Daphne is a multi-linguist who just loves nothing more than getting out of bed in the morning and hitting the ground running. She runs her own design agency and loves hanging out with her pet spoodle, Binky. This piece, written by Daphne, is for aspiring careerists, to learn how they can get ahead in their jobs and in the workplace by upskilling, being open to change, and, of course, working hard.
Much as some of us might like to think that what we do for work doesn’t matter all that much in the scheme of things, the sad fact remains that in our capitalist society what you do for a job is something that is interesting to, and of importance to, a great deal of people. Think about it if you will for a moment; what’s one of the first things that you’re asked upon meeting a new person at a social engagement or at a party? That’s right, it’s a question about your job and what you do. Whether it’s a gentle probe or an outright question, the inquisition might go something like, “So, what is it that you do for a crust, ha ha?” or just plain and simple, “So what do you do?” No matter how much people might try and hedge this statement to make it appear as though they’re not about to start secretly judging you from that moment on (purely on basis of the profession that you’ve either chosen or fallen into), the truth is that as humans we’re a largely superficial bunch, at least initially, and we will begin making our minds up about people just as soon as we can, based on whatever we can glean.
As an example, in society we believe that dustmen are largely uneducated, and that doctors are highly trained professionals. We understand that dentists are good people to know, and that it’s vital to have a good plumber in our phone books, but what does your profession say about you? As an additional point, should it really matter what other people think about you based on what you do? Well, no, but it does to some people, and so if you’ve got the kind of outlook that you want to maximise the life you have, then the work that you do will have some role to play in this. We’ve outlined ten top tips that will help you get ahead, and to get the most out of your career.
Tip One
Take a good hard look at what it is that you want to achieve, and then make a rough outline for how you’re going to achieve it. It’s all very well and good to say that you’re sick of your current job, but if you don’t know what on earth it is that you DO want to do, then there’s very little good that will come of complaining about your current employment. Instead of wasting time moaning about how horrible your workload is or how much of a micro-managing fool your manager is, spend the time researching your career path. Consider reading some books on the subject of career development, and go as deep as you dare to go into your personality when it comes to figuring out what it is that you want to do. Personality tests are an interesting way to start, and you don’t need to get all Freudian on the situation, but it’s certainly worthwhile investing some time into yourself, and into figuring out not just what kind of job you want, but the kind of lifestyle – after all, this is of utmost importance to your happiness in life.
Tip Two
Take your rough outline of an idea and then go ahead and turn that into a solid plan! With a solid plan for how you’re going to achieve your goals, you’ll find it much easier to know where the goalposts are. If you know what you want to achieve, then figuring out how you’re going to get there is going to be that much easier. It helps if you understand what is going to be available to you career-wise, so consider these points:
- Do you need to get some more skills in order to move to your chosen profession? I.e. are you currently a gardener who is harbouring dreams of moving into Nursing? If so, you’ll need to go to school – no doubt about it. If you’re a Gardener and want to move into doing something like Nursing, a good place to start would be www.tafecourses.com.au. They offer training programs that enable people to move into their desired line of work with the qualifications and knowledge necessary to succeed.
- Have you spoken to people within your chosen new field to find out exactly what the job is like?
Do you know what sort of hours you’ll be working, and do you know how much overtime you’ll be required to do initially? These sorts of things are important to know – especially if you have kids or need to take care of people.
Tip Three
Is there anything vital that you need to know about your new potential job, and what kind of progression exists within the job or posting? What we’re basically saying here is that you should do as much research as is humanly possible about a new job, and to uncover ever single skerrick of information in terms of the conditions, pay, holiday, duties, working environment, and anything else that you think could possible impact on your overall happiness in the role. After all, it’s not just the duties of a role that make us happy or unhappy with a job – and if you consider it, it’s usually something like an evil boss or some terrible conditions at work that make us throw in the towel – and all of these things can potentially be controlled for and managed.
There comes a time in the lives of many people where we grow tired of doing the same job over and over for a paltry sum at the end of the week. If this is you, then you need to consider the idea of shifting careers and moving on to something else.
If you think there is more for you out there, then guess what? There probably is! All it takes is for you to have the impetus to get up and get out and seek something better for yourself, and by researching career options you’re already part of the way there. Now, you need to keep going and to not give up on the opportunities available to you. Best of luck.
