It is quite natural for any young person to go through a series of dilemmas about their career. Shiv Shivakumar, Group Executive President - Strategy and Business Development, Aditya Birla Group addressed a few of them while talking to the students of Great Lakes Institute of Management virtually.
Shivakumar also spoke about his new book Right Choice: Resolving 10 Career Dilemmas. While the original plan was to address 15 dilemmas, he said that he had to trim it down to 10. The book contains interviews and stories of 24 people whom he has met at different points in life.
"Careers were managed de facto previously. However, today, you have to actively manage your career," he said, reminding the students that, "The lifespan of companies has lessened but the lifespan of humans has increased." Professing a life mantra, he told them that while money doesn't buy love and happiness, it definitely is an antidote to some sorrows in life. He added, "However, earning a lot of money doesn't mean that you're good at what you do. It is not the most important variable. While choosing your career, do not only look at what the company is paying"
At the same time, he asked the students to join a company that fosters a good work culture and strong values." Also, be extremely skillful and digitally fluid," he says. Shivakumar also said that one must quit frequent job-hopping and resort to sticking to a job for at least three to five years. "Job hopping may give you a high salary, but you won't learn anything. Unless the job culture is bad, stay in a company for three to five years," he said. He also asked the young people to work hard and to not look at their peers as competitors. "Hard work never killed anyone," he says.
Wrapping up the talk, he reminded the students to build good emotional support, stick to a healthy lifestyle, have mental energy and stamina and stay relevant.
