Re-starting your career after UPSC failure
#My UPSC debacle : Well, i have been waiting to write this post since a long time but never thought it was the right time. But now with UPSC Civil Services Prelims round the corner I feel this is the right moment. It is the time of the year when every room in ORN is cluttered with the yellow booklets and all the brain starts overflowing with the tributaries of Brahmaputra , bringing Ockhi type of instability in many hearts. I am sure many aspirant would relate to this feeling. I have myself been a part of this not-so-coveted ‘Aspirant’ Community for a few years after my graduation. And after appearing for two UPSC CSE interviews and yet unable to find my name in the infamous ‘Holy Pdf’ , Life virtually came to a standstill. I knew that the risk i took with the decision of competing in a fierce exam like Civil Services would now start delivering the negative consequences. And yes it did. My Confidence was somewhere near the Mariana trench, All my savings dried up like the Aral sea ,my skill sets were as irrelevant as Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 .
UPSC became larger than life. I am sure it is larger than life for many. I do have huge respect for the service and the entire process. But one thing which needs serious reconsideration is that, it is really worth it to make an exam larger than your life. I know that the mornings in ORN for all the aspirants starts with this elusive dream. Dream of becoming an IAS/IPS and the perks thereafter. Those who make it, all congratulations and best wishes to them. But what about those who fail to make it in the final list? And most fall in the latter category.
I was lucky to find the right friends and network which gave me the necessary mentorship to re skill myself and get back into the industry and restart my career afresh. But it was during this period, that i realised that after the UPSC debacle, many face a even grater hardship. With no no dream to chase and no means to get back into the workforce, many of my fellow aspirant fall back into a even worst loop of state exam , this exam, that exam. Exam becomes an obsession or rather clearing an exam becomes an obsession.
Many who make up their mind to break this cycle, find it hard to get back into the job market.
For all such aspirant, i would say, I feel your pain bro. I feel all the emotions which you might be going through or may go through in the future. But, it is not a never ending tunnel if you make up your mind to break the cycle. If you are willing to break up the chain , there are people who would be willing to help you out.
Based on my personal experience, i would like to share some valuable lessons and tips which helped my get out of that bad phase and look at life from a new perspective.
- Acceptance of failure will take time. Give yourself sufficient time. Do not immediately rush into hunting for a job . The desperation is natural but letting the reality sink , taking control of the situation having a hold over the emotions will help. SO give your self some time.
- Connect with your non-upsc friends. I know that many cut their connection off with the friends in the corporate sector for obvious reasons. But it is the right time to connect. I know the thought process which might be an obstacle here. ” What will he/she think about me?” , ” I will come out as selfish if i reach out after so many years” ,” They will consider me a failure” etc etc. These thoughts are natural but trust me, any reasonably informed person will know what UPSC Civil service exams are, the kind of sacrifice needed while preparation the risk and the success ratio. Hence any rational person /friend, despite you being off connection , would be willing to provide some help in this case. Once you over come this thought, it is time to talk about the job roles, the latest trends in the industry and the skills needed. Note these information and start the assessment based on whether you would like to explore these kind of jobs. If the answer is yes then
- Start with skilling yourself. Skill is highly valuable in the economy of today. It is time to be a part of the community of the skill-india mission which you have been reading about since last few years. Weel, you need NOT enroll in some skill training center as such but there are enough skill training platform, youtube, blog posts which can get you started. But just decide on what kind of role you would be interested in and what are the exact skills you need. It is time to be highly specific and targeted in your approach. Hence, ask your corporate friend circle very specific questions as they could provide you with the best resource to help your skill upgradation given the experience they have accumulated over years.
- Once you feel confidence about your newly acquired skills, it is time to work on your CV. now here comes the BIG question. What about the HUGE GAP in my CV. how do i manage that? Will my Cv get shortlisted due to the gap? How will i justify my gap? Well, to be honest , that may become a hurdle in the process. But it can be dealt with.
- Firstly, be honest on your CV. i know this will make your job hunt journey a bit difficult and long at worst. But having a fake experience may increase your risk in future. With fake experience it would be difficult to justify the gap in the skill sets you have and the skill sets you would be expected to have. Also, many companies would conduct background verification and it might be difficult to fake all the documents. Hence, i would advice you to own it. Yes, the market these days is changing. Employers do value a fresh and broad outlook and Indian employers would also value the efforts that govt exam preparation takes. ( Though this may not always be the case) . The worst that can happen with honest cv is, your job hunt will take some time. you might have to wait a bit longer or you might have to start as a fresher. But it doesn’t matter as long as you can start in the industry. Once you enter, it all depends on the kind of hard work you put in which will determine your future pay and growth. So have patience and don’t be sad to start with a fresher’s salary.
- Secondly, you can take up freelancing projects in the areas of work you choose to apply for. for example if you wish to take up a job as a software developer, you could work on one-two hobby project using the programming language of your choice. the resources for theses could be found on you tube or any skill training portal.
- Lastly, you can look for internship in your domain for few months. internship would be easy to grab. Learn , work on real world problems and then get started with your actual job hunt.
- It is Not just about job and employment. I have seen many ex-aspirants focus all their energy in job hunt. I understand that it is important and key to make a 27-30 years old feel worthy and good about himself/herself. But it is again a trap. UPSC exams takes a toll on one’s lifestyle and perspective. It is time to also deal with this simultaneously. So prioritising your mental and physical health is the key. The feeling that ” itna history -polity padh ke kya mila” needs to be addressed. Yes, the employment world does not value your knowledge of history or your sociological analysis framework. But that doesn’t mean that all that becomes useless. Trust me, life will teach you over the long run that it is not just about UPSC or JOB. life is about a wholesome experience. the knowledge and the curiosity which you have developed in your upsc days has made you aware and in future will help you build your experience from these knowledge. imagine going to assam for a trip with your friends and experiencing the wonder on seeing a the IUCN vulnerable one horn rhinoceros or being able to make sense of the importance the G20 have if you encounter a news relating to it. So it all will add up to your experience. It is now time to focus on your physical health. starting with a moderate exercise or taking up a sport without any specific purpose but just for the sake of it will help. remember it is time to be ‘Deontological’ about your physical fitness. It will help you to slowly heal and have better mood.
- Lastly, i remember a quote from Churchill ( though i am not a fan of this person but let us use some good words said by him) , ” If you are going thought storm ,just go through it”. It is tough but trust me it is easier that clearing the civil service exam.