The Best 13 Career Tips I’ve Ever Got

The Best 13 Career Tips I’ve Ever Got

by Karin Singh 30/01/2018

When I’m providing lessons on career counselling for experienced professionals I often share the following 13 career tips. They are based on my personal experiences gained in 20 years, in different countries, in different jobs and industries.

#1. Choose your career wisely because it will have an impact on your finances, your health, your happiness and your self-esteem. Do something you are passionate about, but that allows you also to earn a decent income!

#2. Become a master in communication! If you show poor communication skills (written or/and verbal), you leave a bad impression. People will not forget it, no matter how well qualified and experienced you are! Learn to express yourself in an articulate way and know the difference between assertive and aggressive language. “How” you say something often matters more than what you want to convey to people.

#3. Polish your manners. Having good manners will get you further in life. Being pushy and rude doesn’t benefit you in any way. But if you are polite and kind, you will achieve your goals quicker, easier and better.

#4. Be best prepared for any situation. Thorough preparation is crucial, no matter whether you are going to a job interview, chairing a meeting, holding a presentation, taking part in a tough negotiation, approaching an angel investor etc. It shows one more time how professional and well organised you are!

#5. Be positively curious! Before taking important (maybe even life-changing) decisions, ask a lot of relevant questions. The more you know, the less mistakes you will make, and the smaller the chance that people will fool you.

#6. Don’t underestimate the power of networking, online and offline! Having the right connections and making effective use of them at the right time can make all the difference. Believe it or not, but getting a job, winning a new client, getting advice, etc. can become much easier if you have the right people in your circle. It’s not always what you know, but WHO you know!

#7. Be sceptical in what people are telling you. If impressive claims are made, ask for proof! It the claims are genuine, they shouldn’t have a problem to share it with you. There are too many scams and fake people out there.

#8. If you want to stand out, you need to think differently, more creatively. Ask yourself how you can make things better, quicker, more efficiently, in a more personalized and impressive way.

#9. When it’s time to ask for a pay raise focus always on the value that you added to the company’s success. Never mention the change of your personal circumstances, that will not convince any boss to give you a pay raise!

#10. Don’t wait for other people to teach you. Be proactive and teach yourself everything you need to know. There is no shortage of options to extend your knowledge and skills via online learning. Become better than anyone else. Strongly believe that you can become a master, an expert in your subject matter!

#11. Be interested in others, in a genuine way! That’s the key to success of many professionals! Building and maintaining meaningful relationships can become time-consuming, but it can be very rewarding in the long term.

#12. If you want to impress others, always go the extra mile. Do what others would never do, or never think, to do. Differentiate yourself, exceed other people’s expectations and you will be in high demand!

#13. Check out people’s online reputation. Don’t ignore this great (free!) opportunity to find out more about people on various social media platforms. Make sure you associate yourself with people who are decent and not with those who continuously post inappropriate content. Be aware that others will google you as well. Thus, make an effort to shine online!

What great career tips would you like to share? There are many options available for career counselling for experienced professionals, get in touch with one of Talentese’s career guidance counselors!