6 Career Advice from an HR to Young Aspiring Professionals

I’m Megha Saluja, an HR professional, avid reader, animal lover, and baker who is enthusiastic about assisting people in being #CareeReady and providing them with practical answers to a variety of issues.

My profession allows me ample opportunities to interact with Gen Z, a generation of young people poised to change the nation. I have met several young minds – students highly focused on what they want to do and clear about their goals, and those who are clueless about what they want. These individuals haven’t explored and questioned themselves enough.

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Mind you; there is nothing wrong with being clueless about a situation; the problem begins when you do nothing about it.

A couple of months ago, I was on a panel for selecting students for my alma mater. About 20 students were being interviewed. Some didn’t know why they wanted to pursue an MBA. All they dreamt of was, to begin with, a yearly package of INR 8 – 9 lakh armed with their MBA degrees.

The root of this problem is that when people choose a degree, they choose a profession, not a career. Additionally, our institutions don’t groom well-adjusted individuals who will contribute to society in the near future. This creates a gap between perception and reality.

It got me thinking, as an MBA student and resource professional, how I could contribute and help change this situation. If each of us, as professionals, can pledge to support students from our alma maters, I think we will notice a positive change. Rather than conducting seminars around bridging the gap, let’s take a step in a way that students feel empowered with knowledge.

These young professionals can then be quickly absorbed into the ecosystem because their mentors are people from the industry itself. They would not merely be equipped with theoretical concepts, but they will be more aware of what it takes to work in a professional set-up.

Here are a Few Tips I Would Like to Offer to Young Aspiring Professionals

Take Interviews Seriously

I’ve encountered candidates who seemed rather callous at interviews. They don’t carry their CVs. They don’t know the core business of the company they have applied to. How does one add value to an organisation? Students need to be proactive and do their homework well. They should bring energy and passion to the interview and ask questions as it gives gives them the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for them, but they should also not overstep their role as a job seeker.

Whether you get selected or not, you will surely leave your mark.

Be Thorough About Your CV

Proofread your CV and take care of fonts, alignments, etc. Don’t overdo it and be honest. From your hobbies to your internships, don’t be clueless about what your CV says about you. Edit out the unnecessary details so that employers can quickly and easily learn what they need to know about you.

Being a fresher, the points you mention are the only things for the interviewer to know about you.

Be Honest

There is no harm in saying “Sorry, I don’t know” instead of beating around the bush. This can make your interviewer grill you even more and put you in a tighter spot.

Talk to Your Seniors

Your seniors can offer you good advice. Instead of asking for leads on LinkedIn, ask what you can do differently. They will assist you in gaining insights that will help you manage your professional potential more effectively. As they are in the industry, they can tell you what you should or shouldn’t do.

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Invest in Yourself

This is one of the most crucial points. Only you can help yourself. Meet and talk to as many people as you can and, but at the end of the day, do something that adds value. It could be reading books, playing a sport, watching videos or taking up a hobby that adds to your list of talents.

Frame Emails Well

Sounds trivial? Trust me, it’s important. It can be difficult for a fresher to draft an email. I faced the same problem when I began my career. You need to get this right. Your mail will set the tone of conversation and professionalism. You won’t get too many responses if you draft informal, casual or grammatically incorrect emails.

Please add more content to each point and keep all subtopics of similar length to maintain consistency. 

I do hope this helps you understand what an HR professional seeks while recruiting for their company. Happy reading and growing!

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