Whatever stage in your career you’re at; whether you’re just working part-time in a café to help you through uni, or a good few years into your carefully planned-out career path, we can all use a few tips to help us reach our full potential.
These are just a few of our favourites.
Form Your Panel of Consultants
We all need people around us to be a sounding board and provide us with practical advice. Compiling a panel of people who can help you with the different aspects of your career will put you in a good place to thrive no matter what comes your way. Who should be on your board? It varies, but find someone who can help you when you need to negotiate a new contract for yourself, someone who can help you deal with a difficult boss or colleague, and someone who has done the job you’re doing (or similar) and who can help mentor you.
Don’t Pass The Buck
We all make mistakes. If you’ve made a mistake at work, don’t try and pretend that you haven’t or, even worse, blame it on someone else. Accept your mistakes and learn from them. Showing others that you can handle yourself when things go wrong, and can do it with poise and dignity, will help you to go far and will gain you respect.
Don’t Compare Your Career To Anyone Else’s
What is right for you and your career may not be the same as what is right for someone else. Just because a friend thinks that you should do like they do and move companies every few years doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Perhaps another friend thinks you should change your job and find something that pays better. It doesn’t mean they’re right. If you like what you do, are happy doing it, and you find that it’s still expanding your knowledge and keeping you interested, then why change it? You do you.
Be Careful About Feedback
Getting feedback on how you’re doing at work is no bad thing. It helps you to develop and keeps you on track. However! Not all feedback should be taken to heart. Consider what’s been said and whether you think that it’s right. Just because someone who is your superior at work said it, doesn’t always make it true. Think about what has been said and then make the decision whether to take it on board or let it go.
