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Being a Good Human Being

Being a good human being really should be a given. We know however, from our interactions and daily lives that not only those around us but personally too fail often at being good human beings. It is important to keep trying – being a good human being leaves you with a soft warm feeling, keeps you at peace and cultivates feelings of harmony with those around us. Personally I believe this feeling is really worth sustaining. What in your opinion are the traits of a good human being? From my perspective someone who is there in times of need for others, treats everyone with respect irrespective of status, has and upholds values, makes others feel valued, is true and honest regardless of the outcome and remains positive through the worst of times is a good human being.

It is often said that being good or not so is inherent – something you get from your parents – I disagree – being a good human being is a choice. You can either choose to have the mentioned traits or be the opposite – it all depends on an individual. My take on a good human being is:

– Someone who has the ability to care about other people – genuinely care without expectation of reward and benefit. My belief is that doing at least one good act a day not only enriches someone else’ life, but also gives you a sense of calm satisfaction and lets you sleep better at night. If you can change someone’s unhappiness to joy and alleviate their discomfort, you know that you are being a good human being. This however, must be consistent and not when the ‘mood’ to be nice strikes and neither must doing good be subject to religious reasons either.

– There is an old saying – “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for life”. A good human being will help and energize others effectively, making them self-sufficient and reliant on their own capabilities. They will help those who falter and be the strength of those weaker than them. A good human being, will empower another and stand back to allow the person to get the credit and praise for a job well done. This is actually easier said than done and most people are unwilling to share credit even with people they know well, let alone do so for strangers or acquaintances. Being a good human being means that you actually take the time to bestow kindness and interest on another human being and in turn are happy for the peace and satisfaction this brings you.

– A good human being is genuine in praise and appreciation. They are always the first to shake the hand or pat the back for someone who has worked hard and has earned the accolades. Every human craves appreciation, acknowledgement and admiration and those who are able to satisfy this need for others, are truly good human beings. The fact is that good begets good (though some may argue that in the current day and age, this is not always true) and one must strive to do whatever possible to show appreciation of those they associate with.

– A good human being is quick to understand and accept their mistakes and shortcomings. They will apologize without explanations when they have hurt someone and genuinely resolve to be more careful in the future. It is a pleasure to be associated with such people as their positivity is infectious and uplifting.

Another popular saying mentions that “one day you’ll be just a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one”. Strive to be known and remembered as a good human being.

What Students can do in Summer Break

After a long and hard sprint semester, students look forward to some time to unwind and have some fun. However, given that the job market is tough and finding a job can prove to be an onerous and uphill task for students after graduating, it is advisable to ramp up your resume by garnering career-related experience. It’s great too – earn some extra bucks and become career and job ready!

Employers across the globe are more inclined to hire students who have added some ‘weight’ to their profiles and undertaken significant work during their ‘spare’ time. They are interested to understand how even an average student has applied herself or himself and devoted time outside the scope of their formal learning to know more and gain practical knowledge. It’s about showing an interest in more than just the discipline being pursued and working hard to gain that valuable job as soon as their course program is done.

A number of experts in the career and job realm have made some invaluable suggestions on the things that students can do during a summer break to add substance to their profiles.

  • Take up an internship with a company even if it is not a company that you may want to work with in the future. An internship gives a student a competitive edge through industry know-how and real-world work experience. Meeting new people, spending time with some of the company’s leaders and just the time spent in a ‘real office’ prepares students for what lies ahead and when the time comes to take up full-fledged employment, they would be better prepared than their peers and colleagues. Often, the company that a student took up the internship at, offer the student a job post completion of the course, which is hugely advantageous, given that the opportunities sometimes don’t always exist when they are needed. Working with dedication and a will to learn will set you apart and would place a dream job before you, which would not be available without the effort.
  • Enrol in summer classes at a community college. Some such classes transfer to the main university, thereby saving you valuable time and tuition money. Not only do summer classes benefit you as mentioned, they also keep you occupied and mentally alert so when the program begins, you will not find yourself struggling to get back to a strict study regime.
  • Use your skills and aptitude in addition to your academic proficiency by volunteering in community service or programs that require leadership skills for the upkeep of the town.

Doing such meaningful and effective work adds volumes to your resume and employers are always on the lookout for people who can use more than knowledge to make a significant positive impact to their organization. During community service, students add a fresh perspective and understand the value of doing something for people in need and makes for a highly quantifiable proficiency. The great part of volunteering is that you can decide the number of hours you put in and it is more effective when done in conjunction with an internship. After all, experience, qualifications, and value-added contribution together make for a great resume.

Keep busy, updated and relevant and it will much easier to get that job that you always dreamed of.

Personal Integrity

In my opinion, a person is nothing without character and personal integrity. Personal integrity is exactly what the quote above says – it is not just about being honest and straightforward with others but also have the courage to be true with self. For example – if someone asks you for help, you must help if you can. But if you truly cannot, then it is much better to speak the truth – the same truth to yourself and the person asking for help. It is very hard for any self-respecting person to ask another person for help. Personal integrity in this way leads to development of character and builds one’s emotional reserves.

As a person grows spiritually and emotionally, the person is able to deal with challenges and problems much better and more effectively. This in turn leads to lowered stress and fosters positive energy. Personal integrity is about releasing the negative and building on the positive and allows one to look at each person with a balanced view. In my experience, a person who has negative thoughts and is not open, this person will not be trustworthy and will also be low on personal integrity. Conversely, a person who lives a life of honesty and integrity is a person who will openly depict their true nature to others, will be genuine and will not shy away from asking for help or giving help whenever necessary. Personal integrity allows a person to be rid of any internal ‘darkness’ and the need to ‘hide’.

Personal integrity inspires trust – in those we come in contact with and also within ourselves. With trust and support, we are strengthened and this brings confidence and self-reliance. Life seems to be getting harder and these positive traits, even though might not keep difficulties and obstacles away, they sure help to deal with them and overcome them a lot more easily and effectively. It therefore means that our life’s goals would be much more attainable through personal integrity and the traits that we build through it.

Life is a circle – whatever we put into it, comes back to us in some way. If you are high on personal integrity, the people you attract would be of a similar nature. However, if you have been dishonest and untruthful with people, you would soon be surrounded by the same kind of people, making it very hard to live in peace or even survive. Just like yourself, others too are able to detect deceit and lies and these are as annoying to others as to you – so give what you expect to receive.

Personal integrity must be at the core of our existence – every relationship or interaction we have then, will be an open, honest and credible one. Without integrity, one cannot hope to have even a close personal relationship as there would be fear, lies and the absence of love. It may be highly tempting to do the ‘wrong’ thing, but sooner than later, you would lose respect for yourself and find it hard to build relationships. Being completely honest is hard and sometimes risky, but a person with integrity will find a balance. As you go through life, reflect on how much the people close to you know you and you will have your answer on whether you have personal integrity or not. What do you think?

Don’t Drain Your Energy Negotiating

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Do you like the pain that comes with having a tooth extracted? For a lot of people, negotiating likens to this pain. It’s unpleasant and embarrassing enough to want us to avoid it. However, it’s important to do it and do it right lest you lose some serious earning potential by selling yourself short. You can start with registering your services / skills / business on and let work find you.

  • When work comes to you, rather than you asking for it – you can be sure that you will get the right deal without the hassle of haggling on price
  • Look at the other person as an enabler and not as an adversary. Understand on what are the underlying needs of the person and when the interests interconnect then move towards the solutions
  • It is about money but not ONLY. If you make it only about that then your success will be measured only from that angle. Negotiate on as many variables as you can – if the deadlines are tight, present a higher rate. This way both parties will know they have gained something. Think win-win
  • Just like everything else, practice in this will make it a near perfect art. Work with a friend so that when you err here you will know what to do when actually making the deal
  • Build value by exhibiting what you do – how you will be an advantage over others and specifically to their requirements. Once you have established your value-add, you will not just get the price you want but also build a relationship that is happy and efficient
  • Build an image of yourself – make it grow in the mind of the persons you are trying to work with. Explain how you will approach the task and ready it for success

Connect the dots, cross the t’s and dot the i’s for the person – make them see that there is only one solution to their problem – YOU.

(image courtesy:www.keralaayurveda.biz)

The Worst Reasons to Change your Job

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Following one’s dream and passion is something that every great entrepreneur and successful executive will tell you and they are right. There are however, right and wrong reasons for which people may leave their jobs or change their careers, and what follows would tell you, which are some of the wrong reasons to change your job. Changing one’s job is a crucial decision – make it only after a thorough analysis of why a new job would be the right move. Changing one’s job because your friends or peers have or because someone’s ‘lawn seems greener’ are definitely not reasons to make a job decision. This exposition is based on my experience from ‘both sides of the table’ – so I guess there would be portions that you could take to help you make informed choices with regard to your job and career.

Why not 1:

You suddenly begin to hate your job. There could be a number of reasons for this but before ‘jumping ship’, remember that people and most companies are the same wherever you may go. Even if you do find another job, the ‘honeymoon period’ would only last for about a month and then all those factors would probably be the same reasons for which you left your previous job. Evaluate your feelings and work towards alleviating them rather than trying to find solace and an escape elsewhere.

Why not 2:

The company suddenly appears as the worst place to work at simply because some changes were implemented. Change is always tough and it would be better to adopt a flexible mind-set and attitude rather than ‘running’ every time the company announced some amendments.

Why not 3:

So monotony has set into your job? It is boring you unbearably – change your job, right? Wrong. Every job in any company would have its fair share of rote and monotonous tasks and therefore this is definitely not a reason to switch. It would behove you to find ways to make your job interesting – take up a new responsibility, join a committee /special task force for a project, attend training programs and other such tasks would not only eliminate boredom but also equip you with new skills and knowledge.

Why not 4:

Companies are going global! This means that the people they employ would come from varied backgrounds and diverse demographics. It is unlikely that anyone in a company would like everyone in the company and hence changing one’s job simply because ‘you hate the guy on the next desk’ would be foolish.

Why not 5:

When in a job, there will most likely be someone who you would refer to as ‘boss’- the person who seems to make your life difficult for no apparent reason. Do not switch jobs simply because you feel that you cannot handle this person – you could land up with a worse boss in the new company. Rather than changing jobs, you would help yourself by enhancing your people management skills – you learn something new and would be better equipped to deal with the ‘tough ones’.

Why not 6:

After working in a company for a while, you would have been able to carve a niche for yourself. However, as you progress in your job, the number of hours required at your job may seem to have increased significantly. Rather than changing your job and starting afresh, you could find ways to remove distractions, organize your work better and seek help if required in order to reduce the number of hours each day. Switching jobs without making some effort could land you in worse conditions.
Why not 7:

You believe that you deserve a promotion or a salary hike but it does not seem to be happening any time soon. Changing jobs only for more money could prove to be a damaging move. You could first try to acquire a new skill or add to your educational qualifications while at your current job – this could make you eligible for that raise or promotion. A change of attitude and mind-set could help you create that improvement for yourself in the current company rather than making the effort of carving your niche all over again in a new job.

Why not 8:

Given the ever-changing nature of a business environment, changes, uncertainty and inconsistencies would be a given. Changing your job because you believe that there are far too many changes and no stability in the current company as compared to others, could prove to be a poor decision. It would be better to speak to some trusted colleagues and even your supervisor to understand how best the ‘upheavals’ can be managed.

Why not 9:

You believe that because some of your friends switched jobs and seem happy in their new assignments, you should do it too. Rather than basing your job decision on how happy someone else is, you should take a close look at the pros and cons of changing yours. The ‘grass may have been greener on the other side’ for someone else – does not mean that it would be the same for you. Evaluate all aspects before making the move.

Why not 10:

Possibly one of the lamest reasons people give for changing jobs – lack of company transportation. While this could prove to be a bit of an obstacle, it should not be a reason to change an otherwise good job. Communicate your problem to your supervisor and seek advice from your friends and peers – you would be surprised at the number of solutions available.

While it is true that change is the only constant, change for the sake of it could cause more problems. Before making any job switching decisions, ensure that you consider all the aspects and alternatives. It would be a lot simpler to receive help and cooperation from your current company, since people would already know you, rather than from a new company that would expect you to make the effort to impress them first. Every job has its advantages and some disadvantages – it depends on you to manage them for your benefit.