A RoadMap to the Less Trodden Path

Dear Nikesh et al

At the risk of being perceived as a preacher, which I try not to be, would like to extend a few practitioner's suggestions to you.

After five Years since I passed out of IRMA and four trial and errors, I can say some things safely for sure....

You priorities are going to change with each coming year. From LEARNING to EARNING, from CREATIVITY to STABILITY etc etc. But the best way to choose the "path" is

1. Ask yourself what interests you and why?? It might be an interest towards some cause like Education , Environment or your interest in a particular sub-sector like Microfinance, Microenterprise development, Cooperative action (as taught in IRMA), Banking, Insurance, Agri-Business etc.
2. Ask yourself what level you want to work at in terms of expanse and scale of activity. (Remember your on-job freedom flexibility, rates of success or depth of learning would be a direct function of this).
3. Identify your own personality - Do you want more of structure/systems or more of risk/freedom with decision making?? Larger organisation offer you the former while the minds with an entrepreneurial bent can prefer the latter.
4. Think of the end-output that you expect from your career/chosen field.

By the time you answer these you would have found the list of organisations of your choice....

Follow two basic criteria for at least the initial period of uncertainty/Confusion to choose amongst these....

1. Choose an Ethical Organisation - Nothing can put you off your field of interest more then a disillusionment/difference between the stated and actual objectives.
2. Choose a Democratic and Value Driven Organisation - You would always feel in safe hands. If not mentoring, it is the accumulated body of knowledge that is the most sure-shot way of avoiding a repeat of past mistakes.

Boil down to your preferred geographical area and salary expectations to zero in on the Chosen One. Please don't make these the initial considerations...

Remember you are not going to work for 3 years but 30 years and nobody has seen a Software Engineer's or an IRMAN's full life cycle !!!! So you can plan only as much.......

Sorry for the longish mail but hope it helps calm troubled minds !!!

Regards

Vivek