Unique Pieces of Career Advice No One Mentions
1. The 1:1 with your manager is Your MOST important meeting
When you’re starting in your career, your manager shapes your role and co-authors a lot of your career trajectory. It’s on you to drive the agenda and use them as a resource to learn and share your thinking on decisions.
Here’s what I cover in mine:
- weekly status update with focus on any roadblocks and my first attempts to figure it out
- win of my week to share moments
- questions for them about recent company updates, etc.
Note: I try to always come with questions because I’m actually a curious person and love learning why we’re building a company the way we are.
2. Take the interview when recruiters reach out
It’s useful to know your market value because it changes. When recruiters slide into your LinkedIn DMs, take the interview. Why not?
Even if you don’t really want the job, it’s interesting to know how you’re being perceived online that made you attractive for the role. Ask them questions. It also helps to stay sharp on interview practicing.
3. When you come to leadership with problems come with solutions too
People have enough problems. You want to brand yourself as a problem solver. So when you run into problems that you need help with, exercise rigorous thinking to come up with a couple solutions on your own first.
Present those when you come with the problem. Coming to leaders with big problems already seems like you’re passing the buck.
No one likes a lazy teammate.
Do the work and use other people to diversely think through the best option.
4. Don’t gossip
No one likes a gossip.
It’ll feel tempting to do it when you’re pissed off at work but don’t do it. Find friends or a therapist, someone outside of work to vent if you need to.
5. Know how your job fits into the bigger picture of your life
This will help keep you happy.
Some people are at a job because it pays the bills. Some people are at a job because it’s good worklife balance for them. Some people are at a job because it lets them use their skills and step into the best version of themselves.
I was told that you can’t (or shouldn’t) expect everything from your work… that you have to diverse yourself, put energy and time into other things in life.
At my first job, I gave them everything. I poured myself into work and I felt stupid and left out, it didn’t pour itself back into me. I didn’t feel fulfilled. I felt used. I perpetually felt underpaid, too. I have no idea if I was underpaid but I felt that way.
Right now, my job requires me to be at the healthiest version of myself - emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically. I’m building community in New York for The Org and I appreciate that I have to work hard outside of work to show up as my best self at work. I’m 2 months in so I’m still figuring out but I’m excited to be here.
