There are a few standard career management tips I recommend to every professional regardless of position, industry, experience level, or future ambitions. These things are super easy to do and they help ensure you’re taking at least a minimally active role in your professional development. No matter how busy you are, there’s just no excuse to ignore these tips. Get started NOW.
1. Keep your resume up-to-date.
You never know when opportunity will knock. Even if you aren’t actively job searching, your resume should always be ready to go so you don’t get stuck making last minute updates.
Your resume is one of the most important documents you have to offer so you don’t want to rush it or ignore it for years on end. If you haven’t looked at it since starting your current job, pull it out, brush off the dust, and add the relevant information. If you’re not extremely proud of it, keep working. Your resume is no place to slack off. Now—while you’re not in a panic searching for a new job—is a great time to work on it.
You never know when the perfect position will open up and you’ll want to jump on it immediately. If you’ve been proactive about keeping your resume updated, you’ll be ready to pounce.
2. Join a professional association for your vocation and/or industry.
Associations are one of the most powerful career tools available and yet, too many people disregard them. Find out what’s available for professionals who share your role or work in your same industry. Join the group and attend the meetings regularly. Most offer valuable continuing education opportunities as well as the chance to meet and mingle with some of the top professionals in your field.
I also suggest volunteering to serve on the leadership board if your schedule allows it. Through active participation you’ll get to know your fellow members and make a name for yourself. Remember that these are your people. Together you can share experiences, establish best practices and even explore new opportunities. Associations look great on your resume and are helpful networks to tap when job searching, but don’t wait until you need the support. Get involved right away and start building those relationships.
3. Get a mentor.
A professional mentor can help guide you through your career by sharing his or her experiences and offering practical advice. Find a professional in your field whose career you’d like to emulate. It doesn’t have to be someone who does the exact job you’d like to do in the future. Instead, focus on finding a person who demonstrates the character traits you’d like to hone in yourself. It should be someone you respect and want to learn from.
Ask the person if he or she would be willing to engage in a professional mentorship relationship with you. Define exactly what the means to you and how you’d like the relationship to work. For example, you could suggest doing a lunchtime meeting once a month to discuss specific issues you’re dealing with or goals you’re working on. Additionally, you might want to make time for two phone calls during the month for quick check-ins and progress updates.
Keep in mind that everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me” and, for most mentors, this is an opportunity to share their hard-earned wisdom. Make it clear why you chose this person and that you’re very eager to listen and learn.
If the person is unable or unwilling to commit to helping you, move on. A mentorship relationship is a two-way street. You need someone who sees your value and wants to help you grow and succeed.
4. Become a mentor.
Regardless of where you are in your career, there is someone who can benefit from your knowledge. Find that person and take him or her under your wing. Being a mentor is a wonderful opportunity to learn while you teach. You can share your advice and help someone else grow while, at the same time, expanding your own leadership capabilities. Plus, it feels good.
Approach the mentorship relationship in the same way described above. Make your proposal clear and be upfront about what is involved. Let the person know what you see in them and what you have to offer. It’s important to find the right person who really understands the benefits of mentorship and wants to learn from you. But once you start looking, you’ll probably find several potential candidates.
5. Keep a win list.
As you progress through your career, keep a running list of your accomplishments. These can be any size at all so don’t be stingy. Even small victories should be recorded. If possible, keep back-up evidence in a file as well. For example, if you receive a nice letter from a client complimenting your service, make a copy for your records. This is the kind of thing that can help keep you motivated in the future when you’re feeling down.
This list is also a great tool to pull out during performance reviews and job interviews. You can reference specific endeavors and projects you successfully completed, and you can offer details on how your work impacted the business. Plus, while you’re updating your resume, you can look at the list to get inspiration for the accomplishments you want to highlight. This helps make your resume more powerful and demonstrative of your capabilities.
This post is part of my Bad Career Advice series in which I expose outdated, clichéd, and counterproductive advice for exactly what it is.
So, there’s this race, right? A nice guy versus a jerk. Who’s gonna win? According to popular belief, the jerk takes the prize every time. Nice guys just can’t compete. Apparently, all that goodness just slows them down.
This generic advisory was probably started by one nice guy who got burned and vowed never to be so foolish again. I feel for him. Really, I do. But why does he have to ruin niceness for the rest of us?
Truth be told, the professional world has long considered the word “nice” synonymous with “weak.” Nice guys are powerless. They’re just asking to be taken advantage of. It’s assumed that niceness can’t coexist with anything other than fragility, a decidedly feminine trait unappreciated in the male-dominated world of business. Niceness and other such qualities are seen as unnecessary distractions at best; disastrous displays of incompetence at worst.
The only way to win the game, so we’re told, is to demonstrate that you have what it takes—the cut-throat, raw ambition and competitive spirit needed to take down anyone who gets in your way. Never mind talent and skill. That has little to do with it.
I’ve always been disturbed by the adage that nice guys finish last. It’s condescending and, in my opinion, completely false. Being nice does not necessarily mean that you’re weak. You don’t have to be an ass to be assertive or stand up for yourself when needed. Those who believe this might want to engage in some communications training.
And being nice doesn’t mean you’re inept. In what world does ability have any impact on social graces?
The real issue here is that this notion compels people to think in a one-man show, zero-sum way: I want to win therefore you have to lose. In order to not be the last one sliding into the finish line, I have to do everything in my power to stay one step ahead of you. And so the civility cap comes off.
In reality, much of business success isn’t about you winning a race. It’s about teamwork and getting the whole team to the goal line together. One person simply can’t do it all on his own.
And guess what? Teams don’t run too well with jerks. Successful teams encourage a sense of respect and yes, niceness among members. It goes a long way in getting people to support one another. After all, no one wants to help someone they don’t like. Unless you think you’ll never need the assistance of anyone else, niceness is an investment that pays off in all areas of life.
There’s another saying that I believe applies well in the business world: You catch more bees with honey than vinegar. Essentially, this means that niceness leads to a greater level of success than the alternative. In my experience, this is a more appropriate and productive way of thinking. It isn’t to say that you need to adopt a falsely sincere, sticky-sweet demeanor in order to trick people into giving you what you want. It simply means that niceness isn’t a hindrance; it’s an asset.
Need some proof? Just ask Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airlines. This is what he recently wrote in an article on Entrepreneur.com:
There are lots of ways to get your point across and make your business successful without being aggressive. Always remember that you love what you do and your role is to persuade others to love your business, too, and, therefore, to want to work with you. I hope we are successful at Virgin because we engage with everyone in a positive, inclusive manner rather than in an aggressive, combative or negative way.
This post is part of my Bad Career Advice series in which I expose outdated, clichéd, and counterproductive advice for exactly what it is.
A few years ago, a small book titled Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff became an overnight sensation in the self-help world. The general idea—that you shouldn’t get so bogged down in the details that you lose sight of the big picture—was fine in theory. But it quickly became a mantra that the unsuspecting public applied equally to every aspect of life, using it as a justification for unexceptional, and even careless, behavior.
In practice, the concept proved to be a surefire path to mediocrity.
You see, in reality, the small stuff is what matters. It’s what differentiates the outstanding performers from everyone else. The big stuff is sort of a given. That’s that known requirement. It’s the small stuff—the hidden, extra step that few people see and even fewer actually take—that separates the average person just “getting by” from the person who really believes in the goal and is dedicated to doing everything it takes in order to achieve it.
Success is all about the small stuff.
Another book came out a few years after Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. This one took a dramatically different approach. It’s called 212°: The Extra Degree and that title comes from the fact that water, at 212 degrees, creates steam. Before that, even up to 211 degrees, water is just really, really hot. It’s that extra degree that changes it to steam, and steam can power a locomotive. All it takes it one tiny degree to transform water into something completely different and infinitely more powerful.
This concept is far more useful for those seeking professional success. Micro-movements have the ability to transform the ordinary into the outstanding.
Just ask any competitive sportsman and he’ll agree. The margin of victory in most professional sports is very, very small. According to SimpleTruths.com, at the Indy 500, the average margin of victory for the last 10 years has been 1.54 seconds. In the PGA Championship, the first and second place winners have averaged a difference of just 1.71 strokes—less than half a stroke per day. The difference between the gold medal and no metal at all in the Olympic games is often a matter of split seconds.
The giant leaps allow you to compete but it’s the small stuff that puts you out in front.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the small stuff is unimportant. Yes, it’s counterproductive to obsess over the details so intensely that you lose sight of the ultimate goal. But a little sweat is necessary. Being meticulous is not a character flaw. Use the small stuff to your advantage. Everyone else is ignoring it.
This post is part of my Bad Career Advice series in which I expose outdated, clichéd, and counterproductive advice for exactly what it is.
I understand the sentiment behind this piece of advice and clearly, its intent is to push you past your own perceived limits. While its heart is in the right place, I believe the advice to “never give up” also ignores the blatant reality of life and instills the idea that quitting for any reason is an unacceptable act of defeat.
The truth is, we often have to give up in order to move forward. And there’s no shame in this. Life is full of beginnings and endings. If you refuse to give up when things clearly aren’t working or ignore signals that a natural phase of completion has been reached, you only end up wasting your time and energy.
It’s Not You…No, Really. It Isn’t.
All too often, people blame themselves for giving up. It’s seen as a sign of failure. Instead, quitting (at times) can and should be viewed as an empowering act of triumph. There’s honor in recognizing that one course has reached its conclusion, just as there’s strength in allowing another to begin.
When we try too hard to hold on to what WAS, we’re unable to see what COULD BE and embrace what IS.
W.C. Fields put it best: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.”
It is indeed foolish to continue devoting resources to activities that no longer serve you—or, activities that you no longer serve. While it’s hard to admit, we all have strengths and weaknesses. To expect that we are capable of succeeding in all activities equally is inefficient and unrealistic. There are times when we must put our hands in the air, surrender and allow others to take over. We have to be humble, accept that we are perfectly imperfect, and relinquish control in order to collaboratively take the next step forward. Giving up, in this sense, is often the most productive path towards achieving a goal.
Though it may strike you as harsh or uncaring, we must also give up on people at times. We’ve all experienced relationships that have grown counterproductive. There comes a point at which the pain of giving up is worth it when compared to the pain of pushing forward. And it’s only by letting go that we begin the process of healing.
Likewise, we must let others move on when the time is right.
In closing, let me also say that this is not intended to encourage you, my dear reader, to simply “give up” on everything the moment you encounter an obstacle. It’s just an option. Don’t deny yourself that freedom. Use your time, energy and resources wisely. Refusing to give up on something or someone that holds you stagnant is not an efficient use of your capabilities. Look at the true potential reward of sticking it out and weigh it against the risk of giving up. Be analytical. And be willing to admit that yesterday’s opportunity of a lifetime may no longer be worth the sacrifice today.
Life and everything we experience is fluid. It’s a perpetual cycle of birth and death and rebirth. Dreams change, people change; the world and everything in it is constantly evolving. Be willing to release the past and embrace your future. Give yourself the power to give up.
This post is part of my Bad Career Advice series in which I expose outdated, clichéd, and counterproductive advice for exactly what it is.
Oh man, this one kills me. It’s so frequently repeated that hardly anyone questions its truth anymore. And the sad fact is this: If you do what you love for a living, you’ll probably end up loving it a little bit less.
Let me back up for a second: Yes, it’s a wonderful goal to strive for finding work that you enjoy. In fact, it should be a goal for everyone. But this absurd axiom suggests that you can simply take what you already love, turn it into something for which you get paid (meaning, you have clients and bosses and deadlines and obligations…) and it won’t ever feel like anything other than that thing you love. This is a blatant, hurtful lie that far too many people fall for. And they end up feeling like something is wrong with them, when really something is wrong with the idea they’ve been sold.
When something you love becomes work, it fundamentally—and unavoidably—changes the way in which you interact with it.
Work IS NOT Play
In his book, Hardcore Zen, author and Zen Buddhist Brad Werner says the following:
“…even the best job in the world [is] still just a job. Even Johnny Ramone said that being a rock and roll guitar player was a pretty good job, but that, in the end, it also sucked just like any other job.”
Yep. Ain’t that the truth?
Work is called work because it’s not play. Once you depend on something to put food on your table, it becomes something different. It’s no longer “that thing you do for fun”; it’s “that thing you have to do for survival”.
That doesn’t mean you won’t end up enjoying or maybe even loving the work you do. But it will also be work. You probably won’t mistake it for anything else.
Once you take an activity you love (for me, writing) and start doing it for pay, you involve the opinions and needs of others. Writing for a living means I often have to set aside my personal artistic vision, and simply follow the instructions of my client. I sometimes call myself a “writer monkey” because I feel so caged in. I still write for myself, to explore my own ideas and personal style, and, on most days, I’d say I love the work I do…but these are two different things. The writing I do for work is not the writing I do for play.
Work is MORE than the Work
Instead of focusing on doing what you love so work won’t feel like “work”, take some time to figure out what work means to you. What do you want to get out of it mentally, physically, socially and spiritually? (Get my free mini-workbook if you need help with this.) Then, see how your talents match up with that. For example, if I happened to be the type of person who wanted a lot of social interaction at work, my career in writing (no matter how much I love the activity) would be quite a letdown.
Work is about more than the thing you’re doing. It offers nourishment in a number of different ways. So, when you think about finding work you’ll enjoy (work that, hopefully, can be truly nourishing) think about the entire experience.
It’s dangerous to suggest that work can be anything other than work. Doing what you love can certainly make it a more enjoyable experience. But you’ll also experience a new side of that activity, and it won’t be comfortable. You’ll have to face the inescapable truth that there’s no fooling yourself. Work isn’t the same as play, no matter how similar they might appear on the surface.
I’m very lucky to do what I love for a living. But sometimes, I’m like the gourmet chef who lives off takeout and frozen meals. When you do an activity all day long and depend on it for survival, the playfulness can disappear quickly. Just like in a marriage, it sometimes takes effort to stay in love. At the end of the workday, I have to force myself to write for pleasure after I’ve been writing for eight hours already.
Do I sound cynical? Perhaps a little. But too many people sit around convinced that if only they could turn their NASCAR obsession into a fulltime job, they’d finally be happy. I encourage you to take a deeper look at the things you love and what work means to you. There might be a happy intersection of the two, but don’t force it.
There are a few standard career management tips I recommend to every professional regardless of position, industry, experience level, or future ambitions. These things are super easy to do and they help ensure you’re taking at least a minimally active role in your professional development. No matter how busy you are, there’s just no excuse to ignore these tips. Get started NOW.
This post is part of my 
This post is part of my 
This post is part of my Bad Career Advice series in which I expose outdated, clichéd, and counterproductive advice for exactly what it is. 
