Can you believe it’s already the fifth week into the New Year? No kidding, seemed we just sent “happy new year” like a heartbeat ago. Time really is running faster than speed trains these days and all we can probably do is catch up. Anyway, I’m sure you would probably have done some work today right? Let’s talk about career today.
So, career, that’s what puts food in your belly and shoes on your feet. Let me ask, what’s the most important thing to you in a career? Job satisfaction, huge bonuses, good work life balance, or maybe all of the above: If it’s all of the above, don’t worry, you’re not greedy; it just shows you want the best for yourself. Your career life will have ripple into every other aspects of your life. Interesting enough, a lot of you don’t know the decisions you make about your career will have profound impacts on your life, given the fact that it would consume a major part of your time. So why does making these decisions seem so hard? Isn’t it just to get a job and try not to get fired?
I have to admit, making career decisions isn’t quite as easy as picking which purse matches your shoes. It’s way more intricate. Recently, there has been a lot of stagnation, tepid hiring and loss of motivation in the workplace, employees now find it hard to conjure inspiration to put in any extra effort. A successful career is not only about showing up at work daily, NO. The choice of career paths needs some working-on and if you want to make a climb up the ladder should the chance present itself or you want to move to a totally new job if you get the chance, here are some tips for you:
Be purposeful.
What you decide to do in your career would have a ripple effect on your family, location and even your wardrobe; so you have to be deliberate in your planning. Think about it, where do you see yourself five years down the line? Your kind of family, your love life, your wardrobe and where you want to live? You should have a clear picture of what you want, so you can choose a career path that fits your projections. This in itself is enough motivation, knowing things are falling into shape as you have always pictured it.
Your personality counts.
Recently, we are now more interested about personality types and how they affect our relationships. Suffice to say, this affects our careers too. Unfortunately, with the level of unemployment around, you jump on the first interview you get like people jump in front of queues in banks… So annoying. Your uncle arranged the job, you dare not turn it down; who knows when another one will show up. Only a few people have a chance to land a job in “their fields.” And before you realise, you’re in your forties with a lot of responsibilities and it seems it’s too late to turn. How I feel about this is that when your job is a good fit, it energizes you. You look forward to work and your chances of success will be greatly increased. Learn about your personality type, and then learn how to adapt it to get the best out of your career or to make a switch to another career that would engage your potentials to the highest. Remember, when your job is good fit for you, it energizes you.
Have a mentor.
Isaac Newton once said “if I’ve seen further, it’s by standing on the shoulder of giants.” That is eye opening you know. If your goal is to become the best in your career, then make it priority this year to get move close to the best people in the field and learn from them. Sometimes you don’t have to make some mistakes because you can learn from the experience of others; that is the benefit of having a career mentor.
Surround yourself with the right people.
Thankfully, at this age of technology, you can meet people of different kind anywhere. I hope you know your LinkedIn account is not just there for fancy: come on! It’s supposed to help broaden your career networks. Networking with the right people proves a vital launching pad. Besides, when people of positive energy surround you, you’re forced to resonate on that level. Is this a win-win situation? I’d say a big yes!
Actively reflect.
Anyone of you taken yoga sessions before? I’m sure you would appreciate the value of meditation. Not saying you should cross legs in the office in a weird way chanting and all, your boss won’t find it funny. But have a dedicated period in your time to actively reflect on your career and re-evaluate constantly. This would help you move fast as you compare your positions to your resolutions.
And lastly, Humility.
One of the marks of a great personality is humility. If you want to go far in your career, you need the proper amount of humility and confidence. Be free of arrogance and pride. Forget the fact that you have better clothes than the lady in HR, have a modest estimation of your own worth; then you would truly go far.