Time for Career Advice! — 3 Things I have learned so far:
Though not too long in terms of years, I have experienced a colorful and varied career so far. I have worked with professors and did scientific research (yeah, I am holding patents and they were paying me for that), as well as for a boss in a small enterprise and in a multinational holding company. I have worked for young generations (I hate calling people by letters), and with them. I had been both in the service sector and manufacturing, where the business doesn’t stop for 24 hours and people work in shifts.
I have learned three important things to transfer:
- Never submit a sloppy looking job
The first impression is always critical. The way your job looks reflects your work style and attitude toward it. Independent from content, always pay full attention to maintain a decent format. Don’t make typos or simple processor mistakes that will make it look unprofessional. Even a small note, a simple graph, a temporary working file that you prepared should look exactly the way you want it to look.
2. Never leave mails unanswered from your colleagues, clients, and manager
(Yes, that leaves only spams, I know)
Nobody would stay motivated to communicate with you when they are sending their messages to the outer space. Don’t make people wait/guess/speculate about your answers. Even simple thank you’s are important, don’t be rude. Most importantly, you are the only one who is responsible for following up your tasks, not the other way around, especially with your manager. Missing to replying messages gives the opposite impression.
3. Be homicidal toward your own ideas
That prevents saying stupid things. Think, not only a few times but also critical before you speak. Discuss, interpret, and reason with yourself as much as you need to. Not everything that comes to your mind is a creative/life chancing/brilliant idea. Believe me, it is not. Be the one who figures that out before anyone else, accept that, and build on it.
Though very short and to the point, I feel like I can write a book for each item later on. Feel free to add anything, if you like to.
