There are very important Career Advice that People Learn too Late in Life. I’ll walk you through them as we proceed. These career advice are considered very important life lessons which were experienced by different people who shared their fascinating stories with us.
15 Career Advice that People Learn Too Late in Life
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Thoughtfulness
A friend of mine John Edmond was a successful businessman, who now works for one of the biggest companies in the world, Amazon. He was also a good friend of Jack, who was also my classmate in college. Jack was struggling to find his place in the corporate world.
One day, over a cup of coffee, Jack poured his heart out to John. He told him about how he was struggling to advance in his career and how he felt lost and unsure about his future. That’s when John offered him some advice that would change his life forever.
“Jack, he called him, have you ever considered being thoughtful as a career lesson?” John asked, taking a sip of his coffee. Jack looked at him with confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked. John explained,
“Being thoughtful is not just a trait, it’s a valuable skill in the corporate world. It means being considerate of others’ feelings, being empathetic, and having the ability to understand different perspectives”.
“These are qualities that are highly sought after in the business world.” Jack was intrigued but still unsure. “But how can being thoughtful help me in my career?” he asked. John smiled and shared his own experience.
“When I was a college teacher” John began, “I had a student by name Henry. He wasn’t a fast learner as the other students. Henry was a very slow learner, he wouldn’t understand as the lesson was ongoing. I had to call Henry to teach him separately on a one-on-one basis and I will re-explain everything to him after every lesson. By so doing, Henry became the best student in my course”. That’s being Thoughtful.
The pharmaceutical companies that always put a small measuring cylinder calibrated in milli
Start by listening to your colleagues, understanding their needs, and offering solutions that would benefit everyone. “Being thoughtful not only helps you build good relationships with your colleagues, but it also makes you a valuable asset to the company.
You become a problem solver, a team player, and a leader,” John explained. Jack was amazed by John’s words. He thanked him for the valuable advice and promised to work on being more thoughtful in his career. Years later, Jack had become a successful businessman, just like John.
He often looked back at that conversation over coffee and was grateful that his friend had given him the best career advice he could ever receive. Being thoughtful had not only helped him in his career but had also made him a better person.
There is this saying that “you are like your thoughts” You can’t achieve more than your thoughts. You are your best critic but you are also your support. You have everything you need to succeed in life. There is only one life on earth so make your journey a good one.
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Never Choose Your Career to Please Anyone
As a Career Counsellor for over 28 years, listen to my best advice: Decide on your career and choose your career path whether as a student, teenager, or employee. You have to live and work on your terms and not someone else’s. Choose a job or career that best defines your goal.
If you choose a job you’re happy doing, you won’t want to retire. But if you’re doing a job you don’t like, you’ll be eager to retire and leave. Most jobs are not worth doing and many people work just to collect salaries and gain from retirement benefits. If you choose your career to please someone, then be prepared for the biggest regret in your life.
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Never Let your Emotions Betray you
In this life, no matter what you do, how much you love and care about your job tasks, roles, and responsibilities, Never let your emotions make decisions for you. Don’t let your emotions betray you. Never make decisions when you’re angry because there’s every tendency that such decisions taken when angry are wrong because they’re anger-inspired decisions.
- Whenever you are happy, Good! that’s the best time to make decisions and implement the strategies you’ve outlined.
- Whenever you feel sad, you’ll have to take some time off to relax and calm your nerves. When you’re done relaxing, you can immediately return to work and continue what you were doing. If you haven’t still restored your happiness, leave the work entirely until the next day.
- Whenever you are Angry! This is the worst time to make decisions. Never respond or reply to someone while you are angry. Wait until the anger is gone before you proceed.
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Constantly Upgrade your Skills
In life, no matter what you do, always take time to upgrade your skills. When you upgrade your skills, you stand a better chance of either getting promoted or getting a better job. In today’s world, to stay competitive in the job market, then you need to always upgrade your skills. Always identify new things you can learn that can help advance your career. Make sure you review each day what and what you could have done better. Take up a pen, write down important things that seem difficult, and prioritize them. Learn to read a lot and read only good literature.
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Look Good, Dress really Well, and Smell awesome.
There is an adage that says “You’re addressed the way you dress”. The best thing you can do for yourself is just to take care of yourself. You need to first treat yourself very well before other people can take you seriously. You also need to mind what comes out of your mouth. Think before you talk.
You must always look very tidy, manage your hair and smell nice each time you want to go to work. Always change your wardrobe when you need to.
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Never get involved in Office Rumors and Politics.
If anyone comes close to you with any kind of gossip, please never get involved in it. Stop discussing political affiliations at work because you might end up creating enemies for yourself. Always STOP them each time they come with a gossip about a co-worker. Only engage in healthy discussions that’ll profit you and the company.
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Your worst enemy is Laid-back Attitude.
Procrastination is an enemy of success. The only thing that’s stopping you from achieving anything is laid laid-back attitude. Take a step today and get it done now.
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Walk that extra mile and achieve closure on your tasks.
That thing that will get you the extra mile, please don’t waste time in doing it. Do it now. Get sign-off and closures on your deals/tasks. Do not hesitate to do the extra thing that’ll get you results. The time is now not tomorrow. Always give your best each day that passes by.
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Pick your Battles
Never let anyone bully or intimidate you. You have to stand up to office bullies. But while standing up to bullies, remember to pick your battle. You have to apply wisdom in everything you do.
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Take Note of how your Company Treats Someone who is down on their luck.
Many companies treat their employees who are down on their luck with disdain. If you continue to work for such a company, you might be the next. That’s how they will treat you someday. If an employee gets disabled and can’t continue working, the company is supposed to take care of them and pay them off.
I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday. We were all working hard, trying to meet our deadlines and make our company proud. But then I heard a loud crash and screams coming from the warehouse. I rushed over to see what had happened and was met with a sight that I will never forget.
Three of my employees, who had been with me since the beginning, were lying on the ground, injured and unable to move. One had a broken leg, another a fractured arm, and the third had a head injury. I was devastated. These were not just my employees, they were my friends.
And now, they were in pain and unable to work. The doctors said that they would need months, if not years, of rehabilitation before they could fully recover. I knew that I had to do something to help them. So, without hesitation, I decided to pay them off and take care of them until they were back on their feet.
I could see the shock and gratitude in their eyes when I told them what I was going to do. They had worked tirelessly for me and now it was my turn to take care of them. I made sure they had the best medical care and provided them with a comfortable place to live while they recovered.
It wasn’t easy. I had to dip into my savings and make some sacrifices, but it was worth it. Seeing the progress they made each day gave me hope and reminded me why I started this company in the first place – to take care of my employees and treat them like family.
My actions didn’t go unnoticed. News of what I had done for my employees spread and soon, other companies were following suit. It was heartwarming to see that something good could come out of such a tragic event. Now, my employees are not just my friends, they are my heroes.
They showed me the true meaning of loyalty and hard work, and I will always be grateful for their dedication. And I know that no matter what happens, I will always have their backs, just like they had mine.
