10 Pieces of Career Advice No One Tells You

There are plenty of standard cookie-cutter tips and tricks available online. But if you think you don’t conform to those, we’ll let you in on some career secrets…!! 

Everybody feels stuck at some point. The successful entrepreneur you see on the Forbes list, the popular actor at the peak of their career, or the novelist who has sold millions of copies of their work – all of them need guidance from time to time. 

Your well-wishers, relatives, and friends, too, might bombard you with a ton of advice when you are facing an obstacle in your career path. But sometimes, you need to look further than conventional views.

So in this article, we give you ten pieces of career advice that no one tells you.

1. Use Imposter Syndrome To Get Better At What You Do

Imposter syndrome is a very arduous thing to work with. You constantly feel insecure about your level of competency, keep comparing yourself with your peers and perpetually feel out-of-place, even though you have every qualification to bear your job position.

But, the good news is you can use imposter syndrome to keep pushing yourself to do better and gain further expertise in your domain. The goal isn’t to outdo everyone else but to outperform yourself. A small dose of insecurity can keep you humble while also motivating you to improve on your skill-set.

2. Always Pick a Great Mentor Over a Big Paycheck

People always tell you to look for a stable job with a stable income. Of course, having that is great, but what can help you even more is having a good mentor. You might have studied a lot, have the best grades, and even have good hands-on experience with work. But, it is beyond comparison to the immense amount of knowledge and exposure you can gain by working with the right mentors.

So, if you are provided with the choice of a less-paying job with a boss that you know can be a good mentor or a higher pay with people who won’t contribute to your long-term goals – always go with the former. Surrounding yourself with the right people not only leads to better opportunities but also prevents you from making mistakes that could cost you big time!

3. An ‘Achievable Goal’ is Highly Relative

For a person belonging to a low-income family, affording funds for a medical degree might seem unrealistic. But, a person belonging to a higher-income family might think it is a completely achievable goal.

Similarly, a person who has only seen working professionals in their closest circle might think starting a business is a daunting task. But a person with a family business will know the ins and outs of it, and it will be feasible for them to start a new business.

So, if you’re pursuing a goal that you are told is unrealistic, remind yourself that it is ‘unrealistic’ to them, not you. Reading up on your field, researching its scope, and educating yourself will eventually help you attain all those unthinkable dreams.

4. How You Network With People Does Matter

Qualifications and hard skills can land you the job you need. But, what worked to get you a job, won’t necessarily help you survive the job environment. You need to be able to talk to people, rummage through social circles, and build a network of meaningful relationships to add value to your work. 

The ‘Put your head down and work hard’ approach days are long gone. You need to be able to market your skills and the work you have done for people to know your quality of work. Remind people of your value to let them know your worth as an employee and as a person. You are your only marketer.

5. Job Requirements Can Be Open To Negotiation

Now, this is something that emphasizes the need to brush up on your communication skills. Of course, you shouldn’t be applying for jobs that you’re heavily underqualified for. But, if you think you do have the skill set to work for a job that you don’t tick off some requirements on your recruiter’s checklist for, you can negotiate by proving what you can bring to the table.

Take the unconventional path and shoot your shot. Let your employer know that you do possess the skills in the job description, even though you don’t meet certain qualifications. Although a little uncommon, sometimes a recruiter will look past the requirements list and give you a chance. Make it worthwhile!

6. Look Beyond Conventional Methods To Get Your Dream Job

When a company puts out a job posting, more than ten times the amount of people actually needed, apply for it. So, what makes you stand out if you’re one of them? Whether it is a ‘thank you’ mail after an interview or a getting your materials in the hands of the higher-ups using your network – use it all to make yourself seen.

Remember, no one reaches extraordinary heights by following the same set of rules as everyone else.

7. Sometimes You’ll Have To Fake Confidence To Push Through Tough Times

If you’re stuck in a loop of job interviews and rejections, pushing through it every single day is very tough. Meeting with disappointments over and over can reduce performance and even make you lose the will to persevere through. At times like these, you will have to trick yourself into looking at the outcomes you want instead of the outcome you’re getting.

Think of how proud you will feel when you finally get that job offer you worked so hard for, or how happy you will be once you achieve what you thought was an unattainable goal. Focusing on the bright side might seem artificial at first, but it can help you through a difficult journey.

 8. Think of Every Experience as Foresight

You might fall into a place that is way beyond your comfort zone. Thinking of this experience as an opportunity to grow and learn will help you remarkably. When you encounter foreign situations, you are forced to think outside of your typical judgments and become more creative in finding solutions.

These uncomfortable experiences are simply additions to your career growth, and think of them as foresight will help you endure it better. 

9. No Job is Objectively Good or Bad

You might think that working at a Fortune 500 company will set you up for life. But that’s far from the truth. Working for a small job at a restaurant or a cafeteria isn’t something objectively bad. It gives you a perspective of how things work in the real world and, in turn, makes you more qualified than a person who has only seen big office cubicles in their whole career. 

Working small jobs can prove as stepping stones in your career journey. Money shouldn’t be the only thing that drives you.

10. Only Passion isn’t Enough. You Must Keep Learning to Grow Your Prowess

“If you’re passionate about something, do it. Money will follow.” is simply bad advice. Being extremely passionate about something when you don’t do enough to keep up with its industry standards is futile. So mold your passion in a way as to grow into a professional whose skills are required by businesses. 

Investing in learning always pays off, whether it be through academic degrees or books. Follow your passion if you’re ready to work for it day and night; only then will success follow. 

The bottom line:

You might not need all 10 of these pieces of career advice at the same time. But make sure to keep it at the back of your mind for another day when you truly need it. Or, you could just come back here for a refresher!