My 5 Favourite Overused Career Tips…That Really Work

I was very honoured to be asked recently for some career advice by a young man just entering my industry. The first piece of advice I gave him was to find a mentor he could consistently check in with. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had great coaches and mentors throughout my career.  They’ve given me advice, picked me up and dusted me off when I was down, and they’ve also given me a good solid shove when I wouldn’t take a necessary leap.

You could even suggest that your company start a mentoring program, if you don’t already have one in place. You can point out that these programs tend to encourage more of a team atmosphere, and also help reduce employee turnover, as an incentive for your employer to begin a mentor group. If positioned properly, they can even help develop future management candidates. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll need to find a coach on your own, and this is usually best done through business networking organizations.Whether you’re self-employed, or you work in a corporate environment, you could also hire an executive or life coach to help you design your path. In the meantime, I’m sharing the same five tips I gave to my friend, as they were passed on to me by my mentors. As I told him, these are the guiding principles that have kept me pointed in the right direction, and have also helped me to right the ship when I was struggling.

1. Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. ~George Burns I know, I know. I told you they were overused, but this one makes more and more sense to me every year. Don’t get me wrong, I completely agree with John Bardos at JetSetCitizen that nothing is perfect, and I think many people use finding their passion as an excuse not to get down to business. I believe that if you loved every minute of a job, they’d call it a hobby and you wouldn’t be paid for it. If you’ve found the sort of career that fulfills you every minute, and you’re paid handsomely to do it, then you should hold on tight with both hands. However, I also believe that if you have passion for what you do then it will be noticed, the odds of your success will increase, and you won’t mind the annoying points quite so much. Worst case scenario, you’ll enjoy going to work most days, even if you don’t make millions, and that is one of the tenants that lifestyle design is built on.

2. All you have is your reputation. This is career law number one, and I’ve used it once before in my post on staying connected to your clients. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it, and always do the right thing. We’ve all seen companies come and go, and fortunes rise and fall, but you will always be accountable for your words and actions.  This includes not working for a firm that you don’t believe in, and don’t lower yourself to unethical practices. The immediate fame or fortune that you earn are not worth the long term effects on your career, and there’s nothing that beats being able to look yourself in the mirror.

3. Don’t let yourself get promoted right out of what you love doing. You see this happen in all fields, at all corporate levels. Someone succeeds in sales, for instance, and this is immediately taken to mean they should be promoted to management. In reality, those positions require very different skill sets. Some people are blessed with both, some only one or the other. Know yourself, know what your talents are, and know that your true success will be in being the best you can be at those skills. Don’t let the outside world convince you that you’re making a mistake by not taking the promotion. Sometimes the most important career skill to learn is when to say “no thank you”.

4. Don’t try to be a man in a skirt. Okay, so you haven’t heard this one, especially if you’re a man, but the underlying meaning is to be yourself. For years there was an extremely successful person in my industry that I tried to emulate. It did me no good at all. Not only was I a poor imitation of him, but I was diluting my abilities as well. The world specifically needs someone just like you, and there is only one you. Be the absolute best version of you that you can be, too. Practice “Personal Best” at all times.

5. Help others, and be well mannered. This wasn’t advice from a career mentor, but it was my grandmother’s only requirement of me. Although it’s atypical professional advice, I attribute most of my career happiness, and a great deal of my success to this one rule. We all know that people like doing business with people they like, but what isn’t often understood is how good it feels just to be nice and to help. I also want to leave the business world the same way I came in; with hope, optimism and a clear conscience, and without bitterness or regret. Some of the side effects of this guideline are: an even better business reputation, a willingness by others to help you in return, less job stress, and an unusually high number of people wanting to work with you because they know you’ll help them succeed in any way you can. One of the most successful business owners I ever worked for was also known as the nicest, most well mannered businessman in the industry. We did everything on a handshake, and he restored my faith in the idea that you can be a good person, and yet be overwhelmingly successful.

One last thought on the coaching recommendation. It’s never too late to find a mentor. Whether it’s late in your career, late in your life, or you’ve simply started yet another new job; a coach or mentor can work miracles in helping you continue to learn. I’ve recently found a mentor to help with my new writing career, and once again I’m seeing things with a fresh perspective, and with a much clearer understanding of the craft.

As always, my very best wishes to you for a charmed life and career, and I look forward to your comments!

Flickr credit oooh.oooh.