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Modern Career Advice Every Professional Should Know

As times change and younger folks enter the workforce, some traditional job advice and practices just haven’t stayed the course. Whether you’re a young professional finding your way, or a seasoned pro doling out what you hope is great advice, consider the new set of rules that apply to the modern workforce. You may find you’re still following some of the old ones!

If you need a hand to succeed in the modern workplace, check out these gems of wisdom:

  1. You don’t have to stay in one job forever. Long gone are the days of staying in the same job for your entire career if you hope to get ahead. For many young people, staying in the same job forever probably sounds like torture! So the good news is, yesteryear’s very long, very linear career path has given way to a much more fluid path with turns and branches. Some of them go up, some of them go sideways, and some lead to different paths entirely. But how do you know if you’re on the right path for you? It’s important to set and regularly check in on your career goals. What do you want to accomplish this year? Next year? How can you prepare yourself to get there? And always steer the focus back to your ultimate career goal, like becoming CEO or owning a hot dog cart, even if it doesn’t seem achievable or even realistic right now.
  2. You don’t have to work an 80-hour week to be successful. Work-life balance is a thing these days, so to achieve your goals, you don’t have to fall asleep at your desk and come home to six cats. And don’t let technology tell you that you have to be on call and prepared to work at all times, either. Unless your specific role demands it (say, if you’re on call for the overnight IT shift), you do not need to reply to email at midnight, texts on weekends, or work through your PTO. Burnout does not equal success! In fact, ignoring your personal needs can set you back in the long run. So set boundaries: answer email during work hours, report during office hours, and unplug during your PTO. It’s tough, but it’s better for your long-term prospects.
  3. You don’t have to make it about you. While it’s good to gracefully tout your achievements, gone are the days of “I want this” and “I singlehandedly did that.” Today’s workplace is much more about collaboration and servant leadership. Your bosses know you can kill that project by yourself, but how much more could you achieve if you and your colleagues put your heads together? There’s no need to horde information or glory. And it’s not all about you when you network, either. Your relationships are absolutely critical to your career potential, so it’s equally critical to form those relationships carefully, such as at a networking event. “Hi, I’m Bob, nice to meet you, Jennifer. Can we meet tomorrow to discuss my prospects with your company?” . . . No, no, no. Asking a stranger for a favor seems selfish and shallow, and will not start that relationship off on the right foot, if it facilitates a relationship at all. Try showing your value-add first. Ask how your skills can help your prospective contact right now, and what support they might need in the future. People love forming connections with other helpful, thoughtful people.
  4. You don’t have to let fear hold you back. The workplace can be scary! And for every success, there’s bound to be a failure. But don’t let fear of falling short keep you from reaching for the stars. If that promotion intrigues you, go for it. If that project challenges you, tackle it. Advancement and change can be scary, and you won’t hit what you aim for every time. But if fear holds you back from achieving your goals, you may just end up stuck in one job forever!

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