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5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Career Success

Written by Natalia

Image courtesy of adamr, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Even though we might think that we have everything under control, it is very likely that we make a few big mistakes and end up sabotaging our career success. This article by Avery Augustine, in The Daily Muse discusses the five most common mistakes and ways to avoid them.

“Your inbox is empty, your to-dos crossed off, and your weekly report is in your boss’ hands a day early. Let’s face it: You’re the picture of success.

But while your day-to-day work is under control, and it might seem like your career is on track, you may want to take a closer look. Because, as it turns out, it’s pretty easy to make a few big-picture mistakes that can derail your chances for success.

How do I know? Well, as you’re about to find out, I’ve put my career and myself at a disadvantage a few more times than I’d like to admit. So, learn from my professional missteps and make sure you’re not sabotaging your success by making any of these five common mistakes.”

Read the whole article here “5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Career Success”

Any One For Ice-Cream? Leadership At Udderlicious

Written by The Career Success Doctor

Leadership is a quality that just about any job paying a reasonable salary requires, but employers can be so vague about what it means. Yesterday I was facilitating a networking event for Islington Chamber of Commerce’s Women In Business club. The topic was Personal Leadership.

We took over a family-owned business – an ice-cream parlour (Udderlicious, 187 Upper Street if you go near Islington in London, England), which has only been open for 2 months. As facilitator, I asked the owners to talk about their journey to opening the shop and the challengers they face, to see what lessons could be learned.

There were three particular attitudes and behaviours they talked about which for me epitomise good leadership.

1. Playing to staff’s strengths and encouraging them to develop. One of their staff is a real people person, so they actively encourage him to come out from behind the counter and meet and greet customers, and take their orders. The customers love him, and he loves doing it, so everyone has a great experience.

2. Getting involved when everyone’s back is against the wall. Delegation is an important skill, but there are times when you all have to turn your hand to all manner of unsavoury or menial activities. If the toilets need cleaning, and you’re the one not doing anything, then toilets it is! And it’s important to know when to stop mucking in, and to step back to ensure that the strategic side of things is also being attended to.

3. Passion for the product and what they do. Udderlicious is unique, because they make the ice-cream themselves, on the premises (and it’s delicious). When they talk about what they are doing you can hear the enthusiasm, excitement and belief in what they are doing, which, for a customer is so reassuring. It rubs off. I found myself leaving there as a passionate advocate of what they are doing. You get such a strong sense that this is important to them, and that they want their customers to have a great experience. They also do everything they can to source all their supplies (including the furniture) locally, which is another great selling point.

When you’re an employee, it’s not always easy to have that passion. Nor do you necessarily have the opportunity to bring on other people. However, if you can’t demonstrate passion, a willingness to get involved and a generosity of spirit, you’re likely to get left behind. And if the organisation constrains you so much that the joy has gone out of your working week, then it’s worth considering what price you are paying in emotional terms to stay there.

There Is Life After 50!

Written by The Career Success Doctor

Is there life after 50? For my grandmother, born in 1890, to reach 50 was a miracle, and you were pretty ancient if you made it. For my mother’s generation, 50 was old. As a woman, it was only 10 years until retirement, but it was the time of ‘The Change’, when everything was supposed to stop for women. Thankfully, society’s view on this have changed, although I’m not sure about my retirement age going up to 67! I’ve heard it said that 60 is the new 50, but I’m not sure I agree. Check out this short video to find out why. And I’d love to know what you think – either from your comments under the video, or comment on this blog post.

How Being A Mature Student Can Benefit A Career Change

Written by The Career Success Doctor

Image courtesy of Stockimages FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Career change and career development are among the most frequent reasons cited by mature students for entering higher education later in life. Even then there are a huge range of other factors in play. This article by Julie Cowley, in The Telegraph gives hints and tips for mature students who have taken up the challenge.

The article talks about some of the fears that mature students may have, and discusses how Universities can support them.

Here is the link. University as a mature student

If You’re Preparing For Interview, Here’s Something You Need To Know

Written by The Career Success Doctor

If you’re preparing for interview, it’s easy to focus on the material – the questions they might ask and the words and phrases you’ll use to answer them. While that’s a valid part of any interview preparation, there are things that you can do that will totally transform how you perform at interview.

But you also have to pay attention to body language, which is what this TED talk by Amy Cuddy is all about. Funnily enough, it follows on nicely from a post I wrote last week on the hidden wisdom of your body. I had no awareness of this video when I wrote it – I heard about it a few hours after I wrote the post – but sychornicity is a wonderful thing.

Cuddy’s message is fake it till you become it. Your body language profoundly influences how others see you and how you see yourself. As long you are preparing for interview, spend 2 minutes a day practising power poses and get the job of your dreams – seems worth it to me.

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