Career success means different things to different people. However, everyone wants to be successful in their life. Today, I will unveil to you the ultimate approach which you can take to build a successful career regardless of your profession and your individual situation.
You are responsible for your life
It is important to truly understand that it is you who have full responsibility for your own life. Not your parents, not your spouse, not your family and not anyone else. You are not a victim of a blind fate nor the political system of the country, you were born in. It is you who made the choices that got you where you are today. It is you who will make further decisions, which will take you to your future.
Know yourself and your goals
Knowing yourself helps in all aspects of your life. As we spend a big chunk of our lives at work, it makes sense to find a job we like and ultimately build a career we want to have. Knowing yourself will allow you to find a better match between what you can get and what you want. Finding a balance between your desires and rational goals prevents you from chasing empty goals. You don’t want to be unintentionally chasing someone else’s goals or the ones you have outgrown many years ago. Find out what makes you happy, what you enjoy doing, what your ultimate goals are and what gives your life a meaning.
It also helps to think about things you don’t like in life, because you can see things more clearly by way of comparison .What lifestyle do you want to have? Would you rather work a 9-to-5 job in an office or maybe you prefer working outdoors? Do you like to an option to work overtime? Maybe you would appreciate flexible working hours so you can do other things or find a second job. These are a few out of the many factors you should consider.
Build a career around your talent
Natural talents are excellent at figuring out what career option to choose. The unique set of such inborn skills are the very thing that makes up your individuality, it makes you who you are. This natural predisposition allows you to get an upper hand over other people who lack such skills. Why should you struggle to be a writer if you hate writing essays?
I urge you to discover your talents and things you are good at. If you are a good listener, consider a career in counseling. If you love to talk a lot, think about a career in sales or media. Think about your intrinsic preferences such as whether you can sit at a desk for 8 hours in an office-based job, or you would rather work in fitness because you are passionate about a healthy lifestyle.
Get an idea of the job market
It is always good to look at the job market when thinking about a career choice. Fluctuations in different job markets and their demands may not allow for a perfect decision, especially many years in advance. However, you may be able to take a short masters course to fit yourself better into a desired job market which only requires a one-year commitment. Do not follow your current job blindly just because you are afraid of change or because you are unaware of the options out there.
Monitor different industries to check how they are doing today and think how likely they are going to do in the long term. Try to understand the trends which determine the fate of such industries and why they occur. You don’t have to be a mind-reader to predict certain things which can happen in the future.
Develop a long-term career vision
Once you are aware of your talents, your desires and lifestyle choice, you can begin to formulate a long-term vision of your career. I highly recommend to be as proactive as possible during this process. Get inspired by reading online articles, or speaking with your friends. It is also very useful to find yourself a mentor outside of your organization who can look at your situation from a fresh perspective.
Plan out the milestones, which you will need to reach to get closer to your ultimate long-term career goal. Think about the steps you need to take to get there and the timings. Notice the gaps in your technical expertise and learn various ways to fill them. Above all, always be on a lookout for a job where you can be valued for your prior achievements adequately and which can support your growth.
Network !
Networking is so important these days and for a very good reason. Getting to know people can not only land you a wonderful job but also it can earn you a helpful mentor, you can get inspired to do something or learn something you have never known existed. Getting a job through your network is not nepotism. There are benefits to hiring someone you know who is also skilled to do the job.
Obviously, hiring someone without qualifications to do the job, just because you know them is unfair However, if there are two individuals with the same qualifications and experience, choosing the one you know lowers the risk of hiring someone with awkward social skills or a difficult personality. Sometimes, this can be equally important as the knowledge and experience of the individual.
Always have an up-to-date resume
Always have an up-to-date resume to send, in case you stumble upon a job of your dreams. This is because such jobs do exist, but are very rare. You want to be ready to seize the opportunity as and when it is presented to you. Therefore, I encourage you to monitor the job market for entries once in a while to allow for this.
Produce excellence consistently
Excellence doesn’t happen overnight. It is built through your hard work consistently. You should work on the small things which you need to improve, so you can work on getting better at the more complicated things as you progress in your career.
Never stop learning & always aim higher
People with high standards always do better than others. This doesn’t mean that they achieve their ultimate goals however, they still end up doing well as the prospects of the goal drives them higher. Set up a goal which is challenging enough that pushes you consistently and that is achievable so you don’t get discouraged. You may notice that you need some additional training while other things you will pick up on the job.
Think about what training courses you can do alongside your full-time job. You can consider online courses which you can complete in your own time. You can also take part in competitions to win certificates. Possibilities are always endless.
