| | | Tips for Career Success
Posted By: Fiona Behan Date: January 2017
Choose your occupation wisely
Life is too short to be wishing you were doing something different. Before embarking on a new career put some thought into it. Consider your values, personality and passions and whether they align with your potential career choice. Find out what to expect in the day in the life of… and imagine if you would enjoy this path. For instance, if you are outgoing and social perhaps you wouldn’t be happy in a role with minimal people contact.
Make your own choices
It’s great to speak with others about their jobs and what opportunities are out there, but don’t be unduly influenced. Keep an analytical mind; would you enjoy the same things they do, are you making the decision purely on the promise of income potential, have you asked them what they don’t like about their job. Bear in mind, what is great for someone else might not be a good fit for you.
Measure your own success:
Analyse what is important to you! Traditionally success has been measured on material goods… if you earn a high salary then you are successful! And for some, this may still be the measure of success for them. But for others there may be other factors which more closely define success.
Success may mean you work part time or arrive home at a reasonable time to spend time with your family; you work in a great team; the company has a great supportive culture; you learn something new every day; there are opportunities for growth and development; you are working close to home; you make a positive difference to people’s lives; you receive positive feedback from clients colleagues or bosses or you simply feel like you do a great job!
Your satisfaction with your career is strongly linked to how successfully you feel you have met your own definition of success. So what is important to you?
Ask for help
There are times it is good to use your initiative and problem solving skills and give it a shot and there are times it’s important to get it right. I often have referees refer in a very positive manner to employees that try to figure something out but always ask for help if they are stuck. There is always an opportunity to learn from those around you.
Acknowledge those that help you
This may seem like common manners but it’s amazing how many times it is neglected. Always say thank you to people who offer you assistance! It could be a simple gesture of taking 5 minutes out of their day to explain something to you or as significant as helping you achieve in the delivery of a project. Even if it’s their job, letting someone know what they did was appreciated builds positive relationships and they are more likely to help you in the future.
Own your mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes. Despite best efforts, when under pressure for a tight deadline or when learning a new job sometimes things go wrong. Whilst your instinct may be to cover up, hide or blame someone else, admitting to your error and finding a way to fix it or lessen its effect will help restore your reputation.
Be your own cheerleader
There’s no need to be arrogant but it’s important to back yourself. Don’t wait for someone else to praise you. Take pride in your work, positive attributes and achievements. Reflecting on your own achievements will spur you on to even greater success.
Don’t beat yourself up
We are often our own worst critics. If you make a mistake, admit it, fix it and move on. If you are missing a skill or have some other shortcoming, do whatever is needed to improve. Indulging in negative self- talk will not be beneficial for your career.
Never feel like you are stuck
Despite how careful you were about choosing the ‘right’ career, at some point you may be disheartened with it. Give yourself permission to explore other options. You owe it to yourself to be satisfied with your career.
Be positive
Whilst some jobs may benefit from your attention to the negative, don’t let it infiltrate into your general attitude. Those who only see the negative, always finding something to complain about, bring down those around them. Don’t be the person sapping everybody else’s energy. If you see a problem, find a way to improve it!
Listen more than you speak
A bubbly outgoing personality can be great to be around and be great for your career but don’t lose the art of listening. Careful listening will keep you from misunderstanding instructions and provides an opportunity to build rapport with others.
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