everyone has different aspirations and it's important to keep the organisation in the loop via your people manager and your career coach, if any. "Be sure to speak to senior leaders on learning opportunities that are available, and take the help of mentors to action feedback-based improvements," says PwC's Singh. You can also ask for options to work on different assignments, products, geographies or clients. These will help give you a professional edge.

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Think long term

While it is a good idea to experiment on choices to formulate a direction for your career, it's also equally important to see those choices through and consider what they mean in the long term. "It's not just about the next job, it's about the whole of your career, so it is crucial to have patience and take a holistic view of what each decision could mean," says ADP's Singh.