2 things that you should not do in your professional lifeBy Angelica Malin
Everyone knows what they need to do in their lives to succeed. When we think about professional decisions, most of us know the drill very well. Get trained, get certified, get a job, work hard, get promoted, get a raise, save money, blah blah. However, we are not always familiar with the things we must NOT do at any cost in our professional lives. You may think that it’s the same thing: you know the list of Dos and you can just reverse them to see the Don’ts. But that’s not how it works. And that’s why you need to read this article.
Saying no to new opportunities.
Your daily job can become so hectic and overloaded that sometimes, you will want to just ignore any new opportunities and challenges that are thrown your way. And guess what, it’s OK to do that a few times, especially if you already have a lot on your plate and if it would be really counterproductive to take on new responsibilities. But, you need to be careful to not let it become a habit. Remind yourself every time a new opportunity comes, that this could be a life-changing moment. Whether it is overseeing another department, or helping someone through their CEH training, you never know what the opportunity could be hiding under its guise. Did you know that the Khan Academy founder started his successful journey by accepting the simple request to help his cousin with her math while he was working as a hedge fund analyst?
Staying stuck at your job
A lot of people are familiar with the feeling of being stuck in their jobs. If they have already spent a significant time in their profession to know that they don’t really like it, they can feel that it’s too late for them to switch their career and start afresh. If you also feel the same, then remind yourself that it’s better late than never. Choosing a field does not mean that you have to commit to it forever. Sure, you need to be practical and consider factors like how much you will need to invest in your new profession, how much savings you will need to burn through to rebuild your career etc. But once you put your ideas to paper and chalk out the blueprint, things will start looking more achievable.
Do you know that a lot of people are making the switch to cyber security because it is a highly promising field in information technology? If you are also interested in switching to a cyber security career, say ethical hacking, you could get all that you need to know to start your career in less than a month, from the comfort of your home! An ethical hacking course online can be completed in just a week and can set you up for a decent entry-level job anywhere in the world.
Anyway, coming back to the part that you need to avoid: Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do something because they couldn’t muster up the courage to do it. It’s better to try something than to regret it anyway. And in this case, you would be doing so with detailed planning and a backup plan. So, never make the mistake of thinking that you are ever ‘stuck forever’ in your job. People change their careers at the age of 40, and you can do it too.
Most professionals can relate to these two factors primarily. If you can relate to them as well, then don’t forget to imbibe these lessons in your life and share them with your colleagues and friends too!
