As much as we all like to think that we can make it to the top of our career ladder on our own, it just isn’t feasible. While some individuals have a greater impact on our career paths than others, we’ve all picked up pieces of advice from mentors, colleagues, friends, and family on how to thrive at work and in your career. A lot of this advice is helpful, but there is also a lot of bad advice out there (more on that next week). It can be hard to sift through which advice should be followed or not.
This week’s GovFem did the heavy lifting for you. Through some extensive crowdsourcing efforts here’s the best pieces of advice our colleagues, peers and friends have received in their professional lives:
“One of the best pieces of advice I got was, one time I was really stressed out at work and I was talking to my manager and she asked me “Can you do anything to change it?” and in this case there wasn’t anything I could do so I said “no” and then she said “Then it is not worth stressing out about.” I constantly refer back to that when I start getting stressed out to help me either figure out the best next steps or figure out that I don’t need to stress out and I often pass that onto my team.”
-Anonymous
“Don’t think you are better than any job – getting the mail, cleaning, picking up coffee, etc. do everything and everything and go beyond your job description.”
-Katarina Hong, Office Administrator, Granicus
“No one can get your goat, if you don’t know where it’s hitched.”
-Hannah Moss, Senior Editor and Project Manager, GovLoop
“Be faithful to your profession, above your organization.”
-Bill Brantley, Project Manager and Trainer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
“It’s not what you know that gets you the job, it’s who you know. It seems most jobs are offered due to having a contact at the business where you’re applying.”
-Christine Wistrom, Nursing Transition Coordinator, Disability Network/Lakeshore
“Don’t accept no as the final answer. Keep asking until you find someone to say yes.”
Dana Sims, Training and Skills Development Lead, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
“Resist urgency. Some of the hardest things in the world — like building relationships, being inclusive — take time.”
-Caroline Smith, Co-Director of Marketing, SeeClickFix
“Don’t overestimate the power of kindness in the workplace.”
-Emily Jarvis, Senior Online and Events Editor, GovLoop
“Don’t be afraid to learn from someone younger than you… what they lack in age, they very well could make up for in knowledge – why should age dictate their success.”
-Niki Grant, Sales Specialist, GovLoop
“Be aware of your surroundings, you never know who is listening.”
-Courtney Belme, Editorial Fellow, GovLoop
“Don’t be afraid to guide your colleagues just because you are younger and/or hold less work experience.”
-Tara Lerman, Digital Engagement Specialist, Granicus
Got another good piece of advice you have received? Be sure to leave it in the comments!
