Are you wondering whether you should keep your job, or leave it for a potentially better career option? If you feel stuck and confused, or have a gut feeling that something is missing and that you are not where you belong in the career department, it would be a good idea to read through this list before making your final decision.
Here is a list of simple, yet powerfully affective career success tips:
- Always be on the lookout for opportunities, such as possible promotions and raises.
- Don’t take it too seriously, and don’t work too hard.
- Does it match your skills and talents? Are you good at it? Knowing your work is truly helping people increases your confidence, self-esteem, and sense of personal satisfaction, so if you don’t believe what you do has value or that it is contributing to the well-being of others, consider replacing your current job with one that brings more fulfillment.
- Is your job in the same field as your major, or what you plan to pursue after your education? If not, then it is most likely temporary so it’s good to remind yourself that to keep yourself moving forward, and not get too hung over a bad day at work, once in a while.
- Do you enjoy the work, and is it a passion of yours? Too often, we tend to settle for less, so if it is not, remember to keep your options open while doing some self-discovery to figure out what your true passions are.
- Does it provide good resources and training for learning new skills that you want to develop?
- Avoid overactivity on social media or posting things that can potentially ruin your professional reputation, or else it’s best to keep your personal life and work life separate for the time being. For instance, don’t add your friend who is also your co-worker on your social media that includes a picture of you drinking when it goes against company policy of your work, because word spreads like wildfire and somehow it will backfire. You want to show that you take your job seriously so you don’t lose people’s respect. I’m not advising to hide who you really are or to lie, but to just be conscious enough to not expose too much information at the wrong time in the wrong place.
- Be yourself and be authentic. Does your current job leave enough room for you to be able to be yourself and for your authenticity to shine through? Make sure you are not going to a work atmosphere every day with a boss who discourages you from being able to express yourself, voice your opinion and concerns, or ask questions.
- An ideal job should be one you feel comfortable doing. Don’t revolve your life around your career; rather, make your career revolve around YOU. Always put yourself first (i.e. your health) because if you don’t, you won’t be much help to other people, anyway.
- Do you have better options? Weigh your options in the career department, and figure out what you are hoping to get out of it the most – is it the salary, the experience, or the training? See if there is a more straightforward way of getting these things rather than through your job in particular. For example, if it’s money that you are after, your own limited mentality may be preventing you from easier ways of obtaining money. I love the saying, “Ask the universe, and you shall receive”. There is plenty of different ways the universe can deliver what you have been wanting and asking for so look for the signs so you don’t pass up a great opportunity or good fortune that comes your way – in other words, outlets besides just through your career.
- Think for yourself! Does the company’s culture, mission, and atmosphere match or align with your own goals and aspirations? Or does it conflict? Be critical of management and whoever it is you are technically “working under”. I’m not encouraging you to be a Debby Downer, but the truth is that “out there in the real world”, not all people actually have your best interest, although they may portray themselves in that light in order to keep their status and position.
- Don’t get too hung up over or attached to a particular outcome, position, company, etc. If it didn’t happen, it just wasn’t meant to be. There is a greater purpose behind all things, in the bigger picture of life, even if you don’t realize it at the moment.
- Have a positive attitude. A positive mindset not only brings about better outcomes and more success, but it’s also the best way to become your boss’s favorite employee, literally overnight.
- Make an effort to look and dress nice, even if it is just to work. Always put your best foot forward, because after all, you are in the public eye. How you present yourself matters because this what people see and therefore how they ultimately make judgements about you while you are on the job.
- Do your best, but beyond that, just focus on your strengths. In other words, don’t beat yourself up for a mistake; you are human and nobody is perfect. Accept feedback on your weaknesses in the form of watching, learning, and following advice of those who are doing well in that sector. However, don’t internalize any criticism you may receive from a supervisor who may be cranky and overworked, or just wants results from you in order to take credit for it for his/her own personal aims like getting a raise. Too much negative criticism can really play on your confidence and self-esteem, wearing you down over time. Therefore, at the end of the day remember to be proud of yourself. Also, try to take what people say with a “grain of salt”, and don’t let people tell you what choices you should make because you know yourself best and therefore what choices are “right” for you at the moment.
- How committed are you? This is not something we normally think about, but seeking a career you are wholeheartedly committed to for one reason or another will yield much better results because you will be naturally putting all of your energy into it, rather than having “one foot in, and one foot out” which just makes everything seem unnecessarily confusing and complicated.
- Find a career coach, or attend career fairs. It’s a great way to start networking and forming connections to recruiters and employers of companies you are interested in. Creating a LinkedIn profile is another great resource to utilize for this purpose.
- Are you being treated with respect by management and other co-workers? Don’t allow people to treat you like their doormat or their own personal punching bag. This is an especially important piece of advice for those working in Customer Service. There is a HUGE difference between genuinely helpful customer service, versus allowing yourself to be abused. People can sense your energy and if you are giving off this kind of a vibe, they will be able to pick up on it and know they will be able to “get away with it”, so to speak (i.e. taking advantage, pressuring you into giving them a huge discount, etc).
“Life’s too short to be stuck in a job you hate.” – Kathryn Minshew
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
“Work smarter, not harder.” – Pouyan Yazdian
