In this competitive job market, I’ve often seen freshers make career decisions solely based on salary. They aspire to secure 10-20 lakhs per annum right after graduation. Many justify their expectations by linking this with the substantial investment they have made in education:
“We’ve paid an ‘X’ amount in fees, so we should get a certain pay.”
Yes, the education costs are indeed high. While it is reasonable to seek returns on investment, it is more important to focus on the foundation in the initial stages of one’s career. In my experience,
Without robust foundational skills, practical experience, and professional relationships, building a rewarding career in tech is next to impossible.
So, how do you build a strong career foundation? How should you evaluate job prospects? Also, how should you maximise the compensation and rewards? Let us discuss.
Strong foundation vs High Salary: What matters?
Venturing into the professional world as a fresher can be both exciting and challenging. A common mistake many freshers make is prioritising salary and having unrealistic financial expectations.
While it may seem like a fruitful validation of their hard work, internships, years of learning, etc., they must also evaluate the nature of the role, type of organisation, work culture, learning opportunities, and growth potential.
The first few years of one’s career are more about building a strong foundation. Here is why:
1. Long-term growth
When you are solely focused on salary in the initial stages, you may land in roles that lack growth opportunities. Instead, you must focus on promising roles with long-term growth.
2. Helps you stay relevant
The skills demanded by industries change continuously. With automation and AI picking pace, several roles are becoming obsolete.
In this scenario, foundational aspects like problem-solving and critical thinking would help enhance the relevance of the professionals in the job market.
So, it is important to prioritise roles that offer these foundational skills over salary in the initial stages.
3. Deep expertise over surface-level experience
Focusing on the foundational aspects in the initial stages helps deepen your subject knowledge in the domain. This depth outweighs the salary benefits that some roles offer in the beginning.
After a few years in the industry, you will observe that most of the salaries even out. What sets professionals apart is their knowledge, depth, and experience.
4. Aligned career trajectory
Career building is a long-term task. In the initial stages, you must focus on roles that align with your career ambitions and long-term goals, even if they offer modest pay initially.
5. Learning opportunities
When you start your career, choose organisations that provide a supportive ecosystem for learning and growth. Look for the training programs they offer and prioritise roles that expose you to different challenges.
I highly recommend such roles because they accelerate your career growth.
How to build a strong foundation?
Here are a few strategies that you can follow early on to build a solid career foundation:
1. Look for challenging roles
Promising roles in high-growth organisations expose employees to diverse challenges. In the early stages of your career, go for positions that push you beyond your comfort zone. Seek roles that expose you to complex problems and provide opportunities to upgrade your skills.
Evaluate these questions before you take up a role as a fresher:
- Does this role present opportunities beyond the job description?
- Are there opportunities to collaborate across departments?
- How does the company support employees in gaining new skills?
2. Choose roles with greater learning potential
Your career is much more than salary and titles. To stay relevant in the industry, you must embrace continuous learning. When you validate the job roles as a fresher, evaluate the training opportunities and learning potential they present.
3. Be Patient with Compensation Growth
Employers make salary decisions based on your industry relevance, potential, and skillsets. Deep knowledge and expertise come with experience. When you become a valuable asset to an organisation, your employer is bound to increase your salary.
So, divert your focus from salary towards value creation.
4. Evaluate the company culture
When you make career choices, choose companies that prioritise employee growth over profits. You must seek workplaces that support innovation and collaboration.
Choose organisations with good leadership and strong values.
Closing Thoughts
As you kickstart your career, remember that it is not a race to reach the highest salary. Instead, it is a marathon of continuous growth and development. Though it is natural to expect returns on educational investment, having unrealistic expectations might land you in misaligned roles with no scope for long-term growth.
The real measure of your career success depends on the skills, knowledge, and expertise you gain. Your salary depends on the value you deliver. Given this, a strong foundation helps achieve long-term growth and greater financial returns.
At CodeQuotient School of Technology, we focus on foundational learning, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving to build strong careers. Invest in yourself with our undergraduate programme.
Focus on growth, and rewards will follow.
