Lessons Learnt During my Career

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Steve Jobs

Before I got into the working world, I had a lot of unrealistic expectations. I was misled into believing that career life is as it is portrayed in the movies; you know: with endless coffee breaks and the informal setting, but my greatest misconception was that I could pocket my entire salary (LOL). This is my sixth year in the working world and my misconceptions have been redirected through the following lessons:

• If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. Except for one, all the professional positions I have held were availed to me after I applied. I never looked through newspapers to see which companies were hiring; I simply wrote letters introducing myself to companies and was lucky to get a call back. If I’m being honest, the only job I didn’t apply for has been my least favourite so far. My advice is: make the first move and have faith that your potential employers will see the value that you could add to their organisation.

 

• Work to the best of your ability. When you get that dream job, do everything in your power to ensure your potential is being exhausted. You don’t have to be perfect, but you have to be 100% committed. The key to being the best version of yourself professionally is to carefully select your career path. Always remember that it is easier to achieve positive results when you work hard doing something you love.

 

• Be open-minded. Whenever you join an organisation, join knowing that there is a lot you could learn from your colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates. Firstly, no matter how experienced you are, there is still room for improvement. Secondly, no two companies are identical, so don’t expect things to be the same when you join a new organisation. Instead, be thrilled about being given an opportunity to learn new ways of thinking and enrich your knowledge.

 

• Always sign a contract. I once took up a freelancing opportunity without signing a contract and I wasn’t paid for the job; this was after a whole week of dedicated work! To cut the story short, I was exploited and I didn’t have proof to take legal action against the company. My advice: be cautious about your professional affairs.

 

• Negotiate your salary. Firstly, you need to know what you bring to the table and ‘assess your value’. In as much as you need to avoid undervaluing yourself, don’t over value yourself. It might be helpful to understand what will be expected of you when you take up the role; that way you will be able to assess how much money you could get for your work so as to avoid being underpaid or overpaid for your output. Most importantly, remember to take into consideration that you will need to pay tax and a contribution towards your pension money.

 

• Have fun. Embrace every moment of the journey; PERIOD!