Everyone spends a significant amount of their life at work. And our happiness is deeply connected to this. To get the most out of your career you need to manage it. The choices you make now affect your future. This is true for job seekers and employees at all levels and in all career pathways. So here we go with the 5 Crucial Things to Actively manage your Career from Start to End.
Know what would constitute your dream job.
By the age of 18, you have a vague idea of what you want to become, like a programmer or a singer. The next couple of years becomes vital because that duration will produce the chosen career for most people. The importance of passion comes into play here. When Warren Buffet finds people to run his business, his key criteria is to find somebody who would do the job whether they would get paid or not. So focus early and relax later.
Find role models, mentors and incorporate their way of thinking.
A role model can give the reassurance to know that both life and career can have many options, can take many turns, and might hold many reset buttons. And mentorship is huge. Figure out where the absolute best person to work for would be, and go work for them. You’ll experience tremendous personal and professional growth if you have the best person mentoring you, and that’s where real personal fulfillment and satisfaction happens.
Build alliances. Build charisma.
Make friends with powerful people. There is no ‘written-rule’ as to how. It can be by getting drunk together, by helping with work. Whatever. Experiment and this will help you with various things. So far as charisma is concerned, it may be genetic or a lifestyle thing but whatever it is, get a piece of it. Quiet hard workers do well. But it’s the one’s people love being around that do even better. Things like looking people in the eyes, making constructive comments, not being fidgety etc can help.
Work hard and aim high.
People who are lucky make their own luck. And you only make your own luck by staying in the game. This involves doing things properly and repeatedly so that you become a champion at it. Also learning the art of selling your skills indispensable. Read up on these things. And shoot for the moon. Try and disengage with the pack from time to time and do your own thing. If you’re not pushing the limits of your career comfort zone — by considering bold moves like a role in a different functional area, proposing a new idea or taking an international assignment — you’re not exploiting the full capacity of your career growth.
Maintain High Ethics With The Front Page Test
Maintaining your reputation is important. If you are uncertain about a given decision or course of action, imagine that your decision will be reported on CNN or the front page of the New York Times. Ethical conduct is important because it not only involves doing what is right and proper, but it is also good for business. Ethical conduct is the basis for long-term success in any organization. There is no right way to do a wrong thing. This should help you all the way up to your retirement.