Navigating the murky waters of your career can often be stressful and overwhelming. Even harder when the career landscape is ever changing and you are a first generation immigrant. But here are some great career tips from Forbes that I hope will help and shed some insight.
Think of your career as a series of experiences – just like the saying ‘happiness isn’t a destination, it’s a journey’ you’ve got to look at your career not as a place to get to right before retirement but an accumulation of many great opportunities. The idea behind this is that you should always be ready to learn and be ready to take lessons from every job to the next.
Never settle – I’m sure that right after you graduate you all you can think about is paying your bills and getting paid. Let’s be honest, that’s what we’re all thinking about. But before you sign that contract and say yes to that job offer, think hard on whether that job is really for you and will it benefit you in the long run. Being at a job that is mentally and emotionally draining, will cost you your motivation, creativity and mental health. Don’t settle for just any job.
Be ready to be seen, early – often the new person at the job goes unseen for a while. This can be even more true if this is your first job. You probably don’t want to rock the boat and draw any attention. But that’s exactly what you want to do. You need to be seen and recognized. Don’t be afraid to participate in the team meetings, group outings, helping coworkers whenever you’ve got extra time. It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, so don’t be afraid to stand out.
Case studies are easy to remember – I’m sure wherever you’re applying, they are getting a lot of resumes by students and/or recent graduates. You have got to get yours to be noticed. A good way to stand out is the add case studies on your resume. Use case studies that relate to the job you’re applying to. This will show the interviewer that you understand their business and that you may have real life or close to it experience that is useful.
These are just a fraction of the tips on Forbes magazine. Take a look at the article and see if any apply to you regardless of age or how long you’ve been in your career.