3 Tips to Help Kickstart Your Career
Entering the job market can be a bit overwhelming. Although there are a lot of tips out there, I have found the following to be helpful over the years.
We all like to be part of a success story, to bet on a winner. Employers are no different. Marketing your potential is something you may do early in your career. Years ago, I said in an interview half-jokingly, "Look, whoever ends up hiring me will take a chance, but the payoff may be surprising." When I got the job offer, the person added, "PS. I'm rooting for you and hope this is the start of a success story."
Dan Pink brings this point home in his brilliant and practical book "To Sell is Human."
There are things you can do that others can't; leverage them. I am a software developer who has studied acting and can entice an audience. I have used conference talks to advance my career. Make an audit of your skills: are you maximizing the value you bring to the table? You might be an excellent writer, highly organized, or a spreadsheet wizard. Can't come up with much? There are some skills that you may gain in days.
Playing unfair is exceptionally well articulated by NYU Prof. Scott Galloway.
When you start learning something or working somewhere, you have a jolt of motivation. If it's a skill, you practice all the time. If it's a workplace, you show up super prepared for those meetings. You're on fire. Then comes that point when the initial excitement goes away. You feel a bit stuck.
Seth Godin calls this point "The Dip". Many people quit at the dip. If you push harder at this point, the payoff may surprise you. Whether you end up playing the guitar like a rockstar, or coding like a pro, persisting when you're swimming upstream can bring you far.
If this intrigues you, check out Seth Godin's book "The Dip".
So what do you think? Is this all standard, boring advice? Do you totally disagree with all of it?
Let me know in the comment section.
Freelance BI Analyst • Business Intelligence Specialist • PowerBI Specialist • Data Consultant • Data Analyst • Content Creator
2yWe’ll said! these advices helped me a lot when I was looking for a new opportunity.
Creative Professional & Prompt Engineer specializing in Digital Assets and Artistic Solutions
2ylove reading this.
Product Crafter @ BMW Group | Engineering, Innovation, R&D, Business Strategy
2yPlay unfair is brilliant, and we can find opportunities to leverage it on a daily basis. The other two seem to me a little more opportunistic, as they may come and go with the context and circumstances. And yet they're equally powerful concepts. Great food for thought.