Career lessons Learned

By definition, lessons learned are experiences broken-down form a project that should be actively taken into account in future projects. Career lessons learned are similar but only applied to your career.

The job market is competitive. To progress in an organization you need to have laser like focus on where you are going. Compiling a set of career lessons learned is an important first step. As you move through the career ladder, you can reflect back on your lessons learned. Learning as you progress with experience and foresight.

Here is a short list of a few lessons learned from my past decade of work that can give you an idea of what they could be:

1. Be known for something special. Whether it is interpersonal relationships, crunching numbers, PowerPoint skills, whatever, be known for something special. Carve out a niche for yourself. If you find that coworkers come to you for specific questions around the same topic, you are becoming known for something. The faster you identify this, the quicker it will be to hone your special skills. We all have something inside of us that others gravitate towards.

2. Have defined career goals. Outline annual career goals. Make sure you know where you are going. If you want to climb the ladder you will need to get really good at your job. Have goals that help you get to where you want to go. When I was first starting out, my goals focused on a lifelong dream. I failed to recognize that I already had a great job. I did not define clear goals with them and I wasn't as successful as I could have been.

3. Save as much as possible. Eventually you will get tired of your current job. You may want to find something less stressful or take a risk. If you are trapped in debt, it will be harder to jump ship. The more debt you have, the more tied to a company you will be. You'll need their salary to service the debt. Save as much as possible so you are not trapped and have options. If you are in debt, focus on paying it down as fast as possible. Give yourself more options by becoming debt free.

4. Take risks but make them calculated. I took a lot of career risks over the past ten years. I've started over several times. It was painful but I learned a great deal. I'm more resilient than most my coworkers. However, in hindsight, I should have thought more about the long term ramifications of the risks. Whether it was quitting the government to pursue a lifelong dream or attending graduate school in California, those risks set me back a few years. I failed to look at the long term impact. However, I would not trade those experiences for anything, but I should have measured the risk impact more.

5. Find solutions. It's easy to get caught up in the problems at your job, but don't contribute to them, find solutions. If something isn't working, follow your instincts and don't give into office B.S. Act as quickly as possible on it by finding solutions. Take corrective action. Whether it is a process, system, employee, or product, don't let the issue fester, be the solution.

6. Be personable but don't reveal too much. Get to know coworkers on personal and professional level. Remember facts about them. Ask them how their family is. Show them that you care about their goals and life pursuits. If you are personable people will want to work with you. However, looking back, I wish I would not have revealed as much to my coworkers. Due to maturity, I would complain about the current job and indicate I was looking for something better. Or I would discuss my desires for something more. None of this hurt me professionally but I know some of my coworkers looked at me differently.

7. Focus on performance. The best way to move up in an organization is to do your job well. Don't look for instant gratification. You are there to get a job done. If you come into work with a smile on your face, put your head down and get the job done, you will be noticed. Supervisors recognize mundane tasks. Your ability to do them well is extremely important your first few years. Prove yourself in the current job but don't expect to jump up the ladder faster. We still live in a world where putting your time in is valued.

8. Find a mentor and learn from smarter people. Listen to those that have gone before you. Pick up on how they handle situations in the moment. Apply the best parts of them to your career. Actively and passively seek mentors. Looking back, I've had mentors come into my life without recognizing it. I wish I would have cultivated the relationship better. Because of ego and a desire to figure things out on my own, I did not develop deep relationships with some mentors. In hindsight, I could have used their advice and perspective better.

9. Be an influencer. This should be done behind the scenes, accomplished by actions, not words. Build a reputation as a problem solver. Maintain a personal brand that is positive. Give credit to others but don't get steamrolled. Balance assertiveness with delegation and empathy. Do what is good for the company, not for yourself. My first job out of school, it was all about me. I was displeased about my life behind a desk. Everyone I encountered could tell that my career moves were about me, not what was best for the organization.

10. Reflect often. The 9-5 grind goes fast. You wake up Monday morning and before you know it, it is Friday night. Weeks and months compound. The years start to fly by. Before you know it, you are ten to twenty years out of school. The routine of the grind can wear on you, but don't let it. If you reflect often about where you are going, you will be breaking up the monotony. Reflect often on your personal and professional goals. Redefine them as often as you can. For the rest of 2019, I am committed to building out my blog, advancing in my current job, honing my surfing skills, reading up on project management best practices, and being a better husband. What are you reflecting on in 2019?

Mr. Career Guide is a huge fan of collecting lessons learned. I hope you will be too. What career lessons learned have made the biggest impact on you so far?