Alibaba follows a 996 work policy. Does that scare you? But if you are enjoying what you love – your dream job, then will the timings matter?  If you ask me, I am happy to work six days or even seven days a week, if it is the kind of work I love to do. I will derive happiness out of that job, and in return that will increase my wealth. Pretty simple, isn’t it? But there is one disclaimer to this, and that is, ‘Is this your dream job and are you valued?’

A corporate job is different for different people. But it is mostly about being at the right place at the right time. The learning curve that you see in yourself matters the most, not what others tell you. Let’s talk about some real deals to lead a corporate life and most importantly a successful one.

Think hard on what you want to do

Loose ends of even a skirt, makes it look less fashionable and rather dilapidated. Don’t make yourself look dilapidated or untidy by not knowing how to fix your loose ends. Exposing your uncertainty is the worst thing to do if you want to make a steep curve when it comes to a successful career. Be sure and be most certain in where your interests lie. If you are not sure, try hands-on different roles. Shuffle and re-shuffle to understand what’s better for you.

Networking and talking to people

The best thing one can do when stuck somewhere is networking. Talk and connect for more opportunities. Following from when you decide what you want to do, try to structure a plan around your goal to get that job. Several connections, many phone calls and a number of meetings and a plethora of many things will be needed to land with the desirable role. Hence, the least you can do here is be an introvert. So go out and network. Connections are needed if you want to survive in the job world.

Don’t be drunk in knowledge, be sound!

Unlike most people think that you need to be very knowledgeable in almost every nook and corner to secure a dream job, I disagree. It is not needed to know everything, but mostly the basics and about the role functions that you want to work for. Interviewers are generally sound in their own profile and hence they initiate discussions around the same scenarios. So, you should read and understand the job description very clearly to prepare accordingly for the interviews.

Resume it!

The only way to leave the first impression in a job interview is to present yourself highly and clearly. Your resume speaks for yourself, and you should know it very well. It is easy to build a strong resume, but you need to be able to explain it very well. The interviewer judges you first from what you are speaking and how well versed you are. DO NOT LIE or MAKE UP ANYTHING in your resume, because a small hint that you are not very well aware of the subject matter may irk the interviewer to grill you more on that topic and rather than taking charge of the interview, it might go completely sideways, ruining your chance to secure the job.

Value-A-ton!

Valuing and being valued is very important when you are working in a corporate. Landing in a dream company or a dream job doesn’t mean that you are happy if the team or the manager you work with do not value you and your work. So, keep in mind that you cannot pre-judge that, but little due-diligence is no harm. Try to research a little about the interviewers who you interviewed with so that you can check their profiles on social media. If you can get some offline contacts who tell you about them, then nothing can be better than that. This is because, there will be a higher chance of the interviewers to be your team members, rather than people who haven’t interviewed you at all.

Be the monk, but keep your eyes open

Finally, patience is the key to land the role you were searching for. Generally, when people desire for a complete role switch, they tend to get highly impatient after three or four failed job search attempts. For some, they are unable to crack interviews, for some, their profile doesn’t get shortlisted and for others, they are not getting enough calls. In this situation, rather than losing it, be calm and patient. But that doesn’t mean you should sit idle and literally take the monk phrase seriously. But keep an eye on any job opportunities you come through. Look out, network and apply – never turn away from these thumb rules, if you want to secure the desired job and not lose your sanity.

Having said all these, the road to redemption to happiness is not easy. And when it comes to career and job, everyone is restless. Sometimes we question our own abilities when we are not able to crack one interview, and that lowers our self-confidence. Never belittle yourself. Take notes from the failure, and prepare yourself better in the area that you failed. Keep your basics strong, and be up to date with the market and the latest happenings around the world. Remember, a human mind is always curious, and let’s intend to keep it that way.