10 small lil tidbits of career advice

Welcome back.

The truth is, there is no single “right path” to take in your career. You kinda just figure it out, lean into your strengths and passion and the rest will unfold. And who knows, maybe you’re like me where you find yourself pivoting in your career at some point. Transitioning from higher education to tech was a journey!

I was chatting with a friend recently about career. They were feeling a bit stuck in their role and didn’t know whether to wait it out or to take immediate action to start being more serious about finding something new. We had a good conversation; an honest one. Basically what I shared with them is that they consider doing what’s best for them, not for anyone else or any company. Do you, and go with what your gut is telling you.

So that inspired me to write this week’s posts on some pieces of career advice I follow and have put into practice, shared by some of my managers, mentors, and just because I learned the hard way about some things. lol

Let’s jump in.

1. Who you know often matters more than what you know: Building relationships with people and keeping them active can help open doors that skills alone cannot.

2. Learn to sell and tell stories: Even if you don’t work in sales, you’re constantly selling yourself. Also, practice your 30sec elevator pitch, or basically the answer to “tell me about yourself.”

3. Be visibly valuable: Share your wins and achievements, not just the effort you’re putting in. People should hear about the milestones you’ve reached.

4. Learn (and practice) skills that compound: Writing, coding, data analytics, negotiation

5. Solve valuable problems and opportunities will follow: Spot challenges, think critically, and deliver solutions that matter.

6. Mentors show you the path, and peers push you along it: Lean on your mentors for advice, but hey, lean on your peers too! There’s equal value there.

7. Passion grows when you get good at something meaningful: Passion rarely starts fully formed. It develops through mastery. Work on what aligns with your values. You can’t really choose a passion anyway.

8. Say yes early, say no later: Take every opportunity you can manage, early in your career. Later on, develop focus as opportunities multiply.

9. Get good at communication; clarity is underrated: If you can’t explain your ideas in ways others understand, your impact is limited.

10. Surround yourself with ambitious people: It can be a great way to raise your own expectations and set more goals for yourself, especially if the people around you are setting that bar.

What would you add to this list? Is there anything you’d take off? Or edit?

Thanks for reading and for being here. I don’t take for granted that you care what I have to say. Or even if you don’t care, and you’re still here; thanks for being a fan anyway. ❣️

Let’s connect!