Are you having a hard time standing out in your career? Are you currently struggling at work? Girl, we feel you! If you have been in the corporate world for a while, you will definitely agree that all those good grades and hard work at Uni did not equal a successful career.
I mean, landing an amazing job and actually being good at it proves to be a whole other ball game… And even if you are pretty good at your job, obtaining success entails way more than just that.
Truth is, the struggle is real sometimes and it’s absolutely okay to admit it. If you have come to the point where you desire to make some changes in your career and become more successful as a professional, we have put together three important and sometimes overlooked life skills that you need to become successful in your career.
Networking with purpose
‘Networking’ has become one of the most important things when it comes to building a successful career. Not only is it a crucial aspect of your career, but it can also actually help improve some personal areas of your life as well. Networking is more than meeting new people; it’s about building your network with purpose. Connecting with others to inspire, serve and help one another professionally (whether in the present or future).
Even when looking to switch careers or when you are on the job hunt, you will realise that the progress of your job search primarily depends on who you know or have in your inner circle.
If you’re not on a professional online network like LinkedIn, now is the time to sign up. Professional networking platforms like LinkedIn give you the opportunity to showcase your expertise, meet like-minded people and raise your profile. Learning how to engage and connect with people is a life skill that can change your life and open new career doors.
Time management
Another important skill you’ll need to cultivate is time management. In order to be productive at work, you need to learn how to manage your time strategically and how to set your priorities. One of the major things you might have gotten away with as a student is, procrastination.
However, as a full-time professional, trying to juggle family, friends and social life, your job will still require you to meet those tight deadlines. Luckily, there are many great tools that can help you prioritise and manage your time effectively. One of our favourite tools is the ‘Time Management Grid’ by Stephen Covey.
This grid is organised based on ‘urgency’ and ‘importance’ and it teaches you to plan around effective personal time management. It stresses the importance of planning, prioritising, building meaningful relationships and also recognising new opportunities.
Building relationships and effectively dealing with conflicts
As already touched on a bit in the previous point, there is nothing more important than building healthy and successful relationships. Especially, in your career. Businesses grow, customers are retained and deals are made, mostly due to the ‘good’ nature of the relationship. If you have a bad relationship with your manager, sooner or later you would want to leave the job.
When having a full-time job, you are required to be at work from Mondays to Fridays, 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. And that means that most of your time will be spent with your colleagues.
Your relationship with your colleagues, therefore, plays a huge role in your overall happiness and success at work (and career). Learning how to effectively manage and deal with conflicts is very important. Also learning how to relate to people from different backgrounds and how to handle ‘challenging individuals in the office is crucial.
What are some of the life skills that have helped you become successful in your career?
