When it comes to your career, there is a LOT of advice out there. From picking the “right” career to how to network successfully, to advancing your education – there is no shortage of useful information.
We’ve gathered the 10 most effective tips for your career for 2022. These tips will resonate with any career stage you’re in right now.
We’ve gathered the 10 most effective tips for your career for 2022. These tips will resonate with any career stage you’re in right now.
1. Don’t take yourself (or your career) too seriously. Plenty of brilliant people started out in jobs they hated or took paths that weren’t right at the beginning of their careers. Professional development is no longer linear. You just have to trust that with hard work and a dedication to figuring out what you want to do with your life, you will be OK!
2. No matter what your career, you’ll likely hear “no” many times before you achieve your goals. Just accept that as a fact. But by refusing to accept that “no,” you’ll separate yourself from the pack. Sometimes you just have to outlast the competition!
3. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. No one got to where they are today without help along the way. Don’t be afraid to ask, and then remember to return the favor.
4. Be dependable. We are witnessing historic quitting rates and a tight labor market. Dependable employees are tremendous assets to companies. There are so many ways to demonstrate dependability – from showing that you are able to be self-sufficient and hit goals or targets for the company, to taking the lead on projects when others don’t step up.
5. Learn to write well. Good writing skills in business have always been important, but in today’s age of technology and information overload, they are paramount. Being able to convey accurately and succinctly what you are trying to say is an invaluable skill, especially when your audience is busy and has limited time.
6. Find a mentor. Or BE a mentor. You’ll learn a lot from both experiences. These roles go a long way to boost your networking, too. Ask a mentor for introductions and introduce the person that you’re mentoring to others. You’ll see yourself getting more visible in your industry as a result.
7. Work hard and be nice to people. It’s a very simple practice that will yield results, earn respect and is likely to motivate others around you to do better.
8. Listen to criticism or “feedback” for what it is: an opportunity given to you to make you better at what you do. Don’t concern yourself with the person giving you the message or the method of delivery – it isn’t always neat, tidy and polite. It’s the real world – there are going to be rough edges. But, if you pay attention to messages over time, you’ll be able to extract the valuable nuggets and use them to improve.
9. Every couple of years, make sure you spend some time really thinking about your career. Go out and refresh your professional network, check out new opportunities, and do some salary comparisons. You make smarter career decisions when you have a good awareness of things outside your immediate sphere. If you feel afraid or uncomfortable, that is a great sign that you are growing! Being outside of your comfort zone is how you attain new levels of success.
10. Remember that any job you are working at (even an amazing job or a dream career) doesn’t give your life complete meaning. Life is about many things – what you learn, who you are or can become, who you love and are loved by. Ensure you are living a balanced life with equal parts work, learning and play. Each part of what you do will bring joy and meaning to the totality of your life and make you better at everything.
