Here are the remaining top seven rules that you may need to break in order to achieve success in your life and career. If you missed the first four rules, check out the May 6, 2015 post.
Top 7 Rules to BREAK to Achieve Career Success (Cont.)
Rule # 5: If you give 100 percent to your employer, they will give 100 percent to you. You should give your all to anything that you do. However, when I ask students or clients why they are spending so much time at jobs they don’t even like, they often say, “so that I’ll be safe if they have to do lay-offs.” In my experience, people are let go from jobs for three main reasons: (1) they are not well connected to the organization’s key decision makers (or they butt heads with those who are); (2) they are older employees who unfortunately can be easily replaced by two younger staffers with that same salary; and (3) they fail to demonstrate the “essential” value of what they do and bring to the table. Not taking lunch, staying late every night, and working from home on the weekends doesn’t make you invaluable; it simply makes you overwhelmed and resentful. Whatever you job you do, do it to the best of your ability. However, you should work wisely by spending “overtime” hours that demonstrate your value and help increase your exposure/connection to decision makers.
Rule # 6: Getting an advanced degree is the solution to your communications/marketing career problems: What’s required to succeed professionally varies from industry to industry. After working for years in marketing, communications, and entertainment, I have found that people who have difficulty advancing in their current company or this industry without an advanced degree, often still have problems moving up or into a lateral position even with the enhanced education. They may not only continue to be overlooked for opportunities, but also could be tens of thousands of dollars in debt after going back to school. If your company is paying for your education and they have told you that this degree will expand your internal opportunities, go for it. If that’s not the case, why not consider a certificate program or other unconventional ways to fill this experience and educational “gap.” Certificate programs and other professional development opportunities offer chances to make yourself more qualified for communications/marketing-related jobs. In the end, careers are a lot like high school. It’s often more about what you’ve done previously and who you know now that really matters. Chances are if you’re not already one of the “professional cool kids,” wearing some new “designer label” isn’t going to make you cool or get others to like you.
Rule # 7: Follow all advice from those who have done what you want to do. Learning from the successes and failures of others who have done the very thing you want to do is a great way to create your individual path. However, learning from others doesn’t mean that you have to follow that advice ‘word for word.’ Career advice is not one size fits all. Sometimes what worked for one person, even someone who has been very successful, may not be a right fit for you. Ask others for ideas and suggestions but beware of those who say, “you have got to do this or that.” Aside from having a telephone, email, business cards, and a web site, you may need to ignore other people’s “gotta do’s.”
I worked as a successful sports and entertainment PR consultant for years without the big office or personal assistant that so many people told me I “had to have” in order to be successful. Truth is, the majority of my multi-national corporate clients never once questioned, let alone minded, holding meetings at their offices or places convenient for them.
I’ve shared seven rules that you might want to break. Over the next week, identify seven rules that you have been following that have NOT served you well, and create seven new rules that can help you advance in your career.