Hi guys, welcome back to my blog. It’s been 4 blogs within a month and I am grateful for the consistency so far.
Today, I want us to talk about something pertinent, CAREER SUCCESS.
A few days ago, I posted a tweet saying, “I will rather spend my time investing in a future of financial freedom, than waste my time working for money.” and that spiked a conversation with a long-time colleague of mine.
Well, before I get into the whole gist, let’s define what “career success” is.
According to Forbes, Career Success is a combination of achieving a reasonable level of financial stability while doing work you enjoy and then finding that you are also happy and fulfilled with your life and career choices as well.
Firstly, your career should never be chosen as a way of making ends meet (ie. Just to earn a salary at the end of the month). Here is the mistake many people make.
Well, I know we leave in a tough economy. The rate of inflation in many countries is high and we all trying to survive, but then working with the mindset of just earning money is detrimental.
According to The Philadelphia Tribune, a study carried out showed 37% of people who retired at 55 died early than those at 65. It even says 89% of people who retired at 55 are likely to die within 10 years and men who retire at 62 had a 20% higher likelihood of death than the general population.
Why is this, you ask?
Additionally, it was said that the kind of job you had before retirement played a role in how long you lived after retirement. People who had lower-status jobs died within 3years of retirement and people with higher-status jobs lasted longer after retirement. Studies have also shown that the lower the income and educational level, the higher the retiree’s mortality rates.
Hope you now see why I said what I said.
A lot of times, many of us are forced to choose our jobs, cause we need money. I am not saying you shouldn’t consider the economic situation on ground, but money/salary should not be the only consideration.
Do you ever consider what values am I gaining in return from this job, career-wise? If I leave this job in the next 3-6months can I boast of being 10x better, than I am now when I started working? What is the advantage of personal growth I gain working with this brand/company?
I am grateful I asked myself this question when I got my first job at a Pharmaceutical warehouse. I only worked there for three weeks when I left to get a new job as digital marketing intern in a real estate firm. Though I was being paid less than the salary offered in the pharmaceutical warehouse, I was 10x better when I left the real estate firm 9 months later and from there I moved on to working in a creative agency, Tech and even starting up a brand of my own.
Why? This is because real estate gave me room for personal development than the pharmaceutical warehouse with higher pay.
While working at the pharmaceutical warehouse, I worked 10 hours a day for 6 days a week as a salesperson. I would wake up very early to beat traffic just to get there on time. I rarely had the time for my family or personal devotion as a Christian, not to talk of having time to take new courses needed for career growth. By the time, I was almost 3weeks working there, I asked myself what have I gained so far working here as to what I had expected, and my answer was “Nothing,” That was the time I knew it was high time I left to find a new job. God helping me, I did!
Not advising you to go resign from your job immediately, but if it’s not meeting up with your career goals, then why not?
Well, I am sure someone might be reading this and haven’t even considered what career success to them is aside from just having money to spend. Here are a few tips for you;
1. What is your life goal?
If you have read my blog on Job strategy, you will remember I talked about “Mission Statement.” In life, knowing your purpose and how you aim to fulfil it is important! It acts as a GPS, redirecting you whenever you get on the wrong part. So, what exactly do you aim at achieving in life?
2. What skills are necessary to achieve those goals?
Well, I don’t want you to think I just left the warehouse to look for a digital marketing intern job without having background skills. Before I had gotten the job at the warehouse, I had taken a free certification course on Google digital skills for Africa which I had presented at my job interview with my employer at the real estate firm and pitched myself on how eager I was ready to use my skill and learn on the job as well. So, search out what skills you are lacking that is needed to achieve those goals.
3. Who are your role models in your field?
Think about people you admire, mentors, friends, and successful people. What exactly makes them stand out? What about their roles, work-life balance or traits you will love to emulate?
4. Seek a Career Coaching
Before you take that next step, you need to learn from someone who is on the right path. This is why I am grateful for this era of Technology, ADPLIST has made it possible to learn from a variety of mentors for free. Check it out and pay it forward by helping someone else.
5. Lastly, do not be afraid to Start small!
For some, achieving what career success means, that might mean leaving that high-paying job as I did for a lower-paying job, but with more advantages. And yes, this will mean sacrificing a lot as well to achieve your goals, but remember it pays to do so in the end.
I am proud I got the confidence to leave & ever since then, I have the confidence to choose what is right for my career at any point in time. I hope you also get to do so too.
PS: Thank you all, for reading my blog, I hope I was able to help someone’s career journey with this. Hoping to bring you juicier topics on my blog. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to share.
