Papa, mama don't preach: In spite of having celebrities Kamal Hassan and Sarika for parents, Shruti Hassan prefers to look inward for career advice Pic/SHADAB KHAN

When it comes to your career, everyone wants to turn into an advice dispenser. Your parents will always be there to tell you you are being too reckless.

Backstabbing colleagues will volunteer wrong advice, and astrologers will tell you that "tumhara Shani chal raha hai".

The trick is to know how to separate tarnished pearls from the valued ones. Experts say it all boils down to your decision-making ability.

Maybe that's why singer Shruti Hassan, daughter of actors Kamal and Sarika Hassan, prefers to consult herself, when it comes to her career.

But some celebs, we've learnt, can't do without approaching their mentors, mothers and managers. Follow their tips on sifting the good from the bad.


Who plays career guru to the celebs?

Anushka Manchanda playback singer

Career guru: Music director duo Vishal and Shekhar. They are approachable, and have enough experience in the music industry, to guide me in the right direction.

Anushka's tip: Discuss your problem with various people parents, mentors,  colleagues. But, take the final
decision yourself.


Archana Vijaya tv anchor

Career guru: My manager, Reshma. She is the best woman for the job because not only does she handle my career, she also has a good foothold in the business.

Archana's tip: When it comes to your career, fish for advice in the same pond. Consult a trusted person from the same profession.

Sanjeev Kapoor chef

Career guru: My brother, Rajeev, because besides being a trusted family member, he is a business strategy consultant by profession. That way, I get the best of both worlds.

Sanjeev's tip: When you've been in your field for as long as I have (25 years), you should be the one dispensing advice.


Sanjeeda Shaikh tv actor

Career guru: My mother, Anisa, because  I trust her instincts.

Sanjeeda's tip: When you are doing well, everyone wants to give you advice. But at the end of the day, you have to know how to sieve the good advice from the bad.


Meanwhile, in Hollywood

Brad gets career tips from Angie

Brad Pitt, one half of Hollywood's most famous power couple, admits to taking  advice from partner and Oscar-winning actor, Angelina Jolie. "She's the best sounding board that I have and I value her opinion immensely. It p***es me off sometimes, but she's good and she loves film, so, it's worth it." he was quoted saying.


When you are your own adviser

Psychologist Shwetambara Sabharwal guides you through guiding yourself effectively
Any form of effective decision making requires a knowledge of facts and self preferences, risks involved and suitability to circumstances.

Take advice, but think alone: Most of these factors are best judged by the individual involved. However, an optimum use of information available to us from various sources, must be made.

Who to ask: It's advisable to consult professionals. Asking just about anyone (for emotional reasons) might lead to confusion and irrational solutions.

Many days VS many people: Research has proven that instead of making important decisions on one day, look at the same problem again on different days, from different contexts. Evaluating and weighing options over a period of time, results in better decisions, and is more effective than a decision/solution taken by several people for one problem at a time.

3 people you shouldn't take career advice from

A numerologist: If like Himmesh Reshammiya, you plan to turn to a numerologist each time you need career advice, prepare to add letters to your name, digits to your car number, changes to your residential address... and before you know it, every equation in your life will have to be balanced.

Instead: Focus that time, energy and money on a corporate coach or strategist, who can logically advice you about your career.

A colleague: Often, negative emotions like insecurity and jealousy brew under the base of a relationship between colleagues from the same organsation, or even individuals belonging to the same industry.
Instead: Turn to a mentor in your field. Maybe an old boss, who bears no connection to your present job or future one.

A bar tender: Okay, so a lot of people get a lot of useful tips from bar tenders. But, after putting your career graph into a martini shaker, it might turn out, well, a bit shaken. And maybe even stirred. Let the man behind the bar stick to serving up relationship advice.  

Instead: Get on a blog couch. Vent your heart out on a blog, and someone will post advice.