Source: Business Insider
Most of us have just started in our careers in our 20s and it can be stressing not knowing what your career life has in store for you.
Here are 6 lessons you need to learn as outlined from a book by Debora Spar in a career website
1. Life is not linear.
Many young people, who are just beginning their careers, presume that if you make the right set of decisions, you will follow one specific path towards success easily and seamlessly.
“Life proceeds in zigzags,” she said. “You really can’t figure out early in your life how to get from point A to point B. Instead, I would say be ready for the zigzags. Find jobs that you like doing. You probably won’t love your job at 24 — to be honest most people by definition don’t have their dream job at 24.”
However, when facing uncertainty in your life path or career, it is also important not to do anything sudden or rash. Rather, Spar suggests that you try to determine what most interests you, what you’re best at, what other role models or aspirations you might have, and move slowly.
2. You can’t do it all.
No woman, man, or human can do it all. It’s that simple. Spar emphasizes that when you make these life choices and say yes to one change, it is essential that you say no to something else.
“I have discovered that it is much easier to say no than to say maybe,” she said. “Maybe is what gets you into trouble. Maybe is what makes you feel guilty and worried and sad.”
3. Own up to mistakes.
None of us are perfect and all of us, men and women alike, are going to make mistakes — fairly frequently.
However, rather than falling to pieces or getting discouraged, take ownership, acknowledge that a mistake was made, ask how you can fix it, learn from it, and move on.
4. Look for sponsors.
These will be the people who are not necessarily assigned to you to provide advice from time to time, but also take an active interest in furthering your career. If these sponsors don’t exist within your immediate network, reach out and actively solicit people’s feedback.
These sponsors are not only your cheerleaders, but also your teachers and at times your critics.
5. Don’t personalize office politics or professional criticism.
Everyone will face criticism in their careers. We all have bad days, but try as much as you can to take it in stride, smile through it, and don’t take it personally.
“We all constantly feel like we’re failing. If you think about it, nobody is perfect,” Spar said. “If we set the standard at perfection, then we are constantly falling short of it. We are preordaining ourselves to fail and that’s a horrible place to be.”
6. Be good at what you do.
There is no amount of networking or mentors or sponsorship that can make up for simply being good at your job. Take your job seriously, even if it’s not your dream job, get good at it, and that will be the single most important factor in shaping your success.
Make your successful career journey step by step.
The post 6 Career Lessons You MUST Learn In Your 20s appeared first on Career Point Kenya.Click on the TITLE link for the original.
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