Career Lessons So Far

By Jessica Smith On May 5, 2016 In Lessons Learned

Careers are long and winding. They are filled with ups and downs, failures and wins and lots of opportunity. The good news is you’re never stuck if you aren’t happy—with persistence and hard work, there’s always a way to open a new door.

I’m a big believer that opening doors in your career requires self reflection. It’s important to take a step back and think about what you’ve learned, what you would do different and what you did right. It’s important to apply the learnings:

It does not matter where you are in your career—we have all had moments of great growth and learning.  This blog celebrates those learnings, both from my career and from my Twitter friends.

 

One job does not define your career.

When I graduated, I knew I wanted to work in sports, but my first job out of school was not the traditional route into sports business. I worked at the Atlanta Track Club, but the road ed-inform.net industry is a lot like working for a team: Small and mighty staff, long hours, nights and weekends. Nothing was very traditional. Looking back, the ATC was one of the best first gigs for me. It allowed me to take on meaningful work, expanded my skill set and taught me the important skill of self-learning. The skill sets I learned from my first job eventually landed me a great opportunity at the NCAA.

It’s up to you to make the most of where you are. Develop the skills that will help you in the future. Remember that careers are long and one job doesn’t define your entire future. Work hard, be persistent and don’t be afraid to go an unexpected route.

 

Learning never stops.

The day you feel you are done learning is the day you should stop working. It does not matter what industry you are in, everything evolves and changes—and at every stage. If you want to continue to push the envelope in your career, then you have to push your own personal growth. Reflect, learn, read and absorb as much as you can.

 

Throw away the notion of a “dream job”.

When we think about careers, it’s easy to romanticize about places to work. I’ve been guilty of listing off companies I want to work for versus focusing on what I need out of a job to feel fulfilled.

It’s important to throw away the traditional notion of a dream job… it can be limiting and also disappointing (by romanticizing something too much). Sometimes we don’t even know what we need to be happy with work.  And often, work is what you make of it. As you move along throughout your career, take mental notes of what you like and did not like about culture, roles, managers. Don’t limit yourself with romantic notions of what your dream job is.

 

Be open.

I never thought I would live in Baltimore, but the move here is one of the best decisions I’ve made. I love the city and I love where I work. The thing is, you have to be open.

I’ve moved a lot and the one thing that has made moving easy is the notion that nothing in this life is permanent. The fear of change isn’t so scary when you realize if the change doesn’t work out, it doesn’t have to stay that way. If there’s something you want to do, go for it. It’s better to take the chance than to always wonder “what if”?

If you’ve ever had that itch to leave your current city, do it now. If you’ve been pursuing a job relentlessly and the day finally comes, take it. If an unexpected opportunity comes up, don’t just close the door on it. As they say, fortune favors the bold. Be open and go for it.

 

Execution matters.

One of my favorite things about my job is having the opportunity to strategize and ideate. And while I would love nothing more than to just spend my day scribbling ideas on a white board, execution is what makes your ideas valuable.

We can spend all day building beautiful decks and brainstorming, but all of that is fruitless if we don’t act on it. Ideation and brainstorms are important, but don’t just let everything be smoke and mirrors. Those that produce the work surface to the top. Brainstorm, strategize then make sure you execute.

 

There are no “real” rules.

You can read all kind of books on careers, leadership, etc., but at the end of the day there are no real rules. Don’t be afraid to do things your way. Don’t be afraid to go after what you want. Step up and stand out.

 

Speak up.

I often take time to internalize my thoughts. And early on in my career, I got feedback from my managers to speak up more. They constantly coached me to step up to the table.  I eventually developed the confidence needed to speak up. When I did, I noticed people started viewing me differently. I was brought into more brainstorms, more projects and put in front of leadership.

The problem with internalizing your thoughts and never speaking up is that people won’t know your thought process and leadership. You have to find the courage to bring your voice to the table and be heard. It’s not about speaking just to speak, but adding perspective. Studies show that successful people speak up… and I don’t think that’s by coincidence.

 

Get use to “no”.

I’ve been fortunate to have a fantastic career so far, but the road hasn’t always been easy. I’ve heard more than 1000 no’s, but have never let them hold me back from pursuing what I love. If I listened to every no I heard all the way, I wouldn’t have landed a fantastic job at a company I love. Rejection is a part of life. No’s aren’t easy, but they are necessary to get where you want to be. And in the pursuit of being great, you’re going to hear no. Don’t let the no’s hold back your forward progress. Keep pressing on.

Don’t fear rejection. Instead, celebrate the fact that you’re out their boldly pursuing what you love and want, rejection or not.

 

Advocate for yourself.

One time I left a job at a company I loved and cried during every exit interview. I left because I felt like I wasn’t being challenged and there wasn’t room to grow, but clearly my emotional response to leaving was perhaps an indication that it wasn’t time to go.

During one of my exit interviews, the person asked why I was leaving. They had no idea how I was feeling. That person had a tough and heartfelt conversation with me about speaking up more. And it was then that I had this “ah-ha” moment: You can’t expect people to read your mind and know what you want. If you love a company you are at, but need a bit of change, don’t be afraid to speak up. Speaking up requires work. It shows that you care. It’s better to advocate and fight the fight then to not speak up at all. Things might not always work out, but at the very least you should try and advocate for yourself.  From now on I’ll go down swinging at a place I love before I have to exit.

 

Great advice from my Twitter friends.

 

Thanks to everyone on Twitter who participated in this awesome conversation. Be sure to share you biggest career lessons by commenting below.

Thanks for reading! 

Like what you read? Please share!
RSS
Follow by Email
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn
0