5 Big Career Success Tips for 2019
You’ve probably made a list of your new year’s resolutions for 2019. While most of them are not necessarily career based, for some of us our careers have formed significant parts of our lives. There are those who are stepping into the big world of dreams and possibilities for the first time, maybe thinking of giving remote employment a chance, and those who have been doing it a couple of years already.
Wherever you are on your career path, you can follow our five big career success tips for 2019. Put it on a sticky note, print it out, or bookmark this article, so you have a way to refer back to these strategies and keep yourself on track this year.
1. Set Goals
One of our first tips for successful career planning is to decide what would be the most significant achievement in your career this year. Whether it’s your first job or a complete career change, do you want to get your foot in the door of remote employment or are you willing to wait for that right opportunity? Are you happy to keep working with the same employer in your current position or do you want to grow, switch departments, or look for something different that they cannot (or will not) offer?
If you’re currently a part-time remote employee, are you planning on taking it to a full-time commitment that will turn it into your primary income in future? The decision depends on your circumstances and the work you’re willing to put in. Remote employment gives you the advantage of multiple opportunities globally minus the headache of travelling.
Make sure to choose a goal that will build on your long-term ambitions. If it forms part of your five- or ten-year plan, you will most likely be more driven to reach it.
2. Start Small
Once you’ve decided on what you’re aiming for, break it down into smaller achievable goals. It’s easy to complain about what doesn’t work. The red tape is too long, the procurement process takes forever, and some departments do not provide feedback on those design elements in time. What’s not easy is taking the initiative to fix it or make it better. Employers are never eager to hear about problems unless you have a possible solution. You don’t have to change the world in one day. Just come up with a small change that will make your and future remote employees’ lives easier.
It’s easier to keep dreaming about the remote life than to dive into the waves of uncertainty and make it a reality. As scary as it may seem, you can reach big goals by taking small steps. Focus on getting your first job with a remote employer. Then maybe a second one. Celebrate when you make your first $100. Keep laying those stepping stones. The more you achieve and tick off your list, the more confident you will become.
About 92% of people fail to keep to their new year’s resolutions throughout the year because they either set too many or get derailed by small setbacks. Don’t let them get you down.
3. Keep Learning
Doing something that may seem like it doesn’t fit in with your plan may equip you with a skill set that will come in handy in future. Working as a waiter, for example, may have taught you about client service and multitasking. Those are valuable skills you can use anywhere, even remotely. Also, never take it personally when someone tries to give you advice. They want you to learn and perform so that the company will succeed.
In the modern, rapidly expanding world, with an abundant number of resources and courses available (both online and offline), it is easier to keep learning about the latest information and trends. It is those that think they know everything that are usually left behind. Our best tip on success in your career is to always look for a way, and a reason, to be better. Any experience is a good experience.
4. Be Assertive
You’ve been yearning for a step up, but that big, unstable corporate ladder is just out of reach for you to grab on. And yet, the work keeps piling up on your side. You wish someone could take some load off from you. The thing is, how do you expect your employer to know if you don’t speak up? Send them an email to set up a meeting. Ask them for advice: make a list of your to-dos and discuss the priority level of each one. Doing this will keep your employers in the loop and make you feel more comfortable with your day-to-day planning.
You will be tempted to take on every bit of work that comes your way when you start your first remote job in fear of disappointing your employers or even losing the job. However, if you already have too many projects or tight deadlines, or the pay is really not worth your time and energy, don’t feel bad when you have to say no. People will respect you more for being honest and forthcoming rather than saying yes and letting them down or wasting their time.
Most people confuse being assertive with being aggressive or having an attitude. Assertiveness is having the confidence in knowing what you want and believe.
5. Ask for Help
Asking for help doesn’t mean that you can’t do the task. It merely suggests that you’re smart enough to know that you have too much to do with too little time and have the courage to admit that you’re only human. The focus is on getting the job done as quickly and sufficiently as possible. The easiest way you’ll know how to do this is to ask for help.
“The big leagues don’t ask for help.” How do you think they got where they are today? They didn’t start their journey knowing everything. They also had their stumble blocks and deep rivers to swim through. One of the positives of working remotely is also being able to get information remotely. Join online social groups and communities. The majority of people won’t mind giving you advice. Even if your circumstances differ, chances are many of them have gone through similar challenges.
The two most common resolutions for 2018 were saving money and losing weight. However, when we reach for the stars without a proper plan, we could form part of the 80% that fall hard back to earth by the end of February. Don’t stop looking at the stars though. There are at least 365 opportunities in a year. Keep reaching by referring back to our career success tips. Make 2019 the year to not only focus on yourself but also on what you want to achieve in your professional life.
