People often ask me for career advice. I never have a short answer. In fact, I have begun compiling a list of common sense career tips. It's getting pretty lengthy...
Career Advice and Tips from the Common Sense Guy
- Take responsibility for your life and career.
- Set goals, be clear on what you want in life and in your career.
- Associate with those people and join only those organizations whose values are in line with your own.
- Be direct and truthful.
- Admit your mistakes.
- Become widely trusted.
- Keep confidences.
- Do not misrepresent yourself for personal gain.
- Develop the technical skills you need to your job well.
- Keep your technical skills up to date.
- Learn how to make decisions in a timely manner.
- Learn how to make decisions with incomplete information.
- Learn how to make decisions that stand up in the long term.
- Learn how business works.
- Stay up to date on what’s happening in your industry.
- Learn and understand the competitive environment of your organization.
- Be action oriented.
- Be open to change.
- Be a quick learner.
- Analyze your successes and failures – use them to help you improve.
- Use your time wisely.
- Focus on the critical few, not the trivial many.
- Set and stick to priorities.
- Don’t get distracted.
- Learn how to multi task when you must.
- Develop the ability to quickly sense what will help of hinder goal achievement.
- Help others focus.
- Learn how to identify and marshal resources to get the job done.
- Use available resources effectively and efficiently.
- Set clear objectives and metrics.
- Monitor your progress regularly.
- Be logical.
- Anticipate problems.
- Look beyond the obvious – don’t stop at the first answer.
- Write clearly and succinctly.
- Learn how to design and deliver clear, effective presentations.
- Be comfortable making presentations.
- Learn how to command attention when you are presenting.
- Learn how handle questions well when you are presenting.
- Learn how to manage group processes.
- Listen well and demonstrate your understanding of others’ points of view.
- Be a consensus builder.
- Use conflict as an opportunity to develop creative solutions to problems and issues.
- Settle disputes and resolve differences quickly and equitably.
- Look for and find common ground in conflict situations.
- Learn and understand your personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- Be receptive to feedback.
- Remain cool under pressure.
- Become a settling influence in crises.
- Keep your composure when unexpected events come up.
- Manage your frustration – with other people and situations, don’t let it show.
- Be open about your personal beliefs and feelings.
- Be easy to get to know.
- Recognize and admit your mistakes and shortcomings.
- Be attentive to the needs of others.
- Listen actively.
- Be patient, hear people out.
- Learn how to relate to all kinds of people.
- Build mutually beneficial relationships with people.
- Be diplomatic and tactful.
- Put others at ease.
- Be warm, pleasant and gracious.
- Be sensitive to the interpersonal needs and anxieties of others.
- Dress appropriately for your work situation.
- Always be a lady or gentleman.
I know that's a lot of tips. However, managing your career is a complex process.
I know that I've missed a few important points here. I'd appreciate it if you would be kind enought to share your career enhancing tips with me. I'll publish them on this blog -- giving you full credit of course -- and I'll send you a thank you gift for your contribution.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading. For more common sense career enhancing ideas, log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com.
I'll see you around the web and at Alex's Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS What have YOU done for your career today?
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