In order to climb the success ladder, one needs to understand the importance of setting goals and being a true professional.
Some essentials that can lead you to the right path.

The only successful beings in any field, including living itself, are those who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves and ‘are’ professionals.
- L Ron Hubbard

In simple words, the above quote would mean ‘to be successful, it’s important to be professional’. So what is professionalism? How does one become a professional? Is it some rocket science? Can one find the answer to these questions in some fat book that speaks about imbibing such skills? Certainly not! Being a professional means conducting yourself appropriately in a corporate set-up. It is a passive force that keeps you in the limelight.
For e.g., let’s consider this example shared by Jasmeet, an erstwhile telesales executive. She says, “For a particular member of our team, the steep daily targets were a cakewalk, unlike all others who barely could make a mark. It is not like no one tried, but she had a professional vision and lot of focus that helped her achieve what others could not.”

So what are the characteristics that define a professional? And most importantly, how do you go about achieving them or identifying which one you need the most? The answer to this is subjective and depends on the individual’s requirements. While some may vote for multi-tasking, others may believe in setting realistic goals. “Adding value to yourself is the cornerstone to achieving success,” opines Shruti, an executive with an online job portal. According to her, what matters the most when it comes to important career needs is the emotional strength of an employee to take both highs and lows in their stride. Arijit Dutta, a research analyst with a biotech firm, believes that understanding one’s profession thoroughly is the most important aspect. He goes on to say, “If you are clear about what you are supposed to do, setting goals and achieving them becomes a lot easier. However, that should not deter you from knowing the overall picture.”

Here are a few essential career needs that have bagged the maximum votes:

Knowing Your Profession
Know your profession inside out. You must know the technical details along with the bigger picture and future directions of your field. Keeping yourself updated with the latest developments is a must in order to do well in your chosen field. As Dutta rightly points out, “You should aspire to become an expert in your field, and that itself, will be highly regarded, as well as intrinsically advance your career goal because you will know your trade better than most other people.”

Self Study

There is no denying the fact that self-learning is of utmost importance if you want your career to head in a positive direction. Ask yourself - what have you done to continue learning and improving your skill sets? “Learnings that come out of the trial and error method remain with you forever and nothing can substitute self learning,” avers Divya Singh, a media executive.

Multi-Tasking & Time Management
Employers today want employees who can work on multiple tasks and deliver on time, thus stressing on the importance of multi-tasking and time management. Here are few pointers that may help you develop these important skills:

• Write down your tasks and prioritise them. Think of the most effective ways of achieving the desired results.
• Write down appointments, classes and meetings in a chronological log book or chart.
• If you are more visual, sketch out your schedule. Make it a routine to check the schedule every morning.
• Use a monthly chart so that you can plan ahead. Long term planners can serve as an effective tool for managing your schedule.

Set Realistic Goals
While setting goals for yourself, be realistic and ask yourself if they are conducive and achievable. After all, just putting your plans on a paper, and not materialising them are of no use. First, identify your long-term goals. Then break them down into short-term and intermediate goals that will help you achieve them with ease.

Self-Motivating
Being self-motivated on a job is a challenge, as it does not come easily due to distractions that crowd the thought process which can stem from job stress, familial problems, health issues, etc. According to Malini Shah, senior counsellor, Avishkar Centre, “Self motivation can be classified into two parts: ability and feelings. While ‘ability’ implies the confidence you have in yourself, ‘feelings’ is all about how you see yourself.” Looking down at oneself and feeling helpless can only lead to destruction. “It is important to be surrounded by a positive vibe and not suppress your feelings,” advises renowned psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chabbria.

Being Focused
Handling distractions comes with practice. Keep identifying what hinders your focus at work and experiment with ways of overcoming them. Remember, although you may seek guidance, only you can discover what you need to do. What works for one individual, may not be as effective for the other.

Sportsman Spirit
The courage to handle criticism and the desire to excel should be a part of the daily work culture. Also with the nature of work activity getting increasingly integrated, employees are required to work in close synergy with teams that can be very disparate. All this requires egos to be kept at bay.

Having A Vision
Having a vision helps you navigate through a lot of corporate hurdles. If your company has a vision statement, follow it. As an employee you should understand the importance of this vision and embrace it as your own. The vision is your yardstick for success, a target for focus and a horizon for purpose.

Being Organized
Last but not the least, being organized at work pays rich dividends. It saves your time and prevents stress and helps you accomplish more tasks within a less time span. Try to make your work environment clutter free and never waste time on trivialities.

Parting Shot
Identifying your career needs may not be as difficult as you imagine. If you simply take the time to contemplate your career decisions and your goals, the answer may very well present itself to you.
It’s advisable to have a shortterm and long-term plan, which takes account of your career needs within the next five years and thereafter in the long run as well. This plan should be reviewed periodically to incorporate new itineraries regarding your job and your personal circumstances. Remember ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’.

Professional v/s Amateur
The importance of professionalism cannot be overlooked, as it is one of the important keys to success. The way you conduct yourself determines whether you are a professional or an amateur.Today, the corporate world has adapted a relaxed and casual work culture. This has led to the misconception that amateur work is acceptable and thus many businesses accept mediocre results. However, all organisations emphasise on the importance of professionalism, which plays a key role in the company’s growth as well. Herein we try to give you a clear picture of the essentials of professionalism:

• A professional tries to learn every aspect of the job.
• An amateur skips the learning process whenever possible.
• A professional carefully discovers what is needed.
• An amateur assumes what others need.
• A professional looks, speaks and dresses appropriately.
• An amateur is sloppy in appearance and speech.
• A professional keeps his or her work area clean and orderly.
• An amateur has a messy workstation.
• A professional is focused and clear-headed.
• An amateur is confused and distracted.
• A professional does not let mistakes slide by.
• An amateur ignores or hides mistakes.
• A professional jumps into difficult assignments.
• An amateur tries to get out of difficult work.
• A professional completes projects as soon as possible.
• An amateur is surrounded by piles of pending work.
• A professional remains level-headed and optimistic.
• An amateur gets upset and assumes the worst.
• A professional handles money and accounts very carefully.
• An amateur is poor at handling money or accounts.
• A professional often extends help to colleagues, who may be stuck with a problem
• An amateur prefers to avoid others’ problems.
• A professional uses higher emotional tones: enthusiasm, cheerfulness, interest, contentment.
• An amateur uses lower emotional tones: anger, hostility, resentment, fear, victimisation.
• A professional persists until the objective is achieved.
• An amateur gives up at the first opportunity.
• A professional produces more than expected.
• An amateur produces just enough to get by.
• A professional ensures that the quality of work meets the set standards.
• An amateur produces a medium or even low quality product or service.

Courtesy: The Times Of India