What does it mean to have a successful career? Different people define it differently. But the one thing, which is almost always common between people – they want to like what they’re doing every day. Life is either too long or too short to spend time in jobs we hate.
Here are tips that can help you get started on your way to having a successful and satisfying career.
- Choose your profession wisely
Before you decide to pursue any career, ask yourself: “Can I see myself doing this all day, every day, for years?”. When you choose a profession, make sure it’s a good match for your personality, interests, and work-related values. Do career research about the occupation you are considering to learn about job duties, qualifications, earnings, and employment outlook.
- Listen to yourself
Ignore the people say things like: “Pick this field because it has lots of opportunities”, or “You will make a lot of money, and it doesn’t matter if you hate your job”, and so on. Although they may want the best for you, these statements are not right. All ignore the most important thing: your career choice is a personal decision, which will have a significant effect on your life.
- Ask for help
Most probably, there are people with more experience than you, and with that experience comes knowledge. It’s not necessary, but it’s a good idea to have a mentor who can guide you through your career. In addition to advising you, a mentor can help you learn about an occupation you are considering, get the lowdown on an employer before a job interview, and solve problems at work.
- Compete with yourself
No matter where you are in your career, there will always be someone who seems to have a better job. The secret to career success isn’t about comparing yourself to others but competing against yourself. It’s about striving for progress, not perfection. Are you further along in your career than you were yesterday? Do you feel more fulfilled? If you can answer yes to these questions, be grateful and continue.
- Take small steps
Dream big but start small. Let’s say your dream is to write a book. But you haven’t done any writing in months or even years. To experience career success, map out the small action steps that will get you closer to that goal.
It could look something like this:
- Start writing every day.
- Do a course for enhancing your writing skills.
- Create a website and your blog.
- Commit to working on your book for at least an hour a day.
- Talk to authors about how they got published.
By breaking down your big goal into small chunks, the process will seem more manageable.
Also, it’s a good idea to use the SMART technique for achieving your goals.
- Own your mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes. Even if you try hard not to, it will happen at some point in your life. Of course, you will do what you can to avoid making big mistakes, but sometimes they happen, despite all of your efforts. While your instinct may be to run away and not to be responsible, that is the worst thing you can do. Admitting your error, finding a way to fix it, or at least take some action, this will help restore your reputation.
- Forget about the negative attitude
Some people see only the negative side of things and always find something about which to complain. Don’t be that person. You will bring yourself and everyone else down. A negative attitude saps your energy. Don’t ignore problems, but instead of just complaining, look for ways to fix them.
- Listen More Than You Speak
You can learn a lot by listening, and you will miss a lot if you don’t. Whether your boss is explaining a project to you or telling you about his weekend, it’s important to understand what he is saying. And not only your boss, listen to your colleagues, too. Careful listening will prevent misunderstanding and help you build rapport with others.
Having a successful career is less about what you choose to do, and more about how you do it. These tips are easy for anyone to apply in any field. Practicing these habits will set you up for success, regardless of your career path.
