As I write this post draft on August 16,2025, I complete 21 years in the corporate industry, including 1 year in the non IT field (am an mech engineer), and close to 20 years in the IT sector. Here are some of my thoughts on the corporate sector and things I knew a bit earlier in my career and pass it down to others to take a leaf out of it as applicable.
1. As a fresher, I used to divide my CTC by 12 and calculate per month salary - feels like laughing about it now. Learn to look into the fine print, deductions and taxes and what not . 12000 per year is not 1000 per month in your pocket. Numbers might change but the concept is the same
2. Look for roadmaps for your own career and never feel afraid to experiment. As we are more experienced, we always stop at our own tech stack or tool or what not, but it’s us limiting ourselves from failures. Always remember you never learnt that first tool by yourself. It’s the willingness that matters
3. Upskill all the time no matter the progress level. Don’t feel let down by the pace of changes in the outside world
4. Always have me time everyday atleast for 10 mins - choose your own favourite spot for this and deduce mentally what went well or didn’t go well
5. Don’t carry the office title home and the aura it creates. All these titles aren’t worth anything in probably 20 years. Treat people as people
6. Plan your spends well as much as savings. Too much on either end spoils your overall balance
7. The higher on the career ladder shouldn’t compromise too much on the personal front or vice versa.
8. Collaborations work better than competition as you move up.
9. You don’t need to be the smartest in the room to make work happen.
10. Make meetings short, quick and to the point and try to avoid setting lengthy meetings. Try to listen more than speak more even though you might be an expert at the subject
11. Deal with conflicts constructively and question why the other side is better or what might be the implication than trying to prove only your design is better
12. No matter the situations, keep emotions outside of work and don’t mix work ethics with personal agendas
13. Always remember you are just a statistic to the company when the time comes and that’s why point 2 and 3 are important.
14. Someone beautifully said, you can build skills or tech or anything else, but you can’t build attitude. Have the right attitude when it comes to work
15. Be ready to be working on weekends when required but always question the importance.
16. Learn to say NO. Avoids a lot of drama and toxic behaviour
17. You might end up with lot of disagreements in your firm but if it’s affecting your mental peace, you know time is come to move on
18. Pursue your hobbies well. We are not machines to just be working only
19. Learn to distinguish friends and co-workers. Harsh truth - Not all co workers are friends
20. If you feel burned out a lot, it’s time to take a break and look at it afresh and not QUIT. Mental well being starts with you
21. You are alone in your own journeys and no one will draw that map for you. Take charge and create your own stars, because you are star dust :)
