12 Things You Need To Know To Grow Your Career
I wrote this a year ago, and figured I would share it here.
One of the things that most of us yearn for is career growth. Here are 12 things you must think about if you want to do different and better as you seek to pursue your career goals. Let me know what you think.
Your first job is an introduction into the corporate world. It doesn’t have to be aligned to what you studied or what you want to do. Take it and use it to learn and discover what you are really good at, what interests you and what you can do going forward, because where you start is not where you will end up
Before you accept a new job, don’t just look at the job description and pay. Ask yourself how the job will impact your career growth, physical and mental well being, what kind of exposure it will give you and what impact it has on your life holistically.
Dont take a job if you are not clear what what sacrifices you will have to make to keep it and how it contributes to your overal big picture. You need to own your own sucess and stop expecting the company to give it to you.
You can be great at your job, highly skilled and always delivering on your targets, but if you don’t get along with people well, you will get passed by for opportunities and leadership. Certain levels require people skills more than technical skills.
If you really want to grow your career, find a mentor and a coach to walk with you. You need the eyes and ears of others to mould and shape you.
Some assingments may look like a detour, but take them up especially if they present an opportunity to learn a new skill, work wiht a diffrent department/teams/staekholders.
Some jobs will give you the money, some will give you experience, some will give you exposure and others will buid and grow you. Don't expect to get all these things from one job, but if you do, leap in joy!
Know when you have outgrown your job/role and what is required of you for the next phase; then go find it.
Specialization leads to mastery which builds competency and credibility. Persue it in our career. However, remember to also build complementary skills as these wil give you an edge over others and open more opportunities. E.g, if you are in Customer experience, complementary skills sets could be AI, Employee Exprience, Communication for effective customer messaging, Data analysis.
The world is rapidly changing and depending on yesterday's sucess will not always cut it. Everyday, you must show up, do it again, learn and unlearn if you want to stay at the top.
Building and having a great career should not be at the expense of living a full balanced life. Yes, there will be long ndays and nights, sacrifices but you must find balance. Find other things to fill your life, invest in your family and friends, make tiem for fun and rest and be someone else beyond your career.
Stop feeling inadequate because you are pursuing a career and not entrepreneurship. None is better than the other. You can make money out of your career, you can make a life of legacy out of your career, you can find happiness and fulfillment out of your career; it all depends on how you view your career and what you invest in it.
And here is a bonus point for you. Your career is not a title and it should never define you. A career is simply a channel or avenue for you to serve others and make a positive difference in the world; whilst finding fulfillment.
Love,
Mis Loise #Career Reflections With Ms.Loise #CareerWellness
