1. Your career is like a test match.
Careers are like cricket test matches!
THE TOSS
On the morning of the test match, the match referee
comes on to the field with the captains and tosses the
coin. The captain then calls for either heads or tails. The
outcome of the toss decides the course of the match; it
also plays an important part in the outcome of the match.
The toss in each person's career is the stream s/he
chooses while joining college. It may be science,
commerce or arts. None of us are quite sure as to what
the field we choose holds for us. We just go on a hunch. This choice affects the course of
our further studies and, in turn, our career.
PITCH The crucial and most dynamic part of a test match. The pitch
(the playing area, where a bowler pitches the ball to a batsman), changes drastically over
the duration of the test. It generally eases out during the second and the third day. You
have to be careful playing on the first and last days of the test, as the pitch is difficult to
deal with.
Career-wise, the pitch is the job you choose. You could choose a variety of jobs in the
course of ones career. And the job you start with may be very different from the job you
retire from. The start of your career is crucial to gain the right experience, while your last
few years on the job are crucial in terms of cashing in on money!
FIRST DAY: It is crucial to get off to a good start on the first day of a test match. It usually
sets the tone for the rest of the match. At times, in overcast conditions, when the ball
swings a lot in the air, the batsmen have to be patient and wait for the right ball to score. A
long opening partnership sets the course for the match.
The right kind of education generally fetches you a good first job with promising future
prospects. But, at times, promising jobs take some time coming. Be patient. Don't rush to
the first job that comes your way. The first five to seven years of your career are vital to
progress along the right track. Do not chop and change jobs too much in this period. Give
yourself the chance to grow in the company you work in.
SECOND DAY :The second day gives you a fair idea of the target (the number of runs)
you need to achieve. The conditions are usually perfect for stroke play, and many runs are
scored. The pitch behaves predictably. By now, the batsmen would have got a hang of it
and would be scoring freely. Also, the planning of a new innings has to start on this day.

2. This period is when you have already worked for about five years and are comfortable in
the working environment. You should have gained a position of strength in your firm by
now. And should be well versed with the finest of details. This is the time to revaluate your
position and plan new ventures or revisit your career goals.
THIRD DAY: The most important day by far in a test match. The team's fortunes can
change rapidly on this day with good or poor performances. They can secure victory by
building on strengths and playing as per plan. The third day offers batsmen and bowlers
an equal opportunity to thrive, as there is still sufficient time left in the test match.
This is the phase in your career where you have already put in ten to 14 years. It is vital to
your career chart. Smart, well-informed choices and strong performances can give the
slight thrust your career may need at this stage. This stage is supposed to be the peak of
your career, with the maximum chance and potential for growth. Not only do you have
experience on your side, you also have the energy to outperform others.
FOURTH DAY: The day when a team can nearly ascertain the outcome of the match, or
rarely produce a great comeback performance. The pitch is not easy to negotiate, as the
ball starts turning and swinging. This day puts the skill of the batsmen to its ultimate test.
A strong performance here can almost ascertain success.
You have already put in about 15 to 20 years of work, perfecting your skill sets and
understanding your job better. You should ideally be in a position to ascertain success and
fulfill this responsibility. A formidable showing on your job could in some instances earn
you your career ambitions at this stage itself. Nevertheless, there is still a chance to fight
back from a weaker position to finish in a respectable way. You should have acquired
enough assets by this stage, and be in a comfortable position career wise.
FINAL DAY: You are either confident of forcing a victory, or are fighting hard to settle for a
draw. Rarely would you have already won or lost the match. Ideally, this day should be the
time when your efforts over the past four days produce the desired result. This should not
be a day of planning, but of faultless execution. Don't leave too many runs to get on this
day, as the wicket is difficult to play your shots on.
The last phase of your career. You would have put close to 30 or more years working for
this day. Ideally you should be in a position of power and authority, calling the shots. Do
not rely on making most of your money in this phase, as you are possibly past the prime of
your career. If you are not in such a strong position, try to consolidate and settle for a
respectable result.
And here are some cricketing terms that hold good for your your career!
~ The cricketing whites : Analogous to the formal office or uniform preferred
at work.

3. ~ New ball : The new boss at work. Can either work in your favour or
against you!
~ The lead and follow on
The outcomes of good or poor performances that usually determine the result of the
match. In this case, your career.
~ The night watchman
A menial job taken up while looking for a good job. Generally applied to play out the time
factor.