The Best Career Advice No One Ever Gave You
We’re big on career advice at Apex Staffing. We believe that knowledge is power, and the more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be for whatever comes your way. However, when it comes to career advice, there are some pieces of wisdom that are more meaningful than others.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite pieces of career advice from truly impressive and successful people to pass along to you. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to improve your career or take steps towards a new one!
1: You Don’t Have to Do it Alone
“You don’t need to do it alone. Access to mentorship programs and supportive communities are critical to career advancement.” – Ginger Siegel, North America Small Business Lead for Mastercard
There’s a mindset in our work culture that tells us we always need to know the answer, own our work, and be on top of our game. But no man is an island and it’s not possible to advance in your career without help. Asking questions and actively trying to grow shows management that you’re passionate about your career and the company’s mission. Once you start asking questions and reaching out for help, you’ll be shocked by how much of a return you’ll see.
Everyone likes to feel needed and like an expert in their field, especially the higher-ups in your company. Once you start looking, you’ll find people willing to mentor you and lift you up.
If you’re having trouble finding support within your company – whether you have a unique job description, you work from home/are self-employed, or your company culture doesn’t allow access to higher-ups – try looking in community groups or online. LinkedIn has specific groups for almost every job title and you can talk to people who are further along in their careers and ask for advice.
2: Choose Your Partner Wisely
“One of the most important career choices a woman can make is actually the type of life partner she chooses. It’s critical to have supportive relationships when chasing your dreams so that you can feel confident and strong enough to move past obstacles.” – Sami Fishbein, Co-founder & COO, Betches Media & Ship
This is interesting advice and absolutely true. The kind of people you choose to surround yourself with can have a huge impact on your productivity, your level of optimism, and your overall satisfaction with your life. “You are who you hang out with” is a parental cliche from our teenage years, but it became a cliche because it’s true.
This study conducted by UW Health says that surrounding yourself with positive and happy people can improve your chances of being happy by over 25%. The same is true in reverse – being surrounded by negative people increases your chances of being unhappy exponentially. So be sure to choose your friends – and your significant other! – with a thought toward your future happiness.
3: Trust Your Gut – No Matter What
“Go with your gut. Never doubt it. Nurture it. Make it stronger. Make listening to it part of your self-care routine. It will never lead you astray. Even if it tells you something you don’t want to hear, trust that voice; it will guide you to the right destination. If it recommends a career transition, a new job or circle of friends, trust it blindly. Make that a foundation you can always turn to in moments of doubt or on hard days.” – Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO of Lifeway Foods
We love this advice because it’s not just “go with your gut” – Julie really advocates for building and feeding your gut instincts through active listening. Since your “gut” is really just your subconscious prompting you with all the information it filters through faster than your waking brain can process, this is priceless advice. The more information you have and the more deeply you understand anything, the better your “gut instincts” will become.
It’s so easy to talk ourselves into staying longer than we should, not taking a risk, or putting off self-improvement. So nurture your instincts and always listen to yourself – you’ll end up much happier in the long run.
4: You’re Going to Fail
“When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.” – Ellen DeGeneres
People love success stories, but often those successes we compare ourselves to are riddled with previous failure. Failed product designs that led to better ones, first drafts of novels that were edited and re-written dozens of times, dance moves that left bruises on tail bones – failure is frustrating, but it’s a necessary and integral part of learning and growing.
From the time we’re children we learn through trial and error and, infuriatingly enough, the failures are what fix lessons in our minds. It’s embarrassing to fail at work, but what people will remember the most is how you handle it. Instead of crumbling in despair or letting it throw off your confidence, just take a deep breath, accept responsibility, and find a new way to proceed.
Everyone – whether they admit it or not – has experience in failure and they’ll respect your mature response to it. Besides, everyone loves an underdog! So brush yourself off, absorb what your failure has taught you, and do better.
If you’re looking for a new job, check out our Job Openings page + to see what’s available. Apex Staffing specializes in connecting talented job seekers with high-quality, local employers. Our service is completely free for job seekers and we are always accepting applications.
