If you are in a rut with your job, it’s often in your best interest to take a risk or two and shake things up. Don’t be afraid of a career change. Switching things up can breathe new life into your occupation; don’t be afraid to take action! Similarly, if you haven’t yet graduated, you make want to take these points to heart when deciding on what company to work with.
Here are 7 things you can do to invigorate your career:
Choose Learning over Salary
When looking at career or potential job opportunities, most people are focused on the salary. They look for the biggest paycheck (often not even considering the cost of living. It’s much more costly to live in NYC vs. living in the Midwest…but that’s an entirely different point) regardless of what they’ll actually be doing day-to-day. However, in order to feel that you are successfully advancing in your career, you must be constantly learning new things.
This, in turn, will not only make you more happy, but will cause you to earn more in the long term. As Warren Buffet says, “The more you learn, the more you earn.”
If you don’t feel like you’re going to be learning much when looking at job prospects, or are in a current position that doesn’t allow for that, take the risk to get to position where you’ll be constantly learning. It’ll make you both happier and will eventually allow you make more!
Avoid Easy
If you do what is easy, your life will be hard.
While the concept of doing the bare minimum at work may initially seem attractive, it is a sure way to a dissatisfied career. No doubt you’ll soon be saying, ‘I need a career change’. Similarly to building muscle, it’s important to push yourself constantly if you wish to see positive results.
Go the extra mile. Be the one that your boss and peers can count on. Don’t just slide by.
You’ll become a better person for it.
When Choosing a Career, Go After What You Love
This is the most important point of this article and will help you in choosing a career. If you do what you love, it won’t actually feel like work. Sure, there will be bad days, but you’ll be able to push through these trials and tribulations knowing that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Having a hard time figuring out what you love? Take a few minutes and read this article.
Network Outside of Your Circle
Yes, it can be difficult to make friends in a new city. But as they say, your network is your net worth. This positive effect will multiply when meeting people outside of your typical group.
You will be surprised what you learn when socializing with people outside of your network. This may mean hanging out with someone in the accounting department if you are in marketing. Or attending networking events with people from not only different careers, but different companies. This will allow you to expand your mindset, create references, or find potential customers. For a full list of benefits of networking outside of your circle, click here.
Pass on Terrible Culture
If it’s normal or expected for people to be cutthroat and unhelpful at your organization, get out. Sure competition is often helpful for certain positions such as sales, but there’s a balance.
Your working environment should ultimately be one of collaboration and productivity. If it’s not, then you’ll have days full of stress and find it difficult to focus on the organization’s overarching mission (whatever that may be). Going for company that has a strong, positive culture may or may not result in a pay cut. But even if you have to forego a bit of pay, it’ll be more than worth it in the long run.
Speak Up!
If something isn’t right in your office or someone on your team isn’t doing what they’re supposed to do, say it. If you feel that there’s a process that could be improved in your company, say it. If there’s an opportunity that you think your group should pursue, say it!
While using tact, get in the habit of saying what’s on your mind. This will allow you to solidify your brand, gain respect, and create a commanding presence. and gain respect. And most importantly, if you speak up, you will play an integral part of shaping your organization’s future.
Learn to Say “No”
While you definitely want to step up to the plate and go the extra mile, there is a balance. If you’re often taking home work (at night or over the weekend), you need to start saying no. The longer you wait to learn to say no, it becomes more and more difficult. Know your jobs and responsibilities and do them well, but don’t go overboard.
If you put into practice any of the advice above, realize that things won’t always pan out how you hoped they would. But the reality is that things can often fail, even if you’re taking the ‘safe route’. So you might as well go after what you want in life.
As Oscar Wilde said, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
There’s a reason you’re reading this and there’s a reason that you feeling that you should take the leap. Do it.
Just never give up.
So what career risk are you going to take?
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